JetBrains' IDE for JavaScript is now free for non-commercial use. Webstorm thus joins RustRover (Rust IDE) and Aqua (test automation IDE) to the list of JetBrain IDEs available under a non-commercial licensing model. Non-commercial free license users must agree to usage data collection to enjoy the same features as those with paid subscriptions, including AI-powered code completion.
JetBrain provides in the release note examples that fit into the non-commercial usage category:
If you’re using [WebStorm] for non-commercial purposes, such as learning, open-source project development, content creation, or hobby development, you can now do so for free.
The company quotes as its primary motivation a larger adoption of its IDEs. The non-commercial license may attract a larger set of casual (developers coding outside of work) and open-source developers. A Stack Overflow survey estimates that up to two-thirds of developers code outside of work as a hobby and about one-third for professional development purposes.
Developers who accept the terms of the non-commercial license cannot opt out of data collection. The company however states that the collection is anonymized and limited to usage data:
The data we collect is exclusively that of anonymous feature usages of our IDEs. It is focused on what actions are performed and what types of functionality of the IDE are used. We do not collect any other data.
Non-commercial license users have access to the same product and product features as commercial license users with one exception.
Non-commercial license users will have to use the Code With Me Community feature rather than the Code With Me feature available to paying users. Code With Me seeks to provide secure, collaborative development features to a team of developers (e.g., pair programming, code reviews). While guest developers never need a license to join a Code With Me session, the Community users will be restricted in several ways (e.g., limited session length, limited number of guests, support happening primarily via the community).
Free access for non-commercial licensees to the former paid IDE version includes in particular access to existing AI-powered features, such as the so-called Full Line Code Completion.
On Reddit/HackerNews, a few developers who had already adapted WebStorm as their IDE of choice wondered about the possible chilling effect of the data collection clause.
Developers who have not previously used JetBrains' IDEs enquired about reasons to change to WebStorm, in particular switching from Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code. There seems to be general agreement among WebStorm advocates on the superiority of WebStorm’s refactoring and debugging abilities. Other factors seem to be more of a mixed bag, e.g., code navigation, auto conflict resolvers, features that require custom installing plugins of miscellaneous quality in other editors are available by default in WebStorm).
Developers can review JetBrains privacy policy and the terms of the non-commercial license online.
