Pattern: IDEs Are Becoming Neutral, Multi-Provider Agent Hosts via the Agent Client Protocol
9to5Mac·medium signal
Xcode 26.6 now hosts Claude, Gemini, and Codex side by side through the open Agent Client Protocol (ACP); Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf) and JetBrains have likewise opened to ACP-compatible agents. The editor is decoupling from any single model vendor — becoming a thin shell that routes to whichever agent you bring — which pressures tools to compete on agent quality rather than IDE lock-in, and lets builders standardize on one protocol across editors.