Alibaba / Qwen · 2026-04-09 · notable
Qwen Code — Multi-Platform Channels (Telegram, WeChat, DingTalk), /plan Mode, Qwen 3.6-Plus Free
Qwen Code adds Channels for remote access via Telegram, WeChat, and DingTalk; a /plan command for human-in-the-loop execution review; cron-based scheduled tasks; and free Qwen3.6-Plus model with 1M context, matching GPT-5 coding performance.
Qwen Code gains remote control via messaging apps and a free 1M-context coding model matching GPT-5 on benchmarks.
Key specs
| Context window | 1,000,000 |
|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 24,206 |
| Daily free calls | 1,000 |
What is it?
Qwen Code is Alibaba's open-source terminal AI coding agent (Apache 2.0, TypeScript). The April 9, 2026 weekly update added significant platform expansion and the integration of the newly-launched Qwen3.6-Plus model as a free tier option.
How does it work?
The Channels system extends Qwen Code beyond the terminal: users can send tasks and receive results via Telegram, WeChat, or DingTalk, enabling async execution from mobile. The /plan command puts the agent in planning mode — it proposes a full execution plan for the user to review before any files are touched. Cron scheduling allows recurring automated tasks without user supervision. The integrated Qwen3.6-Plus model provides 1M context, 1,000 free daily calls, and coding performance benchmarked on par with GPT-5 and Claude 3.7 Sonnet.
Why does it matter?
Channels turns a terminal tool into a mobile-accessible AI assistant — submit a coding task on your phone, results arrive when done. The free Qwen3.6-Plus integration makes high-context coding assistance available at no cost for individual developers.
Who is it for?
Developers using Chinese messaging platforms or those wanting free access to a 1M-context coding model without API costs.
Try it
npm install -g @qwen-ai/qwen-code && qwen-code