Eclipse News

Read the March community newsletter to get updates on Eclipse Thea, Open VSX Registry, AI-assisted development, OCX, and more.

Google has announced an updated version of its open source Android Automotive operating system designed for software-defined vehicles. Previously limited to in-car infotainment systems, Android Automotive is now being extended to support non-safety-critical components within the vehicle’s internal computing architecture, broadening its role as an “open infrastructure.” This strategic move comes with a new and straightforward name: Android Automotive OS SDV, short AAOS SDV. As platforms like this evolve into critical infrastructure, governance matters as much as code.

The Eclipse Theia Community Release 2026-02 is here, bringing together 167 improvements from Theia 1.67 and 1.68 into a stable milestone for adopters. From GitHub Copilot integration and Agent Skills to shell execution, stronger agent workflows, AppTester automation, and the new Terminal Manager, there is a lot for Theia builders and users to explore in this release.

Our new demo video shows Theia Coder across a complete workflow, from app generation and code updates to planning and automated E2E testing. It also introduces the Capability concept for enabling workflows like testing, shell access, and GitHub-related tasks more easily.

Open source initiatives and AI platforms are intended to accelerate the development of software-defined vehicles. What does it take to win the race for the best digital car?

As we approach Open Community Experience (OCX) 2026, taking place 21–23 April in Brussels, I’ve been reflecting on this year’s program and what it says about where our community is heading.

Learn why Open VSX matters from a software sovereignty perspective.

The Eclipse community in India held an event on 19 February 2026 to discuss debugging Java with Eclipse and migrating to the latest Eclipse IDE. Watch the recording to learn more. 

Our new article revisits domain-specific AI extensions in VS Code and examines how the editor’s native AI APIs have matured across language models, tools, chat participants, renderers, and MCP integration. It is a useful read for teams deciding between extending VS Code and building fully custom AI-enabled tools on platforms like Eclipse Theia AI.

We’re delighted to welcome a keynote speaker whose experience comes from one of the most demanding and data-driven environments in the world: Formula 1. Join Ruth Buscombe at OCX 2026.