JetBrains Junie Local is a new free coding agent that runs directly on a Mac without consuming any tokens, though it demands high-end hardware to operate. The tool is designed to work locally, removing the need to send data to external AI services.
Junie was originally built by JetBrains as a coding agent that runs on a Mac and calls out to models chosen by the user. That approach always required some configuration and involved sending data off to a separate AI product. To address this, JetBrains has developed Junie Local, which keeps the process on the user’s own machine.
What Junie Local offers
Junie Local is a 27B parameter coding agent that JetBrains positions as comparable to Sonnet 4.5 or GPT-5. Because it runs locally, it does not cost any tokens, making it an appealing option for developers who want to avoid ongoing usage charges.
According to JetBrains, the model installs with a single command and takes up roughly 20GB of storage space. It requires at least an M5 Mac fitted with 64GB of RAM to run, placing it firmly in the territory of more powerful configurations.
The hardware requirement
To meet the specification, buyers will need a Mac equipped with an M5 Pro processor and 64GB of RAM. Apple recently announced the Mac mini in this configuration, which is priced at around £2,000 to match the required setup.
The combination of local processing, a single-command installation and a sizeable memory requirement means Junie Local is aimed at developers with capable machines. The model occupies about 20GB of space once installed and runs entirely on the Mac hardware, without relying on external servers.
Source
Image: appleinsider.com
