In a significant move to enhance global collaboration among software developers, Amazon Web Services Inc. announced on April 9, 2025, the expansion of language support in its Amazon Q Developer platform. This generative AI-powered assistant, designed to aid software engineers in generating, troubleshooting, and documenting code, will now support multiple languages, making it a more inclusive tool for diverse teams around the world.
Amazon Q Developer, which has been widely adopted by developers for discussing architecture, creating documentation, designing interfaces, and building applications, will now allow users to engage in more natural conversations about complex technical concepts in their preferred languages. While English has long dominated the programming landscape, the reality is that many developers are not native English speakers. This expansion aims to break down language barriers, enabling engineers to work more effectively in their native tongues.
Srini Iragavarapu, the director of generative AI applications and developer experiences at Amazon, emphasized the importance of this development. He noted that while he has learned everything in English, many of his colleagues and friends communicate in their native languages, especially during small group discussions. “Although I personally have learned everything in English, I have a lot of friends who speak other languages,” Iragavarapu said. “In fact, just last week I was in Germany and in the Netherlands to meet the team there. While they talk in a group they talk in English, but when they break into small cohorts they do speak in their native language.”
The newly introduced language support includes major languages such as Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, German, and French, alongside English. This multilingual capability allows Q Developer to provide complete responses while maintaining technical accuracy, ensuring that developers can communicate effectively without the mental overhead of constant translation.
For instance, developers can now use inline chat features to ask Q Developer to add comments to their code in their native language. The tool will also suggest follow-up questions and responses in the user’s chosen language, creating a more intuitive experience. This feature is particularly beneficial for users who need to understand code or comments written in languages other than their own. As Iragavarapu pointed out, this capability will enable developers to pick up code with comments not written in their native language and ask Q to explain how the code works, receiving explanations in their own language.
Amazon's commitment to making software development more inclusive is evident in the rollout of this expanded language support, which is now available in both the Free and Pro Tiers of Amazon Q Developer. The integration of these features into integrated development environments (IDEs) and command line interfaces (CLIs) marks a significant step forward. Support for the AWS Management Console is also on the horizon, further broadening the accessibility of this powerful tool.
With the rise of global software development teams, the ability to communicate in a shared language is more crucial than ever. The expansion of Amazon Q Developer reflects a growing recognition of the diverse backgrounds of developers and the need for tools that cater to this diversity. By enabling a more fluid conversation in various languages, Amazon is not only enhancing the user experience but also fostering a more collaborative environment for developers worldwide.
As the tech industry continues to evolve, initiatives like this one are essential in ensuring that all developers, regardless of their linguistic background, can fully participate in the global conversation about technology. Amazon Q Developer's new multilingual capabilities stand to empower developers, allowing them to focus on what they do best—creating innovative solutions without the barriers of language.
In summary, Amazon's expanded language support in Q Developer represents a significant advancement in making software development more inclusive and accessible. By supporting multiple languages, Amazon is not only enhancing the capabilities of its platform but also paving the way for a more diverse and collaborative future in the tech industry.
