Fig was an innovative terminal autocomplete tool that added IDE-style completions to existing terminal emulators, providing dropdown suggestions for commands, arguments, and flags as developers typed. Acquired by Amazon in 2023, Fig's core technology was integrated into Amazon Q Developer for the command line (formerly Amazon CodeWhisperer for command line). Fig addressed the fundamental challenge of remembering complex CLI syntax by bringing the familiar autocomplete experience from code editors into the terminal.
Fig supported autocomplete specifications for over 500 popular CLIs, offered natural language-to-bash translation, and provided inline documentation for command arguments. The tool worked as an overlay on existing terminals rather than replacing them, integrating with iTerm2, Terminal.app, Hyper, and other popular terminal emulators. Its completion specifications were community-driven and open-source, allowing developers to contribute autocomplete definitions for their favorite tools and custom internal CLIs.
Fig was popular among developers of all skill levels who wanted faster, more intuitive command-line interactions without memorizing entire manual pages. After its sunset in September 2024, users were migrated to Amazon Q Developer for the command line, which carries forward Fig's autocomplete capabilities along with AI-powered code generation and natural language interaction. The legacy of Fig continues through Amazon Q CLI, which is free on the Individual tier and designed to be faster and more reliable than the original Fig experience.
