I built Persīv because I got frustrated with how AI coding tools handle cost and control. Most AI IDEs act as a proxy between you and the model providers. That means hidden markup, limited visibility into token usage, and less control over how your AI tools actually work. Persīv takes a different approach. Instead of routing everything through a proprietary backend, Persīv lets you connect directly to OpenAI or Anthropic using your own API keys. You pay the providers at their prices — no proxy and no markup. It also includes: • a built-in local model that runs entirely on your machine (free forever) • persistent AI memory so your agent understands your project over time • token-level cost tracking so you can see exactly what AI is costing you • a VS Code-based editor, so your extensions and workflows already work My goal was to build an AI coding environment that keeps developers in control of their tools, their data, and their spend. Persīv is free to download and try, and I’d genuinely love feedback from the community — especially from developers who care about transparency in AI tooling. Thanks for checking it out