For AI agents: a documentation index is available at the root level at /llms.txt and /llms-full.txt. Append /llms.txt to any URL for a page-level index, or .md for the markdown version of any page.
The Astro IDE provides a browser-based workspace for Apache Airflow. In the IDE, you can write code, validate and test changes, and deploy or push your work directly, without a local development environment.
With Blueprint, the IDE also supports template-based Dag creation. Platform teams define reusable step templates with built-in guardrails, and team members such as analysts, analytics engineers, and data scientists can assemble them into production Dags through forms and a visual builder, without writing Airflow code or learning Airflow concepts.
What is the Astro IDE?
The Astro IDE is an integrated development environment designed specifically for Airflow Dag development. The AI features are powered by Otto, Astronomer’s data engineering agent, and help write and edit Dag code with awareness of your Airflow version, existing repository patterns, and Deployment environment. The Astro IDE has additional features that help you build, test, and ship Dags directly in the browser.
Why use the Astro IDE?
General-purpose AI tools generate Dag code without understanding the specifics of your project, often resulting in output that requires significant modification. Traditional Dag development also demands manual local configuration and container management, which slows iteration. The Astro IDE removes these barriers, enabling you to:
Write and update Airflow Dags more efficiently, with context-aware code generation.
Test and deploy code directly from the browser with no extra steps or tools required.
Apply project rules to help maintain code quality.
Scale Dag creation beyond the platform team by letting analysts and other team members build workflows from governed templates using Blueprint.
Core features
AI powered by Otto: Generate Dag code that follows Airflow best practices, tailored to your project history, connections, and Astro Workspace. Otto brings Astronomer’s proprietary knowledge about Airflow compatibility, team-specific memory, and specialized skills. Learn more about authoring Dags. For details on Otto’s capabilities, see Otto overview.
No local setup required: Run everything in the browser.
Project checks and guardrails: Maintain project standards and code quality through linting and project rules. Add custom project rules.
Integrated deployment and version control: Deploy to Astro and push changes to branches. See Deployment workflows.
Blueprint (Preview): Create Dags by assembling platform-defined templates through a visual builder. Platform teams control defaults, guardrails, and operational settings while other team members focus on their SQL or Python logic. Learn more about Blueprint.
What can you do with the Astro IDE?
Create new Dags: Generate Airflow-compliant code, including common operators and projects, with AI assistance. Author Dags.
Create Dags from templates with Blueprint: Browse a curated library of templates defined by your platform team, assemble them into workflows on a visual canvas, configure each step through simple forms, and test the result in an ephemeral deployment — all without writing Airflow code. Use Blueprint. (Preview)
Update and refactor: Edit existing Dags, including performing Airflow version upgrades.
Import projects: Bring code into the IDE from any supported Git provider:
The following size limits apply to Astro IDE projects:
Maximum project size: 200MB
Maximum file size: 1MB
You cannot import or sync projects that exceed these limits. If your project exceeds these limits, consider excluding large files or folders that are not required for Dag development.
