Performance and Telemetry Analysis of Trae IDE: A Deep Dive into ByteDance's VSCode Fork

Executive Summary

This analysis examines concerning performance and privacy issues discovered in Trae IDE, ByteDance's fork of Visual Studio Code. Key findings include excessive resource consumption (33 processes vs 9 in VSCode), persistent telemetry transmission despite user settings, and concerning community management practices.

1. Background and Methodology

During evaluation of development environments for a personal project, I conducted a comparative analysis of three popular IDEs: Visual Studio Code, Cursor, and Trae (ByteDance's VSCode fork). This analysis revealed significant discrepancies in resource usage and network behavior that warranted deeper investigation.

Testing Environment:

OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro
CPU: Intel Core™ i7-14700KF
RAM: 64GB
Test Project: Identical codebase loaded in each IDE
Monitoring Tools: System Informer, Fiddler Everywhere

2. Resource Consumption Analysis

Process Count and Memory Usage

Initial testing revealed dramatic differences in resource consumption:

IDE	Process Count	Memory Usage	Performance Impact
VS Code	9	~0.9 GB	Baseline
Cursor	11	~1.9 GB	2.1x memory
Trae	33	~5.7 GB	6.3x memory

Figure 1: Trae spawns 3.7x more processes than VSCode and consumes 6.3x more memory

Community Feedback and Partial Resolution

After reporting this issue on Trae's Discord server (reference), the development team acknowledged the problem. Version 2.0.2 addressed some concerns, reducing the process count by approximately 20 processes. However, Trae still maintains significantly higher resource usage than comparable IDEs.

Post-Update Metrics (v2.0.2):

Reduced from 33 to ~13 processes
Memory usage down to ~2.5 GB

3. Network Traffic and Telemetry Investigation

Initial Discovery

Network monitoring revealed persistent outbound connections to ByteDance infrastructure:

Figure 2: Trae's network activity showing regular connections to ByteDance servers

Primary Endpoints Identified:

http://mon-va.byteoversea.com
http://maliva-mcs.byteoversea.com
https://mon-va.byteoversea.com/monitor_browser/collect/batch/?biz_id=marscode_nativeide_us

Telemetry Configuration Testing

Disabling Telemetry

I attempted to disable telemetry through the standard settings interface:

Figure 3: Telemetry disabled in user settings

Unexpected Results

Critical Finding: Disabling telemetry did not reduce network activity. Instead, it:

Maintained existing connections to mon-va.byteoversea.com and maliva-mcs.byteoversea.com
Increased request frequency to the batch collection endpoint

Figure 4: Increase of calls

4. Data Transmission Analysis

Batch Telemetry Payload

Even with telemetry disabled, Trae continues transmitting detailed usage data:

{
	"ev_type": "batch",
	"list": [
		{
			"ev_type": "custom",
			"payload": {
				"name": "icube_ai_ckg_request",
				"type": "event",
				"metrics": {
					"cost_time": 5
				},
				"categories": {
					"ckg_method": "refreshToken",
					"status": "Failed",
					"err_msg": "None",
					"ckg_err_code": "SUCCEED"
				}
			},
			"common": {
				"bid": "marscode_nativeide_us",
				"user_id": "redacted :)",
				"device_id": "redacted :)",
				"session_id": "redacted :)",
				"env": "prod",
				"timestamp": 1753636703370,
				"sdk_version": "1.12.7",
				"sdk_name": "SDK_SLARDAR_WEB",
				"pid": "AI Agent",
				"view_id": "AI Agent 1753636703370",
				"context": {
					"tracing_id": "redacted :)",
					"span_id": "59a833c5359d4978",
					"product": "nativeIDE",
					"machine_id": "redacted :)",
					"user_id": "redacted :)",
					"user_name": "Redacted :)",
					"build_version": "1.0.16066",
					"app_version": "2.0.2",
					"build_time": "2025-07-21T05:08:14.915Z",
					"quality": "stable",
					"eventVersion": "1.95",
					"arch": "x64",
					"system": "win32",
					"remote_arch": "x86_64",
					"remote_system": "windows",
					"scope": "marscode",
					"biz_user_id": "redacted :)",
					"user_is_login": "true",
					"device_id": "redacted :)",
					"user_unique_id": "redacted :)",
					"organization": "",
					"vscode_version": "1.100.3",
					"region": "US",
					"aiRegion": "US",
					"os_name": "windows",
					"os_version": "Microsoft Windows 11 Pro",
					"cpu": "Intel",
					"is_ssh": "false",
					"app_language": "en",
					"chat_mode": "0",
					"identity": "1",
					"identity_str": "Pro",
					"pro_period": "0",
					"has_package": "0",
					"is_freshman": "0",
					"channel_name": "common",
					"extra": "{\"cpu_brand\":\"Core™ i7-14700KF\",\"cpu_family\":\"6\",\"cpu_speed\":3.4,\"device_manufacturer\":\"ASUS\",\"device_model\":\"System Product Name\",\"memory\":68523634688,\"language\":\"en-us\"}"
				}
			}
		}
	]
}

User Activity Tracking

Additional endpoint (maliva-mcs.byteoversea.com) receives granular user interaction data:

[
	{
		"events": [
			{
				"event": "_be_active",
				"params": "{\"start_time\":1753636688373,\"end_time\":1753636688373,\"url\":\"vscode-file://vscode-app/c:/Users/segfault/AppData/Local/Programs/Trae/resources/app/out/vs/code/electron-sandbox/workbench/workbench.html\",\"referrer\":\"\",\"title\":\"read.md - tauri-app - Trae\",\"event_index\":1753636640233}",
				"local_time_ms": 1753636688374,
				"is_bav": 0,
				"session_id": "redacted :)"
			},
			{
				"event": "icube_time_on_ide",
				"params": "{\"entryTime\":1753636462123,\"now\":1753636687360,\"workspaceId\":\"88eda3be5f237760cfadaa7abbd89c24\",\"duration\":1964,\"lastActiveTime\":1753636685396,\"isEditorFocused\":false,\"activeEditorTypeId\":\"workbench.editors.files.fileEditorInput\",\"isMouseOrKeyboardActive\":true,\"isAiActive\":false,\"activeEditorProviderId\":\"\",\"activeEditorLanguage\":\"markdown\",\"activeEditorFileExt\":\".md\",\"isFocus\":\"not_focus\",\"isVisible\":\"hidden\",\"event_index\":1753636640232}",
				"local_time_ms": 1753636688372,
				"is_bav": 0,
				"session_id": "redacted :)"
			}
		],
		"user": {
			"user_unique_id": "redacted :)",
			"user_id": "redacted :)",
			"user_is_login": true,
			"device_id": "redacted :)"
		},
		"header": {
			"app_id": 677332,
			"app_version": "2.0.2",
			"os_name": "windows",
			"os_version": "Microsoft Windows 11 Pro",
			"device_model": "System Product Name",
			"language": "en-us",
			"region": "US",
			"app_language": "en",
			"platform": "electron",
			"sdk_version": "5.1.25",
			"sdk_lib": "js",
			"timezone": 2,
			"tz_offset": -7200,
			"resolution": "2560x1440",
			"browser": "Chrome",
			"browser_version": "132.0.6834.210",
			"referrer": "",
			"referrer_host": "",
			"width": 2560,
			"height": 1440,
			"screen_width": 2560,
			"screen_height": 1440,
			"tracer_data": "{\"$utm_from_url\":1}",
			"custom": "{\"icube_uid\":\"7472574750745953285\",\"biz_user_id\":\"7472574750745953285\",\"is_special_uuid\":false,\"machine_id\":\"9531bb512f2c1aff9c2ed17dd9e342026f0e1e78326b35ee01e03f6439b869ca\",\"arch\":\"x64\",\"system\":\"win32\",\"scope\":\"marscode\",\"organization\":\"\",\"build_version\":\"1.0.16066\",\"vscode_version\":\"1.100.3\",\"tenant\":\"marscode\",\"aiRegion\":\"US\",\"quality\":\"stable\",\"build_time\":\"2025-07-21T05:08:14.915Z\",\"icube_main_uid\":\"f8207401-9c52-4583-82d3-e1e44e2da0f0\",\"window_id\":2,\"workspace_id\":\"88eda3be5f237760cfadaa7abbd89c24\",\"os_release\":\"10.0.26100\",\"os_build\":\"26100\",\"device_manufacturer\":\"ASUS\",\"cpu\":\"Intel\",\"cpu_brand\":\"Core™ i7-14700KF\",\"cpu_vendor\":\"GenuineIntel\",\"cpu_family\":\"6\",\"cpu_model\":\"183\",\"cpu_stepping\":\"1\",\"cpu_speed\":3.4,\"memory\":68523634688,\"is_ssh\":false,\"chat_mode\":0,\"identity\":\"1\",\"identity_str\":\"Pro\",\"pro_period\":\"0\",\"has_package\":\"0\",\"is_freshman\":\"0\",\"channel_name\":\"common\"}"
		},
		"local_time": 1753636689,
		"verbose": 1
	}
]

Data Collection Scope

The telemetry system captures:

System Information: Hardware specs, OS details, architecture
Usage Patterns: Active time, session duration, feature usage
Performance Metrics: Response times, resource consumption
Unique Identifiers: Machine ID, user ID, device fingerprints
Workspace Details: Project information, file paths (obfuscated)

👉 Watch the Network Calls on Streamable

5. Community Management Concerns

Automated Censorship

When I attempted to discuss these findings on Trae's Discord server, i got spanked with gag-hammer https://discord.com/channels/1320998163615846420/1335032920850825391/1398374824987852891

Keyword Filtering: The word "track" was added to an automated blacklist
Automatic Punishment: Mentioning tracking issues triggered an instant 7-day mute
Suppression of Technical Discussion: Legitimate security concerns were treated as disruptive behavior

6. Privacy and Security Implications

Data Sovereignty Concerns

Persistent Collection: Telemetry continues despite user preferences
Granular Tracking: Detailed system and usage information transmitted
Foreign Data Processing: Information routed to ByteDance (Chinese company) infrastructure
Unique Identification: Multiple persistent identifiers enable long-term tracking

Trust and Transparency Issues

Misleading Settings: Telemetry toggle appears non-functional
Undocumented Behavior: No clear disclosure of data collection practices
Community Suppression: Technical criticism met with censorship rather than engagement

7. Recommendations

For Users

Immediate Action: Consider alternative IDEs if privacy is a concern
Network Monitoring: Use firewall rules to block ByteDance domains if continuing use
Regular Review: Monitor process usage and network activity
Data Awareness: Understand that usage data may be collected regardless of settings

For ByteDance/Trae Team

Honor User Preferences: Implement genuine telemetry opt-out functionality
Transparency: Provide clear documentation of data collection practices
Performance Optimization: Address excessive resource consumption
Community Engagement: Replace censorship with constructive dialogue

8. Conclusion

This analysis reveals significant concerns with Trae IDE's approach to user privacy and system resources. The combination of excessive resource usage, persistent telemetry despite user settings, and defensive community management creates a troubling pattern that users should carefully consider.

While Trae offers some interesting features as a VSCode fork, the current implementation raises questions about ByteDance's commitment to user privacy and transparent development practices. Users requiring strict data privacy or optimal system performance may want to consider established alternatives like standard VSCode or other privacy-focused development environments.

Key Takeaways:

Resource usage is 6x higher than VSCode baseline
Telemetry settings appear to be cosmetic rather than functional
Community feedback mechanisms are compromised by censorship
Data collection practices lack transparency and user control

This analysis was conducted in July 2025 using Trae IDE version PRE-2.0.2 and 2.0.2. Network traffic was captured using standard monitoring tools, and all findings are reproducible. Community members are encouraged to conduct their own testing and share results through appropriate channels.

Discord: cryptux x (twitter): https://x.com/CookingCodes