Fix Antigravity IDE 2.0 Launch Loop & Restore Sidebar

The Antigravity 2.0 Agent Manager is a standalone workspace daemon developed by Google that coordinates background model executions, tool calls, and developer sessions across the local operating system. In typical production environments, this orchestrator registers itself as the default handler for the local development environment, but a critical path conflict in the stable Q2 2026 release triggers a launch loop where the classic editor repeatedly fails to load while the agent sidebar is stripped entirely of its chat history, prompt logs, and persistent development artifacts.

For modern operators who rely on a dense, distraction-free editing pane, downgrading to a legacy version is a strategic non-starter. Discarding the 2.0 runtime means relinquishing access to the latest Gemini agentic code generation utilities, multi-file execution pipelines, and advanced workspace context models. The objective is to achieve a dual-wield configuration: maintaining the high-powered 2.0 background agent framework while fully restoring the traditional editor-focused interface. By executing a sequence of targeted path overrides and database migrations, you can resolve the launch conflict without risking developer data loss.

Prerequisites & Environment Audit

Before executing either the quick mitigation or the full dual-wield configuration, verify your local system parameters to ensure compatibility. This procedure has been systematically tested on Windows 11 Professional (x64), though the underlying registry and path concepts apply similarly to Unix-like structures. Audit your system against the following requirements:

• Active Installation: Google Antigravity 2.0.0 stable build (released Q2 2026).
• System Paths: Ensure you have administrative access to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Antigravity and %APPDATA%\Roaming.
• Workspace Safety: Back up your active code directories and local credentials. Your project code remains safe, but database paths will be manipulated.

The Quick Fix: Break the Redirect Loop Immediately

If you are in the middle of a high-priority sprint and need to bypass the launch loop instantly, you can manually disable the background redirect script. This operation prevents the 2.0 runtime from hijacking the Electron window execution context, allowing the traditional editor to boot cleanly. Follow these instructions:

1. Terminate Running Processes: Open Windows Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and kill all running tasks containing the names "Antigravity," "Antigravity IDE," or "Antigravity Agent Daemon."
2. Navigate to Resources: Open Windows Explorer and navigate to your program installation directory, typically located at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Antigravity\resources (or C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Programs\Antigravity\resources).
3. Bypass the Package: Locate the file named app.asar. This package contains the Electron-based launch script that intercepts and redirects your IDE execution. Rename app.asar to app.asar.bak.
4. Elevated Execution: Move back to the parent directory (%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Antigravity), right-click Antigravity IDE.exe, and select Run as administrator. The traditional editor should instantly initialize with your workspace active.

While highly effective for immediate relief, the quick fix is a temporary solution. A system reboot or background update check will frequently restore the default app.asar file, triggering the conflict once more. For a permanent, robust development workstation, implement the clean dual-wield setup described below.

The Clean Solution: The Permanent Dual-Wield Setup

To establish a permanent development architecture where both the traditional editor and the new 2.0 agent manager operate concurrently without interface collisions, you must perform a clean installation sequence. This process forces the operating system to allocate distinct path registrations for both components, guaranteeing that they do not hijack one another.

Step 1: Perform a Comprehensive Uninstall

Open Windows Settings, select Apps & Features, and locate all listings for both "Antigravity" and "Antigravity IDE." Uninstall both packages. Note that your personal settings, chat database records, and project files are safely maintained in the %APPDATA%\Roaming directory and will not be affected by this uninstallation.

Step 2: Clean the Temp Registries

To ensure no cached installers attempt to run a background redirect, clear the local temporary installation caches. Press Windows Key + R, type %TEMP%, and press Enter. Locate and delete any folders prefixed with antigravity-installer- or vbt-update-.

Step 3: Install the Editor First

Download the standalone installer for the classic Antigravity IDE from the official channel (http://antigravity.google/product/antigravity-ide). Run the installer and launch the application once. This forces the system to register the standard editor paths and create a clean config directory at %APPDATA%\Roaming\Antigravity IDE. Close the editor.

Step 4: Install the 2.0 Agent Standalone Last

Run the Antigravity 2.0 installer. Because the classic IDE has already claimed the primary editor path hooks, the 2.0 installer will automatically fall back to its standalone, parallel track. This prevents it from writing the redirect scripts that hijack the editor's launch process.

Step 5: Database Migration & History Recovery

If your newly installed IDE appears blank and has lost your chat history, the old data is still safely stored in the legacy config path. You can quickly migrate your prompt databases and custom workspace settings using the following steps:

1. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to %APPDATA%\Roaming\Antigravity.
2. Locate the file named state.vscdb. This SQLite database contains all of your historical chat sessions, prompt structures, and generated artifacts.
3. Copy state.vscdb, along with the folders named Backups and User, to the clipboard.
4. Navigate to the new configuration directory: %APPDATA%\Roaming\Antigravity IDE.
5. Paste the files and folders here, selecting **Overwrite** when prompted by the operating system.

Once completed, launch your IDE. Your entire conversation history, customized prompt macros, and workspace configurations will be fully restored within the premium editor interface, running side-by-side with your new standalone agent utilities.

Comparing the Approaches

Depending on your immediate timeline and system constraints, evaluate which troubleshooting strategy is most appropriate for your active team:

Crucial Post-Fix Optimization Tips

Once your dual-wield workspace is running cleanly, execute these two critical optimization steps to ensure it remains stable over future release cycles:

1. Enforce Update Mode Restrictions

To prevent the classic IDE from attempting a self-destructive update that could re-introduce the launch redirect, lock your current editor version. Open the IDE Settings (Ctrl + ,), search for "Update Mode," and change the dropdown selection from "Default" to None. This ensures your stable editor configuration remains intact until an official, verified patch is distributed by the platform team.

2. Bypassing Authentication & 429 Loops

Because the database migration re-registers your local workspace keys, the background language server may flag your system as a duplicate session, resulting in "429 Too Many Requests" or authentication failure dialogs. **Do not repeat your login process.** Instead, leave the editor open and idle for up to one hour. This allows the backend token server to refresh your validation state and securely synchronize your developer quota without locking your account.

The Platform Takeaway: A Lesson in Platform Engineering

The Antigravity 2.0 release conflict highlights a growing tension in the developer tools space: the push to transition traditional IDEs into fully autonomous agent frameworks. Google’s aggressive rollout reflects a broader industry shift, similar to what we detailed in our Google Antigravity 2.0: The Death of the AI Coding IDE analysis. However, forcing developer interactions entirely through an external manager app ignores the practical needs of operators who require a robust editor for manual code edits and structured pair programming.

For developers who require deep, manual editing precision alongside high-quality agentic support, the combination of a stable, dual-wield Antigravity editor with dedicated external tools like the Claude Code Review: The Ultimate Agentic AI Coding Tool for Operators provides the ultimate performance stack. By taking control of your local paths, database states, and update registries, you protect your productivity from aggressive vendor rollouts and keep your development pipeline entirely under your own command.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this process delete my local project files or Git repositories?

No. Your actual source code and Git repositories reside on your local drive and are completely independent of the Antigravity system directories. This fix only manipulates the IDE application runtime files and configuration caches.

What should I do if my sidebar is still empty after copying the state.vscdb file?

First, verify that you completely closed all Antigravity processes before copying. If the file was copied while a process was active, the database lock may have prevented the overwrite. Close the editor, re-copy the state.vscdb file from AppData\Roaming\Antigravity, paste it into AppData\Roaming\Antigravity IDE, and relaunch.

Does this fix work for macOS and Linux installations?

Yes. Although path conventions differ, the concept is identical. On macOS, the configuration directories are located at ~/Library/Application Support/Antigravity and ~/Library/Application Support/Antigravity IDE. The Electron package resources can be accessed by right-clicking the App bundle, selecting "Show Package Contents," and navigating to Contents/Resources/app.asar.