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The Rise and Fall of Fig.io: How Amazon’s Acquisition Led to Its Shutdown
Ever wondered what happened to Fig.io, the once-promising startup that aimed to revolutionize terminal interactions? If you were a developer who relied on Fig for its enhanced autocomplete and productivity tools, you might be curious why the company suddenly disappeared.
The short answer? Fig.io was acquired by Amazon in 2023 and subsequently shut down in 2024 as its technology was folded into Amazon Q for Command Line.
The long answer? While Fig had a solid user base and strong adoption, the acquisition led to a strategic shift. Rather than continuing as an independent product, Fig was sunsetted in favor of Amazon’s own developer toolset—showcasing how even a successful startup can disappear overnight when a bigger player sees an opportunity for consolidation.
Let’s take a closer look at how Fig.io came to be, why it shut down, and what this means for the future of developer tools.
What Was Fig.io?
Fig.io was a developer tool designed to make the terminal more interactive and efficient. It provided features such as:
- Autocomplete for CLI commands
- Visual shortcuts for the terminal
- Apps that integrated directly into shell workflows
Founded in 2020 by engineers who saw a gap in the terminal experience, Fig quickly gained traction within the developer community. The company participated in Y Combinator and raised a $2.2 million seed round in August 2021, signaling early investor confidence.
By 2023, Fig had built a strong following:
- Hundreds of thousands of users
- 22,000+ GitHub stars
- 13,000+ members on Discord
- 400+ open-source contributors
Clearly, the startup had momentum. So why did it shut down?
Why Did Fig.io Fail? (Short Answer vs. Long Answer)
Short Answer:
Fig technically didn’t “fail”—it was acquired by Amazon in August 2023. After the acquisition, Amazon decided to integrate Fig’s technology into Amazon Q for Command Line, leading to Fig’s shutdown on September 1, 2024.
Long Answer:
While Fig’s shutdown wasn’t due to financial failure, several strategic factors contributed to its end.
1. Acquisition and Absorption by Amazon
Once Amazon acquired Fig, the writing was on the wall. Many tech companies buy startups not to run them as standalone products but to absorb their technology and talent into larger projects.
Amazon already had Amazon Q for Command Line in development—Fig’s features aligned perfectly with this initiative. Rather than maintaining Fig as a separate tool, Amazon chose to integrate its technology and sunset the brand.
2. No Financial Struggles, but No Independence Either
Unlike many tech startups that shut down due to lack of funding or poor monetization, Fig didn’t suffer financial issues. It had raised funding, grown a loyal user base, and made a genuine impact in the developer community.
However, once acquired, its destiny was no longer in its own hands. The decision to shut down wasn’t dictated by Fig’s failure—it was Amazon’s strategic choice.
3. Competition Was Strong but Didn’t Cause the Shutdown
Fig faced competition from similar tools like:
- Warp – An AI-powered terminal built from scratch
- Kite – An AI assistant for coding (which ironically also shut down)
- Microsoft Terminal – A robust, hyper-integrated shell for Windows users
Despite this, Fig’s unique product had carved out a niche. Its shutdown wasn’t due to losing a competitive battle; it was simply caught in the inevitable process of big tech consolidation.
4. Developer Backlash Didn’t Change the Outcome
Once Fig announced its shutdown in March 2024, users took to platforms like Hacker News and Reddit to voice their disappointment. Concerns included:
- Losing specific Fig features like “Fig Scripts”
- Fearing that Amazon Q wouldn’t match Fig’s simplicity
- Frustration over the short timeline for migration
But none of this changed the decision—the transition to Amazon Q was set in motion, and by September 1, 2024, Fig was gone.
Comparison to a Successful Competitor: Warp vs. Fig
If Fig was doing well, why did it shut down while some competitors, like Warp, continued to thrive?
The key difference lies in independence vs. acquisition.
- Warp raised $70M in funding, avoiding acquisition and staying independent.
- Fig was acquired by Amazon, which had its own priorities.
- Warp’s product was built entirely from scratch, making it distinctive.
- Fig relied on enhancing existing terminal workflows, which made it an easy feature to integrate into Amazon’s ecosystem.
Had Fig remained independent, it might have grown into a bigger player like Warp—but with Amazon in control, the outcome was inevitable.
Lessons Learned from Fig.io’s Shutdown
1. Acquisition Is Not Always a Win for Users
While acquisitions might seem like a success story, they often focus on corporate goals rather than the community. Fig was thriving independently—but in Amazon’s hands, it became just another piece of a larger puzzle.
2. Big Tech Dominates Developer Tools
Amazon, Microsoft, and Google increasingly control critical developer infrastructure. The rise and fall of Fig is a reminder that startups in this space risk getting absorbed rather than competing long-term.
3. A Community-Driven Product Doesn’t Guarantee Longevity
Fig had a passionate user community and strong adoption, but that didn’t stop Amazon from prioritizing its own product strategy. This shows that community support alone isn't enough to sustain a startup when acquisition opportunities arise.
FAQs
Who founded Fig.io?
Fig.io was founded in 2020 and was part of Y Combinator, though specific founder details are less publicized.
When did Fig shut down?
Fig officially sunsetted on September 1, 2024, after Amazon’s acquisition in August 2023.
How much funding did Fig raise?
Fig.io raised a $2.2M seed round in August 2021 to develop and grow its platform.
Why did Fig fail?
Fig didn’t fail due to financial instability or lack of users. Instead, after Amazon acquired it, the decision was made to integrate Fig’s technology into Amazon Q for Command Line, leading to its shutdown.
What happened to Fig’s users?
Users were encouraged to migrate to Amazon Q, which absorbed many of Fig’s features. However, some Fig-specific functionality did not carry over.
Is Fig coming back?
No. Fig has been fully integrated into Amazon’s ecosystem, with the original Fig service no longer available.
Final Thoughts
Fig.io was an innovative terminal tool that found strong traction in the developer community. It wasn’t a failure in the traditional startup sense—rather, it was a casualty of big tech consolidation.
For developers, this serves as a lesson: The tools you rely on can disappear overnight when acquired by major corporations. While Amazon Q may offer similar features, Fig’s shutdown is a stark reminder that independence often determines whether a product will stand the test of time.
Do you think Fig could have survived independently, or was its fate sealed the moment Amazon acquired it? Let us know your thoughts!
What is fig.io?
Fig.io, founded in 2020 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a website offering a suite of products and services designed to enhance the functionality of the terminal, a command-line interface enabling text-based interactions with computers. Noteworthy offerings from Fig.io encompass Autocomplete, which brings IDE-style autocomplete to the terminal with support for over 500 popular CLI tools and inline descriptions; Scripts for Teams, facilitating the creation and sharing of shell scripts across engineering teams; Servers, providing secure and convenient management of SSH credentials and hosts; Dotfiles, helping users customize and safeguard their terminal configuration files; and Plugins, which empower users to extend Fig.io's capabilities with custom autocomplete, aliases, and more. While Fig.io is committed to making the terminal more accessible, efficient, and collaborative for everyone, it is presently not accepting new sign-ups as it integrates with AWS to further enhance its offerings.
How much does fig.io cost?
As per information provided on Fig's official website, Fig is a no-cost software tool that enhances the functionality of your terminal by introducing visual applications, shortcuts, and autocomplete features. Fig boasts compatibility with over 500 widely-used CLI tools and offers full customization options. Notably, Amazon acquired Fig in August 2023, marking a significant development in its journey.
What are the benefits of fig.io?
Fig.io offers a range of advantages, including:
- Accessibility, Efficiency, and Collaboration: Fig.io caters to a broad user spectrum, making the terminal more user-friendly for beginners, enhancing efficiency for advanced engineers, and fostering collaboration within teams.
- Wide CLI Tool Support: With support for over 500 popular CLI tools, Fig.io provides inline descriptions and robust suggestions, streamlining the command-line experience.
- Seamless Sharing: Fig.io enables users to effortlessly share essential elements like shell aliases/functions, environment variables, secrets, SSH credentials, and internal CLI tools among team members, promoting effective teamwork.
- Integration: It seamlessly integrates with various popular terminals, shells, and integrated development environments (IDEs), ensuring compatibility with a wide range of user preferences.
- Security and Privacy: Fig.io prioritizes security and privacy by offering opt-in cloud features and processing all keystrokes locally, assuring users of data confidentiality.
For those interested in trying out Fig.io, it can be obtained for free by downloading it directly from their website or installing it using the 'brew' package manager.
How does fig.io work?
Fig.io operates by establishing a platform designed for the development and utilization of web applications that seamlessly integrate with the terminal. Key to its functionality is the utilization of a JavaScript API known as Fig.js, which empowers developers to access and manipulate the terminal state, execute shell commands, control the positioning of the Fig window, and insert text into the terminal. Moreover, Fig.io offers a declarative standard for crafting autocomplete suggestions tailored to various CLI tools. These autocomplete functionalities are open source and offer a high degree of customization for users.
An outstanding advantage of Fig.io lies in its capacity to enhance the existing terminal and shell experience without necessitating a switch to an alternative terminal emulator or the installation of additional plugins. Fig.io exhibits compatibility with a broad spectrum of widely-used terminals, shells, and integrated development environments (IDEs), including but not limited to bash, zsh, fish, iTerm2, Hyper, VSCode, and more. Furthermore, Fig.io fosters collaboration among teams by enabling the seamless sharing of scripts, aliases, environment variables, secrets, SSH credentials, and dotfiles, thus enhancing productivity and teamwork.
What are the limitations of fig.io?
Fig.io, while offering valuable features, does come with certain limitations to consider:
- Platform Restriction: As of now, Fig.io is exclusively available for macOS users, which means individuals utilizing other operating systems like Windows or Linux are unable to access its features.
- Compatibility Issues: Fig.io may not seamlessly integrate with all terminals, shells, or integrated development environments (IDEs) that possess their own autocomplete functionalities or customizations. Notably, reported compatibility challenges have arisen with specific software, such as iTerm2, zsh, and VSCode.
- Internet Dependency: Fig.io relies on an internet connection to download and update autocomplete specifications. Consequently, users without an internet connection or those with slow connectivity may experience limitations in accessing the most up-to-date and accurate suggestions.
- Data Collection: While Fig.io assures users that their data is handled securely and privately, it does gather certain information related to terminal usage, including keystrokes, commands, and environment variables. While the service asserts that sensitive data is not tracked, some users may harbor reservations about sharing their terminal activities with a third-party service.
