Rider 2026.2 EAP 3: Cost-effective Agentic Test Coverage, Code Change Previews, GameDev Templates, and NuGet Improvements

Sasha Ivanova

JetBrains Rider 2026.2 EAP 3 is out!

You can download this version from our website, update directly from within the IDE, use the free Toolbox App, or install it via snap packages.

Here’s what you can expect from this update:

New AI agent skill to reduce token use for test generation

We’re also experimenting with an AI agent skill for unit test generation that uses Rider’s built-in coverage data to produce more relevant tests. When you ask your AI agent to generate tests, Rider can use dotCover coverage insights to find existing related tests, follow your project’s testing style, and generate the perfect tests with no manual guidance or costly wandering round the codebase. In our internal benchmarks, this approach reduced token consumption by up to 50%. You’ll find more details in this blog post.

The ability to preview suggested code changes

Rider now gives you a clearer way to evaluate quick-fixes and context actions before applying them. The new intention previews show what the selected action will change directly from the actions menu, helping you understand the result at a glance and choose the right fix with more confidence.

The preview supports diff-based output with syntax and identifier highlighting, so you can quickly compare the before and after states without interrupting your flow. This is especially helpful for broader changes, including fixes that affect multiple files, where seeing the exact impact upfront makes code actions feel safer and easier to trust.

Game development project templates

Rider now includes a dedicated Game Development section in the New Project dialog, making it easier to get started without any overcomplicated manual setup.

Godot is the first pilot for this updated experience. You can create either a game extension or an editor extension, with options to include C++ GDExtension support and the CMake add-on manager (the JetBrains Rider add-on is preconfigured where relevant). It’s a faster path to a working project, especially if you’re new to Godot development in Rider.

This release also lays the groundwork for more game-specific templates in Rider. Alongside the Godot pilot, we’re introducing a CMake game project template and reorganizing the New Project experience so game development templates have a clearer, dedicated entry point.

If you would like to learn how to use the new templates and develop Godot addons, check our documentation.

Improved experience in the NuGet tool window

Managing dependencies can get noisy as a solution grows. You need to find new packages, keep existing dependencies up to date, and quickly understand which projects are affected by available updates – ideally without digging through the same package list over and over again.

We’ve redesigned the NuGet tool window in Rider to make that workflow easier to understand and act on. The updated experience separates browsing for packages from managing installed dependencies, so each task has its own clearer path.

Available updates now also have a dedicated place in the tool window, making it easier to see which packages need attention and update them when you’re ready. This should make routine dependency maintenance more focused, especially in larger solutions with multiple projects and many installed packages.

Optimized garbage collection in Rider’s backend

We’ve adjusted several garbage collection settings to help the Rider backend release unused memory more efficiently.

Based on our internal tests, these changes reduced memory usage for Rider backend processes by around 7–8% on average. Your results may vary depending on your project and environment, but Rider should now be better at managing backend memory during everyday development.

For the full list of improvements and fixes included in this build, please see our release notes.

That’s it for now! As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.