10 Top AI Coding Assistants

Writing code with the help of an AI copilot is a great way to stay productive, fend off coding drudgery and learn to be a better programmer. These intelligent coding assistants write snippets of code, help you brainstorm and problem solve as you tackle a coding problem and chat knowledgeably with you about coding, coding languages and strategies. They also read your code and point out errors that you missed or are having trouble finding. There’s no reason to work alone or all night anymore. Here, we look at some of the top AI copilots that are ready to help you code.

1. GitHub Copilot

This copilot from GitHub helps coders scream through coding projects 55% percent faster, according to GitHub. It is used by more than 50,000 businesses. One in three Fortune “500” companies uses this tool. It helps coders design new features, track down bugs and prevent mistakes. You can also ask it questions about how to code — general or specific — to help you learn and grow as a coder. Plans currently start at $10 a month.

2. Amazon CodeWhisperer

CodeWhisperer is an all-purpose, machine learning-powered code generator from Amazon that generates suggestions as you work based on what it thinks you’re trying to do. Or you can ask it to look over your code and alert you to any problems it sees. It tries to save you time as you code. This tool is part of AWS and has a tier that’s currently free for all developers. There’s a pro tier for businesses.

3. IntelliCode

Microsoft IntelliCode helps developers work more efficiently and be more productive by offering context-aware code autocompletions as you work. It is currently free and part of Microsoft’s Visual Studio. It watches what you’re trying to do as you work in Python, TypeScript/JavaScript and Java and suggests entire lines of code to help you get there faster. It will also read code you have written and suggest edits.

4. Replit AI

Aimed at coders who are still learning, Replit AI completes code as you write, explains code so you can see what other coders were trying to do and transforms already-written code into another language or an updated version. It can also generate code based on your natural language inputs, so you can get to building whatever it is you imagine faster. The starter plan is currently free.

5. Tabnine

Tabnine is a coding assistant that gives you control over the integrity and confidentiality of your code base, allowing you to build code that’s aware of your code and your company’s standards and tailored to your team. It uses advanced models to complete, test, generate and document your code. Plans currently start at $12 a month, and there’s a 90-day free plan.

See more: Companies Hiring for AI Software Engineer Jobs

6. OpenAI Codex

OpenAI’s Codex is an AI that translates natural language into code. It powers GitHub Copilot and other coding copilots, but it is not available as a stand-alone tool. You can add it to your own coding tools with its API, though. Or you can use it by asking ChatGPT to write code in a wide range of languages, including Python, JavaScript, Java, C++ and more. It will generate code snippets and offer programming assistance.

7. Snyk Code

Snyk offers a range of coding tools that help developers secure their applications. Whether the code is written already or you’re in the process of writing it with Snyk Code, the tools here analyze code for vulnerabilities and help you improve your security. Snyk supports a wide range of languages and has a free forever version for small developers as well as tiered paid plans.

8. Watsonx Code Assistant

IBM’s watsonx Code Assistant taps generative AI to speed up development with the aim of not sacrificing trust, security or compliance. It is powered by IBM’s Granite foundation model and can generate code based on natural language or by feeding it code to edit, translate or debug. It works quickly, finds errors in your code or converts and updates code. This AI is part of IBM’s watsonx toolset, and you have to book an appointment to get started.

9. Sourcery

Sourcery offers tools that will quickly review your code or help you write code. Whether you’re learning a new API, need some fast code, can’t figure out what a body of code does or are working out how to go about creating a tool, the Coding Assistant can help answer questions, describe code or generate code. It will also take over some of the repetitive coding work. And you can feed your code into the Code Review to quickly debug it and get feedback on it. The tool is currently free for open-source projects, and the paid plan tiers start at $10 a month.

10. Claude

Claude is a generative AI chatbot by Anthropic that can do many things, including writing code. It can write clean, efficient and well-documented code from scratch, create scripts for common automations, build HTML, CSS and JavaScript and create APIs. It can also chat with you about coding and help you understand concepts, suggest approaches to problems and answer other coding questions. Or feed it some code and ask it to debug or improve it. There’s currently a free version of Claude and a paid version for $20 a month.

Learning Opportunities

Webinar