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Coding AI Tools Shortlist

· 6 min read
Ilham Surya
Ilham Surya
SRE Engineer - Fullstack Enthusiast - Go, Python, React, Typescript

Coding Assistance Category​

This world of AI-powered coding tools is evolving rapidly, offering developers unprecedented assistance in writing, understanding, and optimizing code. In this post, we'll explore four cutting-edge platforms that are reshaping how we approach software development: Cursor, Continue.dev, Codeium, and Aider.

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Cursor​

cursor.com

Cursor represents a new breed of coding tools that seamlessly integrate AI into the development workflow.

Key Features & Concepts:

  1. AI-Powered Code Generation: Cursor leverages powerful large language models (likely based on GPT technology) to generate code based on your natural language instructions. Need a function to sort a list? Just describe it, and Cursor will write the code for you.
  2. Contextual Code Understanding: The AI deeply understands the context of your code. This allows for more accurate code completion, insightful suggestions, and even the ability to explain complex code blocks in plain English.
  3. Seamless Code Editing: While AI is at its core, Cursor retains the core functionality of a powerful code editor: - Syntax highlighting for various programming languages. - Code navigation tools. - Integrated terminal for command-line operations. - Git integration for version control.
  4. Collaborative Features: Cursor is designed with collaboration in mind, allowing teams to work on code simultaneously and leverage AI assistance collectively.

Continue.dev​

continue.dev

Different from cursor. continue.dev is extennsion form from visual studio code with simple features compare with cursor. Continue.dev represents a paradigm shift in web development. By harnessing the power of AI, it aims to make building web apps more accessible, efficient, and intuitive. While it's too early to say if AI will completely replace traditional coding, platforms like Continue.dev offer an exciting glimpse into the future of software development.

Things to note is that not all continue.dev LLM is available to use. some need to using paid LLM model like anthrotope claude 3.5 or openAPI 4.0. but there is a free tier also

Gemini in continue.dev​

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for free-users can rely on gemini in 2024. the installation pretty simple. after you have the API_KEY then just go to settings.json of your code editor and add this line

config_file

{
  "models": [
    {
      "title": "Gemini 1.5 Pro",
      "provider": "gemini",
      "model": "gemini-1.5-pro-latest",
      "apiKey": "[API_KEY]"
    }
  ]
}

Codeium​

codeium.com

Codeium is like having a super-powered coding assistant built right into your editor. It's an AI-powered coding platform designed to make you a faster and more efficient developer, regardless of your experience level. Here's the breakdown:

Key Features & Capabilities:

  1. AI-Assisted Code Completion: Move beyond basic suggestions. Codeium predicts and completes your code snippets with remarkable accuracy, often understanding your intent even before you fully type it out.
  2. Natural Language to Code Generation: Describe what you want to achieve in plain English, and Codeium can generate code snippets across multiple programming languages. For example, "Write a function that sorts an array in descending order" can be instantly translated into code.
  3. Code Summarization & Documentation: Struggle with understanding complex codebases? Codeium can automatically summarize large code blocks into concise explanations and help you generate documentation with ease.
  4. Refactoring and Code Optimization: Get suggestions for improving your code's structure, readability, and efficiency. Codeium helps you write cleaner and more maintainable code.
  5. Multi-Language Support: Codeium works across a wide range of popular programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, Java, C++, Go, and more.

Things to note. in free version. you only eligible to use the Base Model (a variant of the transformer model, similar to the ones used in popular LLMs such as BERT and RoBERTa)

Aider​

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Aider an AI-CLI support represents a shift towards a more intuitive and conversational way of interacting with technology. It empowers users by breaking down technical barriers and streamlining complex processes, ultimately boosting productivity and unlocking new possibilities.

Same with other tools. this AIDER required an API of LLM Model. supporting a lot of model like Anthropic Claude, OpenAI, GROQ and Gemini. for free-user tier can use the Gemini

python -m pip install -U aider-chat

export GEMINI_API_KEY=<key> # Mac/Linux
setx   GEMINI_API_KEY <key> # Windows, restart shell after setx

aider --model gemini/gemini-1.5-pro-latest

# List models available from Gemini
aider --list-models gemini/

Coding Assistance Tools: The Verdict​

I explored these exciting tools in the AI-powered coding assistance category: Cursor, Continue.dev, Codeium, and Aider. Each brings unique strengths to the table, but ultimately, the "best" tool depends on your specific needs and workflow.

Here's my breakdown:

Cursor​

Best For: Developers who want a complete AI-powered coding environment​

Strengths: Full-fledged code editor with AI at its core. Seamlessly integrates code generation, understanding, and editing. Strong collaborative features.

Cons: Still in early development, potential for instability or rapid changes. May require a shift in workflow compared to traditional IDEs. Continue.dev:

Continue.dev​

Best For: Web developers looking to rapidly prototype and build apps with AI assistance​

Strengths: Intuitive natural language interface for describing web app features. Real-time, interactive development alongside AI. Focus on component-based architecture for maintainability.

Cons: Primarily focused on web development. Relies heavily on VS Code as an extension. Access to more powerful LLMs often requires a paid plan. Codeium:

Codeium​

Best For: Developers who want AI-powered code completion and assistance within their existing IDEs​

Strengths: Excellent multi-language support. Powerful code completion, generation, and refactoring capabilities. Seamless integration with popular code editors.

Cons: Free tier limited to a less powerful base model. Primarily focuses on code-level assistance, not broader project management or collaboration. Aider:

Aider​

Best For: Developers and even non-developers looking for a versatile AI assistant to interact with software and data through natural language​

Strengths: Extremely flexible and adaptable, can be used for a wide range of tasks beyond coding. Powerful data access and analysis capabilities. Potential for no-code/low-code application building.

Cons: Still in early stages, functionality and reliability will continue to evolve. Strong reliance on third-party LLM APIs (cost and availability might be factors). Requires careful consideration of data privacy and security. The Final Verdict: