Generative AI unleashed a whole series of new innovations and tools to the masses in 2024. From AI chatbots to image generators to AI coding assistants, there is just so much to consider, and there are more and more being launched every day.
In this guide, we will look at how AI is changing the world of software development by showcasing 26 AI coding tools that are helping developers produce high-quality software more efficiently.
But before we begin, let's first look at how traditional coding tools compare to their new AI counterparts.
Overview:
- Traditional Coding Tools vs AI Coding Tools
- Why Should Software Developers Use AI Code Tools?
- Top 26 AI Coding Tools in 2024
- Conclusion
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Traditional Coding Tools vs AI Coding Tools
Traditional coding tools have served us and continue to do so, offering capabilities such as syntax highlighting, auto-completion, debugging tools, and so forth. However, they fundamentally rely on a human developer's proficiency and expertise to write, review and debug code.
Today, AI coding tools leverage intelligent algorithms to analyze billions of lines of code and learn from patterns on demand. They can offer code suggestions, generate code snippets, detect bugs, and even predict how you intend to write your code before your write it, taking auto-completion to the next level.
In terms of code completion, while traditional tools rely on more simplistic patterns, AI tools can help in comprehending more complex structures and are effective in predicting the necessary values to complete your line of code.
Even though they are still in their primitive phases, AI coding tools are emerging as a powerful force in the software development world and are being used widely by developers across multiple industries to produce code at scale, allowing them to complete tasks in a much shorter period. This is a clear indication of how AI code tools are shifting the paradigm from reactive to proactive assistance in coding.
Why Should Software Developers Use AI Code Tools?
AI code tools are transforming the software development landscape by improving efficiency, reducing error rates, and enhancing productivity, and have already shown themselves to be a good sidekick to software developers en masse. Here are some benefits AI tools have brought to the world of software development over the last year.
- Scalable Code: Acting as an AI coding assistant, these tools can suggest fast and efficient code solutions that developers would spend hours writing as they would have to write each line of code manually. Moreover, they can provide real-time code suggestions, allowing developers to compose code more precisely.
- Time-Saving Error Detection: Some AI coding tools, like our very own AI code testing solution (explained below), can predict and detect potential errors in the code base, improving code quality. By identifying and fixing problems early on in the creation process, developers can save a substantial amount of time.
- Increased Productivity: A code completion tool powered by artificial intelligence automates repetitive tasks, helping developers write code faster while concentrating on more complex and innovative aspects of programming. By assisting with repetitive duties, AI code tools can enable dev teams to ship software products faster.
Top 26 AI Coding Tools in 2024
So far, AI code tools have shown several ways they can improve the overall coding experience by helping developers write high-quality, scalable code fast, similar to having an AI programming partner that can learn and adapt to a developer's coding habits.
Now let’s check out 26 of the best AI Coding tools currently available in 2024. We'll briefly explore what each tool is about and how it can positively contribute to a developer's productivity.
1. Copilot
Copilot, an AI tool that taps into publicly accessible code from GitHub repositories, provides users with large datasets to expedite accurate code development. The tool is good at identifying code errors and suggesting modifications. GitHub Copilot is readily available through extensions in your preferred environment.
Key Features
- Compatible with many integrated development environments
- Provides Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, Neovim, and JetBrains Extensions.
- Provides code suggestions or complete functions while coding
2. OpenAI Codex
Regarded as the leading AI tool for code, Codex by OpenAI harnesses the power of Language Learning Models (LLMs), such as GPT-3 and GPT-4, and is trained on billions of lines of code across various programming languages. As of March 2023, the Codex models have been retired, with the new Chat models taking the reins, offering comparable abilities for coding tasks.
Key Features
- Codex can generate functional code in numerous programming languages, including Go, JavaScript, Perl, PHP, Ruby, Shell, Swift, and TypeScript, though it is most effective in Python.
- It can inform users how to write, fix, or explain code.
- It can predict and generate entire lines or blocks of code, assisting in script writing and language learning.
3. Code Intelligence
Code Intelligence combines dynamic testing with self-learning AI to find bugs and vulnerabilities with each code change. It supports automated testing throughout the development lifecycle, ensuring high-quality code while integrating seamlessly with various coding environments. With Code Intelligence’s genetic algorithms, you can leverage information about your application’s runtime behavior to come up with intelligent test cases that can uncover bugs and vulnerabilities that traditional testing methods tend to miss. As all of this happens automatically with each code change, Code Intelligence enables developers to fix issues long before they make it anywhere near a finished product. For all findings, Code Intelligence provides the exact line of code and the input causing the crash to ensure seamless debugging without false positives.
Key Features
- Uncovers edge-case bugs and vulnerabilities in your code with each change.
- Autogenerates test cases based on application behavior, maximizing test coverage.
- Performs automatic testing at each code change to detect potential issues early
- Enables reproduction, debugging, and fixing of all findings in your IDE of choice.
- Helps in achieving compliance with various industry norms and standards.
- Prioritizes and schedules fixes through standard classification and bug tracking.
- Supports testing in languages like Java, C/C++, Golang, and JavaScript.
- Allows quick setup of AI-powered tests with a working unit test.
4. ChatGPT
Created by OpenAI, primarily a generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT has soared in popularity. With the deployment of transformers, ChatGPT enhances its contextual understanding and mimics human conversation effortlessly. It offers an extensive range of responses and can generate code, though it might include bugs and security vulnerabilities. The latest AI model, GPT-4, is a multi-modal tool adept at programming tasks.
Key Features
- Can interpret and explain the functionality of various code snippets in an easy format.
- Offers possible solutions to simple coding problems and queries.
- Generates basic code snippets in several programming languages.
- Helps generate comments or simple documentation for code.
- Allows beginners to learn programming by providing simplified explanations of complex coding concepts.
5. Visual Studio IntelliCode
Microsoft's plugin for Visual Studio Code editor, Visual Studio IntelliCode, offers AI-assisted programming experiences to increase developer productivity. The AI detects the context of your code, including variable names, functions, and the type of code you're composing, in order to provide the most appropriate suggestions. By using it, developers spend less time navigating and troubleshooting code because of its improved IntelliSense completions.
Key Features
- Intelligent code suggestions based on context.
- Predictive analysis for efficient and error-free code.
- Support for multiple programming languages, including Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, and Java
6. Tabnine
Tabnine is an AI-based code completion tool that uses deep learning algorithms to predict the user's coding intent. Supporting several programming languages, including Java and Python, it finds itself in the arsenal of leading tech companies like Google because of its utility and effectiveness.
Key Features
- AI-powered code completion.
- Multilingual support for various languages (Angular, C, C++, C#, CSS, Dart, Go, Haskell, HTML, Java, JavaScript, Kotlin, MATLAB, Node.js, Objective-C, Perl, PHP, Python, React, Ruby, Rust, Sass, Scala, Swift, and TypeScript)
- Deep learning integration for improved suggestions.
- Increased developer efficiency and productivity.
- Cross-platform compatibility with popular code editors.
7. CodeT5
CodeT5 is an open-source AI code generator aimed at helping developers swiftly generate code. It supports a variety of popular programming languages and is available both online and offline, offering a flexible solution that takes into account data security.
Key Features
- Generating accurate code from natural language descriptions.
- Support for multiple languages in various programming languages (Ruby, JavaScript, Go, Python, Java, PHP)
- Code documentation and summary generation.
- Code comprehension with contextual awareness and intelligent suggestions.
8. PyCharm
PyCharm, a product from JetBrains, is an AI code completion tool and IDE that offers intuitive predictions to streamline the coding process. Renowned for its impressive accuracy in code prediction across several programming languages, it can notably cut down the time developers spend on coding tasks, boosting productivity.
Key Features
- Intelligent code editor with suggestions and formatting.
- Easy code navigation and refactoring capabilities.
- Robust debugging and testing support.
- Seamless integration with version control systems like Git.
- Built-in support for popular Python frameworks and libraries.
- Extensibility through a rich plugin ecosystem.
9. Deepcode
DeepCode (acquired by Snyk), a cloud-based AI code analysis tool, scans project codebases to spot bugs and vulnerabilities. Offering support for multiple languages, it is appreciated for its precision in bug detection, making it an invaluable tool for secure and robust coding practices.
Key Features
- AI-powered code analysis for the detection of bugs and security flaws.
- Integration with CI/CD pipelines and GitHub repositories is seamless.
- Multiple programming ecosystems receive language and framework support, including Java, JavaScript, Python, C/C++, and more.
- Learning from open source to enhance the accuracy of analyses.
- Implementable recommendations and remediation guidance for code enhancement.
10. CodeWP
CodeWp, an AI-powered WordPress code generator that caters to both developers and non-technical WordPress creators. It aids in swiftly generating high-quality code snippets in multiple languages, including Java and Python. Moreover, it includes AI assistants that suggest improvements to code snippets, thus enhancing code quality.
Key Features
- Help effectively create WP_Queries
- Generate all types of functions
- Integrate with WooCommerce's filters and actions
- Develop intricate workflows based on ACF values
11. Android Studio Bot
Android Studio Bot helps boost productivity by resolving queries related to developing Android-based applications. The AI-driven tool has a firm grasp of natural language, allowing you to seek answers to development concerns in simple English. Studio Bot assists developers in code generation, discovering pertinent resources, learning optimal practices, and ultimately saving precious time.
Key Features
- Generates code solutions quickly
- Allows users to prompt
- Finds noteworthy coding resources
- Learns best practices
- Saves time and increases productivity
12. Codiga
Codiga is a powerful static analysis tool that ensures the development of secure and efficient code. It offers real-time code vulnerability testing and includes an auto-fixer for rapid issue resolution. Supporting popular languages, it is a valuable tool for secure and efficient coding practices.
Key Features
- Supports over 2,000 principles across 12+ languages, including Java, C, C++, Python, and more.
- Finds obsolete dependencies and notifies you when they need to be updated.
- Detects compromised credentials in source code at each code upload or pull request before an attacker can use them.
- Examines function length, code complexity, and nomenclature conventions
- Detects instances of code duplication and refactor with a function.
13. Amazon CodeWhisperer
Trained with billions of lines of code, CodeWhisperer provides real-time suggestions for code snippets to full functions tailored to your comments and existing code. It serves to streamline your coding experience and makes it easier to engage with unfamiliar APIs. It can also identify open-source-like suggestions, providing the related project’s URL and license for easier code review and attribution. It meticulously scans your code, identifying hidden vulnerabilities and offering immediate remediation suggestions.
Key Features
- Generates code suggestions based on comments and existing code in real-time.
- Flags and filters code suggestions that resemble open-source training data.
- Scans code to identify and eliminate security flaws, thereby improving code quality and security.
- Supports multiple programming languages and integrated development environments, including Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, C#, Go, Rust, PHP, Ruby, Kotlin, C, C++, Shell scripting, SQL, and Scala
- Fully optimized for use with AWS services.
14. Polycoder
Polycoder offers an open-source alternative to OpenAI Codex. Trained on a massive 249GB codebase written in 12 languages, it helps users generate code for a variety of applications. It is highly regarded amongst developers due to its speed and ability to generate code efficiently.
Key Features
- Diverse training data for accurate code generation in multiple languages.
- Open-source availability for research and fine-tuning.
- Outperforms other models in writing C code.
- Cost-effective training on a single server.
15. AIXcoder
AIXcoder serves as an AI-powered programming companion, providing comprehensive assistance to development teams. It offers a myriad of features, including automated routine tasks, AI-powered code completion, real-time code analysis, and error checks. As such, it presents a versatile toolkit to increase development speed and ensure quality code production.
Key Features
- Code generation from natural language descriptions.
- Intelligent code completion for efficient and context-aware coding.
- Seamless integration with GitHub for code search and reuse.
- Customization options for enterprise needs.
- Local and cloud modes for flexibility and optimal performance.
- Support for mainstream programming languages and popular IDEs.
16. Ponicode
Ponicode leverages AI to fine-tune developers' coding processes through code analysis and unit tests. It capitalizes on natural language processing and machine learning to transform user-specified descriptions into viable code. With CircleCI's support, it stands as a potent tool in developers' toolkits, streamlining coding while enhancing the quality of the output.
Key Features
- AI-powered test generation automation for non-regression and boundary testing.
- Visual Studio Code integration for easy access and utilization.
- Context-insensitive argument prediction for generating test cases.
- User-friendly installation and administrative interface.
- Potential for enhancement through code instrumentation and data prediction refinement.
17. Jedi
Primarily designed as a static analysis instrument for Python, Jedi often finds use in plugins for IDEs and editors. It brings a particular focus on functionalities such as autocompletion and 'goto' while also offering capabilities like refactoring, code search, and reference finding. Its straightforward API makes it user-friendly, and its well-tested nature ensures minimal bugs, making it a reliable tool for developers.
Key Features
- Autocompletion for Python code.
- Go to functionality for easy navigation to code definitions.
- Support for code refactoring.
- Code search to find specific snippets or patterns.
- Finds references to track code usage.
- Simple API for easy integration.
18. Wing Python IDE Pro
Built by the inventive minds at Wingware, Wing Python IDE Pro is a purpose-built suite specifically tailored for Python, synergizing code editing, navigation, and debugging capabilities into a singular platform. It introduces numerous features, including intelligent auto-completion, refactoring, multi-selection, and code snippets, thereby simplifying the coding process and enhancing overall efficiency.
Key Features
- Accelerates the development of new code.
- Makes existing code easier to comprehend and work with.
- Identifies defects earlier in the design process.
- Makes finding and fixing bugs simpler.
- Adapts to your preferences and requirements.
19. AlphaCode
DeepMind's AlphaCode, backed by Google, promises developers a treasure trove of source code from a variety of language libraries. Despite not being publicly available yet, it is set to revolutionize the way developers utilize third-party APIs, providing a seamless experience for faster and more efficient coding.
Key Features
- AlphaCode generates up to a million samples for each Codeforces problem.
- Samples are filtered based on their performance on visible test cases.
- Samples that fail the test cases are discarded.
- Organizes samples into clusters based on their outputs for custom test cases.
20. Replit Ghostwriter
Leverage the capabilities of Replit's AI with Ghostwriter to enhance your productivity and spark your creativity. Seamlessly integrated into the globally acclaimed online IDE, it eliminates the monotony of repetitive coding tasks, keeping you centered on bringing your creative aspirations to life. With features like autocomplete suggestions and comprehensive debugging, it's an invaluable asset for efficient and effective coding.
Key Features
- Accelerates coding with sophisticated in-line suggestions
- Identifies errors and helps you rectify them.
- Teaches users how to code within the document.
- Explains and comments code.
21. Sourcegraph Cody
Cody, Sourcegraph's AI tool, is a coding assistant that comprehends your entire codebase, answers questions, and writes code. It provides comprehensive code insights and explanations, locates specific components, and identifies potential issues with suggested fixes.
Key Features
- Provides personalized responses to coding questions based on unique requirements.
- Explains code functionalities and helps locate components in your codebase.
- Generates, snippets, fixes, and improves code, including debugging assistance.
- Creates both code documentation and unit tests, enhancing code readability and reliability.
22. AI Helper Bot
Utilizing cutting-edge GPT-4 AI technology, AIHelperBot transforms everyday language inputs into SQL queries in a matter of seconds. It's a comprehensive solution for SQL queries, offering generation, explanation, formatting, and optimization all in one place. With its robust features, you can keep your SQL queries organized, easily searchable, and shareable.
Key Features
- Uses GPT-4 AI technology to streamline SQL queries from everyday language inputs.
- Generates, explain, format, and optimize SQL queries all in one place.
- Connects to multiple databases with a single click, allowing for up-to-date data insights.
- Imports your database schema and generates queries
- Runs generated SQL queries on their connected database to gain data insights.
23. AskCodi
AskCodi is an AI-powered tool designed to simplify your coding experience. Its conversation-based assistance facilitates interactive dialogues to answer queries, offer suggestions, and assist with various tasks, enhancing the user experience. It operates seamlessly in a Jupyter-style workbook format, making applications such as generating, testing, explaining, and documenting code effortlessly.
Key Features
- Generates code from simple prompts, thereby easing the coding process.
- Provides straightforward answers to your coding queries
- Code suggestions appear as you type
- Offers a stress-free coding experience by handling tedious duties such as code generation and coding questions.
24. Codeium
Codeium is a free, AI-assisted toolkit specifically designed for developers, equipped with in-house models and infrastructure, rather than being just another API wrapper. It integrates seamlessly with all your preferred IDEs, offering features like Autocomplete and Search. With its generative code capabilities, Codeium not only accelerates your coding process but also helps in delivering products faster.
Key Features
- Unlimited single-line and multi-line code completions.
- An IDE-integrated chat.
- Integrates with more than 70 programming supported, including Javascript, Python, Typescript, PHP, Go, Java, C, C++, Rust, and Ruby.
25. GitFluence
Gitfluence is an innovative, AI-based tool designed to facilitate your interactions with Git. It's AI engine interprets your requirement and delivers the most pertinent Git commands as suggestions. Once the requirement is provided, you can conveniently copy and paste the command directly into your terminal or CLI, streamlining your coding process and enhancing efficiency.
Key Features
- Provides relevant Git commands using AI.
- Quickly generates necessary Git commands.
- Allows easy copying and pasting of commands.
- Simplifies command generation with an intuitive interface.
26. Safurai
Safurai is an AI-powered coding tool that expedites various tasks, from altering and optimizing code to facilitating efficient code search. As a complimentary extension for your Integrated Development Environment (IDE), Safurai's foundation in AI technology enables it to enable efficiency in numerous activities, including swift coding, debugging, refactoring, conducting unit tests, and documentation, amongst others.
Key Features
- Safurai help with coding, debugging, and refactoring.
- Compatible with VS Code extension.
- Time-saving automation
- Targeted cod information
- Supports multiple programming languages, such as Python, JavaScript, C#, C++, Java, and Go
Conclusion
AI-powered coding tools are dramatically enhancing efficiency and empowering developers to scale processes to new heights – be they working solo or as part of large teams.
However, although they significantly enhance efficiency and allow developers to scale their processes, studies, such as the one conducted by Stanford University, have highlighted that such tools are not immune to bugs and vulnerabilities. In addition to AI code tools enabling dev teams to increase their output drastically, this poses new challenges for testing.
To address the increased testing demands of AI code tools, AI-powered tooling also needs to find adoption on the testing side. At Code Intelligence, we build a testing solution that enables dev teams to find bugs and vulnerabilities at each code change. By leveraging self-learning algorithms Code Intelligence generates test inputs that dig deeper into the software under test with each test iteration, enabling it to find bugs and vulnerabilities off-limits to other testing tools. Thanks to its high degree of automation and bug-finding capacities, this testing approach is highly scalable and adaptable, making it the perfect fit for being deployed alongside AI code tools.
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