I Built an AI Coding Assistant Because I Got Tired of Context Switching

JOSHUA MAEBA NYAMASEGE — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:19:47 +0000

AI coding tools are everywhere. And yet, my workflow kept breaking the same way:

Write code → leave VS Code → open browser → ask AI → copy response → come back → repeat.

Every switch costs focus. Those interruptions add up.

I wanted an assistant that lived inside the editor and could handle real development work — not just answer questions. So I built Coda AI.

What Is Coda AI?

Coda AI is a VS Code extension with:

💬 In-editor chat
🤖 Autonomous agent workflows
✍️ Inline completions
🔌 Support for multiple model providers

Here's what I focused on when building it.

⚡ Workspace-Aware Context

Coda understands your project structure — not just the file you have open. It uses your actual codebase as context, so responses are grounded in your real code, not generic examples.

Agent Mode: Hand It Real Work

Instead of asking:

"How do I fix this?"

You hand it a task and let it run:

Refactor a module
Write tests
Fix bugs
Run builds
Update files across the codebase
Investigate issues

The agent can inspect code, propose changes, execute commands, and iterate — with approval prompts for sensitive actions so you stay in control.

🔌 Provider Flexibility — No Lock-In

One thing that consistently bothered me about AI tooling: you adopt a workflow, then you're stuck with one provider.

Coda supports:

Provider	Type
OpenAI	Cloud
Claude (Anthropic)	Cloud
Gemini (Google)	Cloud
DeepSeek	Cloud
Groq	Cloud
Amazon Bedrock	Cloud
OpenRouter	Cloud (aggregator)
Ollama	Fully local

If a better model ships tomorrow, your workflow doesn't need to change.

🧩 MCP Support — Connect Any Tool

This was one of my favourite parts to build.

Coda supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), so the agent can work with external tools automatically:

GitHub
Filesystem
Documentation
Custom workflows

No hardcoded integrations. You plug in what you need.

What Building This Taught Me

Developer tooling isn't only about adding intelligence. It's about reducing friction.

The fewer times you leave flow state, the better the tool.

Intelligence without integration is just another tab to switch to.

Try It & Share Feedback

Coda is still early, and I'm actively improving it.

If you're a developer, I'd genuinely value your input:

What would make an AI coding assistant actually useful in your day-to-day workflow?

Drop your thoughts in the comments — critical feedback welcome.

🔗 Install on the VS Code Marketplace

Built by a developer who got tired of switching tabs. Shipping, not just talking about it.

DEV Community: JOSHUA MAEBA NYAMASEGE