In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has surged into the development world, promising to revolutionize coding workflows and boost productivity. Developers are now spoiled for choice with a variety of AI tools for code generations, debugging, UI design, and knowledge assistance. But are these tools all hype, or do they really deliver?
I want to share and guide you through the top AI tools for developers currently, such as Cursor AI, Cody (VSCode), Galileo AI, Claude AI, and ChatGPT/Perplexity. Exploring how to effectively use this powerful combo, examine the pros and cons of each, and help you decide if upgrading to Pro versions is worth it.
Why AI Matters for Developers
The core appeal of AI for developers is simple: speed and efficiency. Instead of spending hours debugging or searching for the right library, AI tools can offer instant solutions, code suggestions, and even automate parts of the development process. The promise is to free up time for higher-level problem solving, creative thinking, and rapid iteration.
But before going into the tools, it's essential to understand: AI won’t replace developers; it will augment their abilities. AI tools act as intelligent assistants, offering insights, suggesting best practices, and accelerating workflows. Specially when it starts hallucinating and providing non-sense responses...a good developer would tell right away.
The AI Tool Combo Magic: A Step-by-Step Guide
1. Cursor AI – Your Pair Programming Partner
What Is It?
Cursor AI is a new AI tool code editor like VSCode (just like copilot but free), acting as a pair-programming assistant. It will give you in-line suggestions, help you complete code blocks, and even assists with error debugging.
How to Use Cursor AI:
- Install the extension into your preferred editor (supports VSCode, JetBrains, etc.).
- Begin typing code as you normally would. Cursor will auto-suggest code completions and provide documentation hints directly within your editor.
- Highlight a block of code to ask for refactoring, optimizations, or even comments explaining complex logic.
Pros:
- Deep integration into the coding environment (like VSCode).
- Real-time suggestions that match your coding style.
- Excellent for reducing repetitive tasks, like writing boilerplate code.
Cons:
- Sometimes lacks contextual awareness for very large projects.
- Limited in creativity, relying on existing patterns to suggest code.
Pro Version Benefits:
- Advanced machine learning models for even better code predictions.
- Access to premium integrations with other tools and databases.
2. Cody AI (VSCode) – Free Extension Code Assistance
What Is It?
Cody is a tool built for Visual Studio Code, providing AI-powered code suggestions for free, error fixes, and auto-completion. It integrates deeply into VSCode, offering a good experience. It's free so why not.
How to Use Cody AI:
- Install Cody as a plugin in VSCode.
- As you code, Cody will provide intelligent auto-complete suggestions.
- You can also ask Cody to analyze your codebase, check for errors, and suggest optimizations in real-time.
Pros:
- Excellent integration with VSCode.
- Fast at diagnosing bugs and suggesting fixes.
- Efficient for full-stack developers who need multi-language support.
Cons:
- Limited to VSCode users (though this may not be a downside for many).
- May require configuration to adapt perfectly to different project setups.
Pro Version Benefits:
- Faster suggestion engines, saving more time on large codebases.
- Team collaboration features for pair programming and code reviews.
3. Galileo AI – Supercharge UI/UX Design
What Is It?
Galileo AI focuses on the design side of development. It’s an AI tool built to assist with UI/UX design, helping you to easily generate wireframes, prototypes, and even full-fledged design mockups. For developers wearing multiple hats, Galileo can save hours of design work. I used and approved.
How to Use Galileo AI:
- Open Galileo’s web interface and provide a brief description of the design you need.
- The AI will generate UI components or complete design layouts.
- Export designs directly to Figma, Sketch, or other design tools.
Pros:
- Automates UI/UX tasks, saving time in the design process.
- Can generate responsive layouts based on your specifications.
- Integrates easily with popular design platforms.
Cons:
- Design quality may vary based on complexity.
- Limited customizations; you may need to tweak the design manually afterward.
Pro Version Benefits:
- Access to premium design templates and faster render speeds.
- Collaboration tools for working with design teams.
4. Claude AI and Perplexity – Advanced AI for General Development Help
What Is It?
Claude AI (from Anthropic) and Perplexity AI offer general AI assistance beyond coding. They are excellent for researching best practices, finding solutions to tricky development problems, or learning new technologies.
How to Use Claude AI/Perplexity/ChatGPT:
Now that you have you coding editor powered with ai, have your design generated with Galileo, now you can just move to coding generation from your design. Attach it and provide the tech you want to use to start developing and see the magic happening.
- *Ask questions or ask it to code something from scratch * about coding, best practices, or specific frameworks.
- Use their language models to generate insights, summaries, and explanations.
- They also assist in debugging logic issues, offering alternative methods for solving problems.
Pros:
- Incredibly fast at finding answers to complex questions.
- Great for learning new frameworks and tools.
- Wide-ranging knowledge makes it applicable to almost any programming language or tool.
Cons:
- Not as hands-on as tools like Cursor or Cody, meaning you’ll need to integrate the information into your workflow manually.
- Lacks IDE integration, so it may not be as seamless in a coding environment.
Pro Version Benefits:
- Higher usage limits (more queries per month).
- Priority access to the newest model updates and improvements.
Pros and Cons of Using AI Tools for Development
Pros:
- Faster development: AI tools can significantly speed up routine tasks like code generation, debugging, and documentation.
- Improved code quality: Automated suggestions and error-checking reduce the chances of introducing bugs.
- Learning aid: AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity act as real-time assistants, helping developers quickly learn new concepts.
- Multitasking: Developers can shift focus to higher-level tasks while AI handles repetitive work.
Cons:
- Over-reliance on AI: It’s easy to become too dependent on AI tools, which can lead to laziness in solving complex problems manually.
- Limited creativity: AI-generated code is typically based on patterns and may lack innovative solutions.
- Cost: Pro versions come with a price tag, and using multiple Pro versions can add up quickly.
Conclusion: Is It All Hype?
While AI tools for development are not perfect, they certainly aren’t all hype. When used properly, tools like Cursor AI, Cody (VSCode), Galileo AI, Claude AI, and ChatGPT can help developers code faster, reduce errors, and focus on more meaningful tasks. However, they should be used as augmentations to a developer’s skillset, not a replacement.
Upgrading to Pro versions can be beneficial if you're working on large projects or need extra speed and features, but the free versions of these tools are often sufficient for smaller teams or solo developers.
By strategically combining these tools, you can create a powerful AI-assisted workflow that helps you write code, design UI, and learn faster than ever before.
Ready to test this combo?
Pick these AI tools, integrate them into your development stack, and see for yourself, let me know what you think, whether AI can elevate your productivity to the next level.
Top comments (1)
I use tools like google colab for gemini assistance, copilot and qolaba which has claude, gemini and other models in my projects.
It's become a habit now, can't even imagine my work without them. But i try not to always rely on them, majority of the time i will use them for the explanation of the code or if an error is taking too much time.
I haven't tried cursor btw , is it free to use?