Rayyan Shaikh

Posted on Nov 26 • Originally published at Medium

10 AI Coding Tools Every Developer Should Use Now

#programming #ai #productivity #nocode

Artificial intelligence is changing how the world writes code. What once took hours can now take minutes. Bugs that used to hide in your code can now be spotted instantly. And ideas that live only in your head can turn into real software with the help of smart AI tools.

Developers at every level, from beginners writing their first script to senior engineers working on massive systems, are using AI to work faster, build better, and learn more than ever before. And the best part? You don't have to be an expert to get started.

This guide will walk you through 12 AI coding tools every developer should use right now. These tools help you write code, fix code, understand code, test code, and even create new features from scratch. Each tool comes with:

A simple explanation
Why it's useful
Pros and cons
A summary so you know when to use it

By the end, you'll know exactly which tools fit your workflow, and which ones can level up your skills instantly.

1. GitHub Copilot

Your everyday AI pair-programmer. GitHub Copilot is one of the most popular AI coding tools in the world. Built on top of OpenAI models and trained on massive amounts of public code, it acts like a smart teammate sitting right beside you, suggesting code, fixing errors, and helping you work much faster.

What It Does

Copilot predicts what you want to write next and completes your code for you.

It can also generate full functions, rewrite messy code, and explain things you don't understand.

Key Features

Smart autocomplete while typing
Generates entire functions or file templates
Helps fix bugs and rewrite code
Works inside VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, and Neovim
Can assist with comments, variables, classes, and more

Ideal Users

Beginners learning how code works
Professionals building features quickly
Anyone who writes code daily

Pros

Huge speed boost when coding
Understands natural language comments and turns them into code
Improves code structure with smarter suggestions
Great for learning new frameworks or libraries

Cons

Sometimes suggests outdated or incorrect code
Not fully ideal for strict enterprise privacy requirements
You still need to verify outputs carefully

Pricing

Free plan: $0, a great starting point.
Pro plan: $10 USD/month (or $100/year), for most individual users.
Pro+ plan: $39 USD/month (or $390/year), for more advanced usage.
Note: Enterprise plans and business versions exist, too, with more features.

Mini-Summary

GitHub Copilot is perfect for everyday coding, quick feature building, and learning new things. It's one of the easiest ways to turn ideas into working code fast.

2. ChatGPT Code Interpreter

The tool from ChatGPT (via OpenAI) that helps you write, debug, analyse, and optimise code, and more.

While ChatGPT is mostly known as a conversational AI, the Code Interpreter (sometimes also called Advanced Data Analysis) mode is especially helpful for developers: upload a file, ask about bugs, refactor code, extract data, get summaries, generate charts, and test theory.

It's like having a smart senior developer who can read, explain, and fix code, plus help integrate scripting and data workflows.

What It Does

You feed in code, data files, or scripts, and you ask it questions like:

"What is wrong with this function?" or "Optimize this loop for readability and performance."

The model reviews, suggests improvements, rewrites parts, and explains changes.

It can also help turn natural‐language requests into code snippets or entire functions.

Key Features

Analyse existing scripts or codebases
Fix bugs or highlight bad practices
Refactor code for readability/performance
Turn plain language instructions into working code
Good for data scripts, automation, and even figuring out APIs
Works via ChatGPT interface with the Code Interpreter mode enabled

Ideal Users

Developers are stuck debugging tricky code
Engineers refactoring legacy scripts
Data engineers or full-stack devs wanting to bridge code + data workflows
Learners who want clear explanations of code behaviour

Pros

Excellent code explanation: helps you understand what the code is doing
Refactoring and optimisation: more than just writing new code
Learning tool: you see why changes matter, not just what to change
Versatile: works with scripts, data files, and complex logic

Cons

The AI can still miss context or make suggestions that don't fit your exact architecture
Not always perfect at large codebases with many interdependencies
You must verify the suggestions. AI is a helper, not a substitute for judgment

Pricing

Free: $0 USD per month, limited usage, slower performance, fewer uploads.
Plus: $20 USD/month, more advanced models, expanded uploads, better access.
Pro: $200 USD/month, near-unlimited access, top models, best for heavy workflows.

Mini-Summary

ChatGPT Code Interpreter is perfect if you want to understand, debug, or optimise code, especially messy or complex scripts. With clear explanations, refactoring help, and support for file uploads, it works like a senior engineer who reviews your work with patience.

This makes ChatGPT one of the most affordable and scalable AI coding companions, especially with the India-specific Go plan offering high value for a lower price.

3. Tabnine

Tabnine is an AI coding assistant built for speed, privacy, and team-based workflows.

Unlike many AI tools that rely heavily on cloud models, Tabnine offers local models, making it a strong choice for companies with strict security needs.

It helps autocomplete code, suggest functions, and maintain your coding style, all while keeping your code private.

What It Does

Tabnine predicts the next part of your code as you type. It gives smart, context-aware completions and can generate small code blocks based on what you're already writing.

Key Features

Fast, real-time autocomplete
Cloud or fully offline local models
Team-trained models (learns your codebase style)
Enterprise-grade privacy
Works with major IDEs (VS Code, JetBrains, etc.)

Ideal Users

Companies that require strict code privacy
Dev teams that want a consistent coding style
Developers who prefer fast, lightweight completions over full chat agents

Pros

Strong privacy, no code leaves your machine if you choose local mode
Very fast suggestions
Team learning models improve consistency
Simple, distraction-free experience

Cons

Not a full conversational assistant like ChatGPT or Copilot
Generates smaller chunks of code vs. full features
Local models are behind premium tiers

Pricing

Dev (Pro) Plan: US $59 per user per month (annual commitment) for the "Agentic Platform" offering inline completions + AI-powered chat in IDE.
Enterprise: Custom pricing including private/self-hosted deployments with enhanced compliance and governance.

Mini-Summary

Tabnine is ideal when you want fast autocomplete and code-completion, with enterprise-grade privacy and team alignment.

It's less about full AI chatbots, more about seamless coding-flow support in your IDE.

Replit Ghostwriter

Ghostwriter is the AI-coding assistant built into the cloud IDE of Replit. It helps you write, explain, and transform code directly in your browser, with no heavy local setup.

What It Does

You open Replit in your browser, type in comments or tasks, and Ghostwriter generates code snippets, explains blocks of code in plain English, or refactors code for you.

It's great for prototyping, learning, or building small-to-medium web apps quickly.

Key Features

Inline code completion suggestions
Code explanation ("What does this block do?") and transformation features (turn A into B)
Works across over 50 languages supported by Replit
Fully browser-based: start coding anywhere, anytime
Integrated deployment: You can build and launch apps in the same environment

Ideal Users

Beginners or learners who prefer a cloud IDE with AI help
Developers building web apps and prototypes quickly
Small teams or solo creators wanting "no-install" coding + deployment flow
Anyone who values collaboration from the browser and instant setup

Pros

Very accessible: start in browser, minimal setup
Great for learning, experimentation, and switching languages
Integrated end-to-end: code → deploy in one environment
Real-time AI support helps reduce boilerplate, get unstuck

Cons

Less deep integration with local IDEs (VS Code, etc.) compared to tools like Copilot
Large, complex enterprise systems may lack some enterprise integrations or context awareness
Costs can escalate with heavy usage beyond simple prototypes or small apps (especially with usage credits)

Pricing

Starter / Free: $0 USD, use browser IDE, experiment with limited features.
Core Plan: $20 USD/month (billed annually), includes full AI Agent access, private apps, and the latest models.
Teams Plan: $35 USD per user/month (annual billing), for team collaboration, role-based access, and more credits.
Enterprise: Custom pricing, for large orgs with security & deployment needs.

Mini-Summary

Replit Ghostwriter is the perfect choice when you want a browser-based coding AI assistant that helps you get real code out the door fast, especially for prototypes, learning, or web apps.

Because it's part of Replit's cloud IDE, you skip local setup and can launch apps in minutes.

Amazon CodeWhisperer

Amazon CodeWhisperer was AWS's AI coding companion, and now its features are being absorbed into Amazon Q Developer.

It's built especially for devs working in the AWS ecosystem, cloud, serverless, infrastructure code, SDKs, and adds strong enterprise controls, license tracking, and security features.

What It Does

It suggests code, entire functions, infrastructure snippets, AWS API calls, and more. It also scans for vulnerabilities, tracks open-source references, suggests improvements, and can work inside IDEs or AWS console workflows.

For teams using AWS services, it gives AI suggestions that understand cloud context.

Key Features

Real-time code suggestions inside IDEs that know AWS SDKs & APIs.
Security & open-source reference tracking: see license, origin of suggestions.
Team/enterprise controls: policy enforcement, user management, and IP indemnity in Pro plans.
Works with many languages and platforms: Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Rust, C++, etc.

Ideal Users

Developers building on AWS: Lambdas, S3, DynamoDB, serverless, microservices.
Teams need enterprise-grade controls, compliance, and license tracking.
Organizations wanting AI assistance and governance + cloud context.

Pros

Cloud-aware: suggestions tuned for AWS APIs & infrastructure.
Strong security & license-awareness built in.
Good for teams: admin controls, policy enforcement, data opt-out.
Free tier available for individual use.

Cons

Heavily AWS-centric: best if you're in the AWS ecosystem; maybe less tailored for non-AWS stacks.
Free tier has usage caps; full team controls cost extra.
Some enterprise features (transformations, agentic tasks) may require the Pro/paid tier.

Pricing

Free (Individual/Individual Tier): $0 USD, use core features.
Pro (per user/month): US $19 USD/month, for professional teams, with higher limits, team controls, and advanced features.
Over-usage Charges (for code transformation lines): For Pro tier, after included line-counts (e.g., 4,000 lines/month), extra lines cost US $0.003 per line of code.

Mini-Summary

Amazon CodeWhisperer (now part of Amazon Q Developer) is ideal for teams and devs working deeply within AWS, especially when you need cloud-aware suggestions and enterprise governance.

Its free tier makes it accessible, and the Pro plan at US$19/month gives full team controls and higher usage limits.

Windsurf (formerly Codeium)

Windsurf, previously known as Codeium, is a modern AI coding assistant and IDE that goes beyond simple autocomplete. It aims to understand entire codebases, generate features, refactor across files, and let you work in a "flow state" with minimal context-switching.

What It Does

Instead of just suggesting the next line of code, Windsurf gives you deeper assistance: you can prompt it to refactor entire modules, preview web apps, deploy from within the editor, and let AI handle repetitive patterns so you focus on architecture and logic.

Key Features

Context-aware across large codebases and multiple files.
Full IDE experience with AI built-in (Windsurf Editor supports many languages & frameworks).
Integrated deployment and preview of apps (in the IDE, you can preview live outputs), minimal setup.
Supports major languages and frameworks with a strong AI engine backing.
Multiple plans, including Free, Pro, Teams, and Enterprise.

Ideal Users

Developers working on full-stack apps or complex projects where many files and modules interconnect.
Teams or individuals who prefer an AI-first IDE experience rather than just a plugin in VS Code.
Those who want to minimise the boilerplate and scale up productivity using AI flows + previews.
Developers who may experiment rapidly, build prototypes, and deploy to one environment.

Pros

Let's you build faster by abstracting away boilerplate and mundane refactoring tasks.
Strong context and flow sense, not just next-line autocomplete but whole-function, whole-project thinking.
IDE + cloud + preview integrated: less switching between tools.
Free tier available, you can try without an upfront cost.

Cons

Because it's more ambitious (multi-file, context-aware), it may take some time to learn how to prompt it effectively.
The higher-tier usage (Teams, Enterprise) can become pricey.
If you're only writing small scripts or single files, this might be more than you need compared to simpler tools.

Pricing

Free Plan: $0 per user/month, includes limited prompt credits (25 credits/month) and essential features.
Pro Plan: US $15 per user/month, 500 prompt credits/month, more features.
Teams Plan: US $30 per user/month, for small teams, with more control.
Enterprise Plan: US $60+ per user/month (or custom), for large organisations, advanced deployment/self-hosted.

Mini-Summary

Windsurf (formerly Codeium) is ideal when you want an AI-enabled, full-IDE experience that goes beyond code suggestions, covering refactoring, project-wide generation, and deployment.

With a strong free offering and reasonable pricing for Pro, you can scale up as your project or team grows.

Cursor

Cursor is a modern AI coding assistant and IDE tool that supports large codebases, advanced model integrations, and "vibe-coding" workflows.

It's tailored for developers who want more than simple autocomplete; instead, you get deep-context understanding, multi-file refactoring, agent-style workflows, and a full IDE experience.

What It Does

You work inside Cursor's environment.

You ask it to:

"refactor this module", "generate this feature across frontend + backend", or "change this old code to use async/await and add tests".

It reads the codebase context, offers suggestions, and helps you implement changes across files, classes, and modules.

It's an IDE and AI, optimized for flow.

Key Features

Supports major models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, etc), and you can pick/bring your own.
Works with large codebases and indexes them so AI understands your project.
Multiple modes: Tab-complete, full agentic edits, multi-file refactoring.
Privacy, teams, and enterprise readiness (usage monitoring, admin controls) in higher tiers.

Ideal Users

Developers working on large or legacy codebases who need an AI capable of understanding multiple files & modules.
Teams want an AI-first IDE rather than just a plugin.
Engineers who prefer coding flows where setup and context-switching are minimal.
Devs who want deep refactoring, feature generation, and workspace-level intelligence.

Pros

Optimised for "flow" over interruptions, fast and embedded in a full IDE.
Better context understanding than many simple autocomplete tools when used well.
Strong for feature build, refactor, and big-scope tasks rather than just line-by-line.
Free/hobby options let you test before committing.

Cons

Because of its ambition, it may require a learning curve for effective prompting.
Costs/usage limits may matter for heavy workflows or very large teams.
For small scripts or simple tasks, it might be more tool than you need; simpler assistants could suffice.
Some user feedback suggests that in very large codebases, the context window can still be challenging.

Pricing

Hobby (Free): Free tier available; good for trying the tool.
Pro: Around US $16/month (billed annually) for full features such as unlimited completions and a large request quota.
Business / Team Plan: Around US $32/user/month for teams with admin controls, SSO, and higher quotas.

Mini-Summary

Cursor is ideal when you want an AI-enabled, full-IDE experience that goes beyond simple autocomplete, covering refactoring, project-wide generation, and deep context.

If you work on large codebases or need high productivity in a cohesive environment, Cursor is a strong choice.

Sourcegraph Amp

Amp is Sourcegraph's AI code assistant built specifically for developers working in large, messy, legacy, or enterprise-scale codebases.

Unlike traditional autocomplete tools, Amp understands your entire repository, performs deep searches, reads large code graphs, and generates changes with context awareness.

What It Does

Amp is a powerful AI tool designed to go beyond simple autocomplete or assistive suggestions.

It works as an "agent" that can reason across files, generate or refactor code, handle multi-step tasks (like "update this API endpoint, add tests, update docs, and deploy"), and integrate into your IDE/CLI workflow.

Key Features

Agentic workflows: Amp uses advanced models and tools to perform complex tasks across your codebase.
Multi-file context: Understands modules, functions, dependencies, perhaps across large repos.
IDE & CLI integration: Use it where you code (VS Code, terminal) rather than switching context.
Collaboration and team features: The tool is built for teams that share workflows, sessions, and threads.

Ideal Users

Developers working on large, complex, or legacy code bases who need more than line-by-line suggestions.
Teams that want a shared, consistent workflow with AI assisting major tasks (refactor, feature rollout, testing, docs) rather than just "next line of code".
Organisations that want to scale developer productivity via AI agents rather than just assistants.

Pros

It can significantly boost productivity for large or multi-file tasks.
More "agentic" (i.e., autonomous, larger-scope) than many assistants.
Good fit for teams and more sophisticated workflows.
Free credits or trial possible (see pricing).

Cons

It could be more expensive or usage-based (since it handles big tasks), so the cost may scale quickly.
Learning curve: The "agent" style may require adjusting your workflow and prompts.
For small scripts or simple tasks, a simpler AI tool might suffice and cost less.

Pricing

Free Tier / Free Credits: Amp offers a free starting point (e.g., free credits) for individuals to try.
Enterprise / Custom Pricing: Primarily, pricing for large teams is custom and tailored; details often require contacting sales.
Reported Price Reference: Some sources cite ~$59 per user/month for certain editions.

Mini-Summary

Amp is ideal if you're working in a team or large-code-base environment and want an AI tool that doesn't just autocomplete, but acts as a coding agent, helping with multi-file refactors, full-feature development tasks, and team workflows.

It carries potential for high productivity gains, but also higher cost and complexity, so evaluate whether your workflow justifies that.

JetBrains AI Assistant

The JetBrains AI Assistant is integrated into JetBrains' suite of IDEs (like IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm) and brings smart AI capabilities such as code generation, code explanation, refactoring, and agent-style workflows, all within your familiar IDE environment.

What It Does

Inside your JetBrains IDE, you can ask the AI Assistant to:

Generate code functions from comments
Explain what a block of code does
Refactor modules across multiple files
Write unit tests, documentation, and commit messages
Use either cloud models or local models, depending on your setup

Key Features

Unlimited code completion in-IDE
Context-aware chat and code assistance are deeply integrated
Option to use cloud-based AI or local/offline models
Works across languages and frameworks supported by JetBrains IDEs
Built-in quota system based on "AI Credits" that match the subscription plan

Ideal Users

Developers already using JetBrains IDEs who want AI-assistance without switching editors
Engineers working across multiple languages and frameworks
Teams that want an all-in-one environment with AI built in, no extra plugin setup

Pros

Deep integration: you stay inside your IDE rather than switching to a separate tool
Powerful features: code generation, refactoring, explanation - all in one
Flexibility: cloud + local model support, high-quality results
Consistent environment: one tool for code + AI rather than multiple tools

Cons

Subscription required for full features beyond the free tier
The "AI Credits" quota means heavy users might need to upgrade to higher tiers
Learning curve: Using deep-refactoring and agent features may require some workflow changes
If you don't use JetBrains IDEs currently, you might need to move editors to leverage this fully

Pricing

AI Free Tier: Free, includes a small number of AI Credits (e.g., ~3 credits per 30 days) for basic features
AI Pro Tier (Individuals): ~$10 USD/month for 10 AI Credits per 30-day period (for simpler usage)
AI Ultimate Tier (Individuals): ~$30 USD/month for 35 AI Credits per 30-day period and more usage quota.
Top-Up Credits: If you exceed your monthly quota, you can purchase additional AI credits valid for up to 12 months.

Mini-Summary

JetBrains AI Assistant is an excellent choice if you're already working in JetBrains IDEs and want an all-in-one AI-enhanced development experience.

It keeps you inside your trusted environment, gives powerful AI features (generation, refactoring, explanation), and offers flexible plans (including a free tier) so you can scale as you use more.

Lovable

Lovable is an AI coding tool designed to let developers (and even non-developers) turn ideas into fully functional apps extremely quickly. It focuses on full-stack AI-generated applications, clean UI generation, and rapid iteration, making it one of the easiest tools for building modern web apps with minimal setup.

Unlike traditional code assistants, Lovable can build an entire app structure, generate UI pages, handle backend logic, and deploy your project, all from simple natural-language instructions.

It's ideal for developers who want speed and simplicity, and for product builders who want to validate ideas quickly.

What It Does

You give Lovable a prompt like:

"Build a simple task manager with user login, a dashboard, dark mode, and the ability to sort tasks."

Lovable auto-generates:

Full front-end UI
Backend API
Authentication
Database connections
Styling + components
And even a live deployment

Then you can refine it with further instructions inside the platform.

Key Features

Full-stack app generation (frontend + backend)
Real-time editing with AI assistance
UI design generation (components, layouts, pages)
Automatic deployment
Works with modern frameworks (React, Next.js, serverless, etc.)
No setup required, everything runs in the browser

Ideal Users

Solo developers who want to build fast
Founders and product creators prototyping MVPs
Engineers exploring new ideas with quick iteration
Teams wanting rapid internal tools
Beginners who want to build apps without deep coding knowledge

Pros

Build entire apps extremely fast
Clean UI generation with modern design principles
Easy iteration, refine via prompting
No local setup needed; live preview in browser
Great for prototypes, MVPs, and internal tools

Cons

Complex enterprise apps may require manual polishing
Less ideal for large multi-module codebases
Heavier users may hit usage limits without upgrading
Generated backend logic may sometimes need refinement for production-grade environments

Pricing

Starter Plan - FREE

Basic AI features
Limited generative actions
Great for trying out the platform

Pro Plan - $10/month

More AI actions
Full app editing
Priority performance
Best for individual developers

Pro+: $50/month

Larger projects
Faster generation
More credits for power users

Team Plan - $50/month per user

Multi-user projects
Collaboration
Higher generation limits

Mini-Summary

Lovable is the best choice when you want to build full apps quickly, test ideas, and deploy without needing multiple tools.

It's perfect for rapid prototyping, MVP building, and making polished UI experiences with minimal friction.

Which AI Coding Tool Should You Choose?

Choose a tool as per your goal below:

"I want to code faster." → GitHub Copilot
"I want answers and help learning." → ChatGPT
"I want privacy." → Tabnine
"I want to build an app today." → Lovable or Replit Ghostwriter
"I work with AWS." → Amazon Q Developer
"I have a big, messy codebase." → Cursor or Windsurf
"I want AI to fix lots of files." → Amp

Conclusion

AI coding tools make you faster, smarter, and more creative, no matter your skill level.

AI is changing how we write code. It helps beginners learn faster, helps pros build bigger things, and helps teams fix problems sooner. Today, you don't need to spend hours fighting bugs, writing tests, or building apps from scratch.

AI can help you do all of that, and more.

The 10 tools in this guide each have their own strengths: