17 Free and Open-source Coding Assistants To Stream Your Development Workflow
An AI coding assistant is a software tool that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to aid developers in writing, debugging, and optimizing code. These assistants are designed to understand natural language prompts and provide code suggestions, generate code snippets, and even complete entire functions based on the context provided.
They integrate with popular development environments like Visual Studio Code, IntelliJ IDEA, and others to offer real-time assistance, making coding more efficient and less error-prone.
Examples of AI coding assistants include GitHub Copilot, Tabnine, and Kite.
The benefits of using an AI coding assistant are manifold. Firstly, they significantly speed up the development process. By providing real-time code suggestions and auto-completion, these tools reduce the time developers spend on writing boilerplate code and looking up syntax or documentation.
This allows developers to focus more on solving complex problems and implementing features rather than getting bogged down by routine tasks. Additionally, AI coding assistants can help in learning and adopting best practices by suggesting optimal coding patterns and structures based on extensive codebase analyses.
Secondly, AI coding assistants can enhance code quality and reduce the incidence of bugs. By leveraging vast datasets of existing code, these tools can identify potential errors and suggest fixes before they become problematic. They can also help in maintaining code consistency across a project by recommending uniform coding styles and conventions.
Furthermore, AI coding assistants can assist in documentation and commenting, making the codebase more readable and maintainable. Overall, they serve as intelligent collaborators that augment a developer's capabilities, leading to more robust and reliable software development.
In this list, you will find the best open-source coding assistant that you can use for free.
1. Tabby
Tabby is a self-hosted AI coding assistant, offering an open-source and on-premises alternative to GitHub Copilot. It boasts several key features:
- Self-contained, with no need for a DBMS or cloud service.
- OpenAPI interface, easy to integrate with existing infrastructure (e.g Cloud IDE).
- Supports consumer-grade GPUs.
Hazem Abbas
TabbyML2. GPT Pilot (VS Code)
GPT Pilot is the core technology for the Pythagora VS Code extension that aims to provide the first real AI developer companion. Not just an autocomplete or a helper for PR messages but rather a real AI developer that can write full features, debug them, talk to you about issues, ask for review, etc.
Pythagora-io3- GPT Code Assistant
The GPT-Code-Assistant is an AI-based open-source tool for exploring, querying, and understanding any codebase using Language Models (LLMs) and vector embeddings (a technique to convert objects, like text, into vectors).
Features
- LLM-based Search & Retrieval: Uses Language Models for efficient code search, retrieval, and comprehension.
- File-system Integration: Designed to work with any codebase and operates directly with any local code on your machine, allowing seamless integration with your existing workflow.
- Language Agnostic: Supports multiple programming languages.
- Privacy-centric Design: Code snippets are only transmitted when a question is asked and the Language Model requests the relevant code, ensuring privacy. (Note: Code snippets are shared with OpenAI)
narenmanoharan4. GPT Engineer
GPT Engineer lets you specify software in natural language, sit back and watch as an AI writes and executes the code, then ask the AI to implement improvements.
Features
- Auto Description
- Auto Review
- Code Suggestions
- Question Answering
- Update Changelog
- Add Documentation
- Analyze
- Custom Prompt
- Generate Tests
- CI Feedback
gpt-engineer-org5. PR agent
CodiumAI PR-Agent aims to help efficiently review and handle pull requests, by providing AI feedbacks and suggestions.
Codium-ai6. Sweep AI
Sweep is an AI junior developer that turns bugs and feature requests into code changes. Sweep automatically handles devex improvements like adding typehints/improving test coverage. 🤖
Features
- Turns issues directly into pull requests (without an IDE)
- Addresses developer replies & comments on its PRs
- Understands your codebase using the dependency graph, text, and vector search.
- Runs your unit tests and autoformatters to validate generated code.
- Stack small fixes into your PR by applying Sweep Rules
sweepai7. Promptr
Promptr is a CLI tool that lets you use plain English to instruct OpenAI LLM models to make changes to your codebase. Changes are applied directly to the files that you reference from your prompt.
Example Use Cases
- Project-Wide Coding Standards: Create an include file with comments outlining coding standards, and include it in every new code file for the project.
- Boilerplate Code: Develop a set of boilerplate code snippets for different parts of the application (e.g., model definitions, API endpoints) and include them as needed.
- Shared Instructions: Maintain a set of instructions or guidelines for specific tasks (e.g., how to document functions) and include them in relevant prompt files.
ferrislucas8. RepoPilot
RepoPilot is a one-stop Python library that revolutionizes the way developers interact with and understand their codebases. Utilizing advanced Large Language Models (LLMs), RepoPilot acts as a multi-agent system, offering a next-generation coding assistant for comprehensive codebase exploration and impact analysis.
Designed for developers who seek deeper insights into their projects, RepoPilot simplifies complex code analysis tasks, making it an indispensable tool for modern software development.
Features
- Whole Repository Understanding: Unlike other coding assistants, RepoPilot is engineered to grasp the full context of your entire codebase, enabling a more comprehensive analysis and more accurate recommendations.
- Natural Language Queries: Interact with your codebase using conversational queries. Ask RepoPilot about specific features, code impacts, and more, just like talking to an AI assistant.
- Codebase Exploration and Analysis: Delve into your codebase with ease. Understand how particular features are implemented and assess the impact of potential changes. Actionable Insights and Recommendations: Get practical suggestions and automated actions based on RepoPilot's deep understanding of your code.
- Seamless Integration: Integrate RepoPilot into your existing development workflow with its Python API, allowing for flexible and powerful code interactions.
Architecture
RepoPilot is a multi-agent system that consists of three main components: the Planning Agent, the Navigation Agent, and the Analysis Agent.
- Planning Agent is responsible for understanding the user's query and determining a draft plan of action. The planning agent is based on GPT-4 prompted with a query and general information about the codebase.
- Navigation Agent is responsible for navigating the codebase, finding relevant code snippets and storing high value information related to the query into the working memory. The navigation agent is implemented with ReAct-like architecture with dynamic backtracking as well as multi-languages language server protocol (mLSP) support to efficiently navigate inside the codebase (go-to-definition, find references, code search, semantic code search, etc).
- Analysis Agent is responsible for finally giving the user the insights and recommendations based on the query and the information stored in the working memory. The analysis agent is based on GPT-4 prompted with the query and the information stored in the working memory.
FSoft-AI4Code9. cptX
cptX is a headless AI coding assistant with simplicity in mind:
- 2 commands (Create and Ask)
- No UI
- Instruction following, you explicitly write a prompt and get the result
It is good for quick small changes on a selected code (think 'smart refactor') OR getting code advice without switching windows:
Request↔Responsewithout conversation- When creating code, language model response is plugged into editor right away:
- replacing selected code block
- or inserting code at the current cursor location
- When asking, a simple popup with reply is displayed
The extension collects context (code surrounding cursor or selection) and primes the model by asking it to act as an expert in the given technology/language. It's doing it's best to ensure plug-ability of generated code into current selection/cursor location.
OpenAI (Gpt3.5) or Azure (Gpt3.5 and Gpt4) API key/subscription are required and provided via extension settings (see configuration instructions below).
maxim-saplin10. Firecoder
FireCoder is your self-hosted AI assistant, purpose-built to optimize your coding experience directly on your local machine.
Features
- Easy Installation: Simply install extensions and start using FireCoder.
- Completion Auto Mode: Enjoy the convenience of automatic code suggestions.
- Manual Mode: Switch between auto mode and manual mode for code suggestions.
- Chat Mode: Interact with FireCoder through natural language, receiving code suggestions and guidance tailored to your needs.
- Multi-line Code Suggestions: Enhance your coding experience with multi-line code suggestions.
- Platform Support: FireCoder supports Windows, Linux, and macOS.
FireCoderAI11. Voqal
Voqal is a programming assistant built for software developers looking to enhance their productivity with natural speech programming. Using Voqal, you can navigate, write, run, and debug software in JetBrains IDEs using your voice. Write code faster, reduce repetitive strain injuries, and improve focus and productivity.
Voqal is promptable and privacy-focused, allowing you to customize your experience and control your data. Voqal collects no personal data, audio recordings, or source code.
voqal12. CodeBuddy (VS Code)
CodeBuddy is a Visual Studio Code extension that provides an AI-powered coding assistant to help developers write better code more efficiently. With CodeBuddy, you can get intelligent code suggestions, completions, and assistance based on the context and requirements of your code.
Features
- Code generation: The assistant can generate code snippets based on your input, allowing you to quickly create code without having to write it all yourself.
- Task completion: The assistant can help you complete tasks such as debugging, testing, and refactoring, making your development workflow more efficient.
- Code refactoring: The assistant can refactor your code to make it more efficient, readable, and maintainable.
- Code analysis: The assistant can analyze your code and provide suggestions for improvement, such as pointing out potential bugs, security vulnerabilities, and performance issues.
- Code formatting: The assistant can format your code to conform to your preferred style guide, making your code more readable and maintainable.
- Code search: The assistant can search for code snippets and functions within your codebase, allowing you to quickly find and reuse existing code.
New Features
- Code generation: The assistant can generate code snippets based on your input, allowing you to quickly create code without having to write it all yourself.
- Task completion: The assistant can help you complete tasks such as debugging, testing, and refactoring, making your development workflow more efficient.
- Code refactoring: The assistant can refactor your code to make it more efficient, readable, and maintainable.
- Code analysis: The assistant can analyze your code and provide suggestions for improvement, such as pointing out potential bugs, security vulnerabilities, and performance issues.
- Code formatting: The assistant can format your code to conform to your preferred style guide, making your code more readable and maintainable.
- Quickfix compilation errors
olasunkanmi-SE13. ChatGPT Code Assistant Plugin
ChatGPT Plugin for retrieving external API documentation and reading and writing to local files.
edmar14. Mentat
Mentat is the AI tool that assists you with any coding task, right from your command line.
Unlike Copilot, Mentat coordinates edits across multiple locations and files. And unlike ChatGPT, Mentat already has the context of your project - no copy and pasting required!
Want help understanding a new codebase? Need to add a new feature? Refactor existing code? Mentat can do it!
AbanteAI15. Code Autopilot
Autopilot is an AI tool that utilizes GPT to read a codebase, create context, and solve tasks that you request.
fjrdomingues16. Quack AI
VSCode extension of Quack Companion 💻 Turn your team insights into a portable plug-and-play context for code generation. Alternative to GitHub Copilot powered by OSS LLMs (Mistral, Gemma, etc.), served with Ollama.
quack-ai17- Aider is AI pair programming in your terminal
Aider lets you pair program with LLMs, to edit code in your local git repository. Start a new project or work with an existing git repo. Aider works best with GPT-4o & Claude 3.5 Sonnet and can connect to almost any LLM.
Features
- Run aider with the files you want to edit:
aider <file1> <file2> ... - Ask for changes:
- Add new features or test cases.
- Describe a bug.
- Paste in an error message or or GitHub issue URL.
- Refactor code.
- Update docs.
- Aider will edit your files to complete your request.
- Aider automatically git commits changes with a sensible commit message.
- Aider works with most popular languages: python, javascript, typescript, php, html, css, and more...
- Aider works best with GPT-4o & Claude 3.5 Sonnet and can connect to almost any LLM.
- Aider can edit multiple files at once for complex requests.
- Aider uses a map of your entire git repo, which helps it work well in larger codebases.
- Edit files in your editor while chatting with aider, and it will always use the latest version. Pair program with AI.
- Add images to the chat (GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, etc).
- Add URLs to the chat and aider will read their content.
- Code with your voice.
paul-gauthier
