On Tuesday, Google launched a new version of its AI-powered coding assistant, called Gemini Code Assist for individuals. This free tool aims to help developers write and improve code by using a natural language chat interface.
Gemini Code Assist for individuals can automatically fix bugs, complete code, and explain complex parts of the codebase, much like GitHub’s popular Copilot tool.
The AI assistant uses Google’s Gemini 2.0 AI model, which is specially trained for coding tasks. Developers can use it with popular code editors like VS Code and JetBrains through plugins. It supports many coding languages, making it versatile for various projects.
Gemini Code Assist for individuals stands out because it offers a generous 180,000 code completions per month, far more than GitHub Copilot’s free plan, which allows just 2,000.
Additionally, developers get 240 chat requests a day—almost five times the amount provided by GitHub Copilot’s free plan. This makes it a valuable resource for developers looking for more code assistance.
Another notable feature is the model’s ability to handle larger codebases. With a 128,000-token context window, it can process more code in a single prompt, helping developers work on more complex projects.
Google is also introducing a version of Gemini Code Assist for GitHub, which automatically scans code for bugs and suggests improvements. This tool helps developers keep their code clean and efficient, directly within the GitHub platform.
The launch of these tools signals Google’s increased focus on the developer tools market, which has been dominated by Microsoft and GitHub. Google hired Ryan Salva, former GitHub Copilot team leader, to lead this effort.
By offering a free AI tool with high usage caps, Google hopes to attract developers early in their careers, with the expectation that some will later upgrade to enterprise versions.
Google has been offering Gemini Code Assist to businesses for about a year. The enterprise version includes features like audit logs, integrations with other Google Cloud products, and customization for private repositories.
