Look, I've been coding professionally for more than ten years now, and I never thought I'd see the day when AI would actually help me code instead of just getting in the way. But here we are in 2025, and I'm honestly 30-40% more productive thanks to these tools.
As a full-stack developer working primarily with TypeScript, Angular, Node.js, and Nest.js, I’ve tested dozens of AI coding tools. Now the line between tech stacks is slowly fading away thanks to these tools. They do help a lot, facilitating learning and making it much easier to push MVPs.
I have listed 10 tools in this article: some I use, some I only tested, and others that my coworkers and other developers I follow use, whose opinions I value a lot. They differ in how we use them and cover a wide range of scenarios, where some are better than others, but the principle is mostly the same. These tools sped up development mostly by helping you code faster or by explaining existing code, code that is, more often than not, missing documentation, except for sporadic code comments or unit tests written just for coverage.
1. GitHub Copilot
Best For: Code completion and generation
My Take: My colleagues use this daily. Yes, it’s $10/month, which is not nothing, but it pays for itself in the first week.
What Actually Works:
- TypeScript interfaces? Chef’s kiss. Copilot nails them.
- Boilerplate Express routes? Saves me 20 minutes per controller.
- Writing tests? Most of these tools are great for unit testing. Test-driven development is still a thing, but there is hardly ever time for it. You mostly speed-run the feature and, in the end, try to add as many teststesting as you can, but you focus on key functionality. Often overlooking edge cases. Copilot will help, as it can easily generate a comprehensive set of unit tests for the feature in minutes. It will take you some time to go through them, but it’s still a big push and a time saver.
What Doesn’t:
- Sometimes suggests deprecated Angular syntax (trains on old code)
- Can’t understand my specific project architecture
Real Talk: If you’re coding 20+ hours/week, get this. If you’re a weekend warrior, the free tier might be enough.
Key Features
- Real-time code suggestions
- Supports 12+ programming languages
- Context-aware completions
- Test generation
- Documentation writing
Pricing
- Individual: $10/month or $100/year
- Business: $19/user/month
- Enterprise: Contact sales
2. Claude (Anthropic) + Claude Code
Best For: Complex refactoring, architectural decisions, and explaining messy legacy code
My Take: This is actually my daily driver. I know everyone talks about Copilot, but for the type of work I do TypeScript, Angular, Nest.js. Claude "gets it" better.
How I Actually Use It
1. Claude in VS Code Terminal (Free tier or Pro)
## I literally have a terminal tab open with Claude all day
$ claude "explain this Angular module structure and suggest improvements"
$ claude "convert this Express route to NestJS controller"
This is where I do most of my thinking out loud. When I’m stuck on architecture, I paste code, and Claude actually understands the Context.
2. VS Code Extension I use the unofficial Claude extensions (there are a few). Not as polished as Copilot, but when Copilot gives me garbage TypeScript, Claude saves me.
3. Claude.ai Web (for longer sessions) When I need to paste entire files or have a back-and-forth about refactoring, the web interface is better than the terminal.
Why Claude Over Copilot?
Claude Wins:
- Better at TypeScript: Understands decorators, generics, and Angular’s dependency injection without hallucinating
- Explains better: When I ask “why”, it actually explains instead of just suggesting
- Longer Context: Can handle my entire service class (200+ lines) without forgetting what we’re doing
- Better at Nest.js: Knows the patterns - modules, providers, controllers, guards
Copilot Wins:
- Faster inline suggestions: Claude in terminal is not real-time
- Better for repetitive code: CRUD endpoints, test templates
- More integrated: No copy-paste workflow
Pricing & Plans
Claude.ai (Web/API):
- Free: Great for most use, rate limits kick in after ~50 messages/day
- Claude Pro: $20/month - Unlimited messages, priority access
- In Serbia: This is what I pay. Worth it for me because I live in this thing.
Claude Code (CLI):
- $30/month - Separate from Claude Pro
- Terminal-native coding assistant
- Can read your entire codebase Context
- Honestly? I’m too cheap for this. I use the free web version and copy-paste.
Key Features
What Makes Claude Different:
- 200K Context window: Can handle huge files (Copilot’s is 128K)
- Better reasoning: Asks clarifying questions instead of just guessing
- Code review mode: Point it at a PR and it’ll catch stuff you missed
- Refactoring beast: Give it messy code, get back clean architecture
Limitations:
- No real-time suggestions: Not built into your editor like Copilot
- Copy-paste workflow: Can be annoying when you’re in flow state
- Rate limits on free tier: Hit them when debugging all day
Extensions I use:
- "Claude Dev" - Best one I’ve found
- "Anthropic Claude" - Official-ish one
- Keep both, use whichever works that day.
When I Choose Claude vs Copilot
Use Claude for:
- Refactoring entire classes
- "How should I structure this?"
- Explaining WTF this legacy code does
- Converting between frameworks (Express → Nest.js)
- Writing complex TypeScript types
Use Copilot for:
- Quick autocomplete
- Writing tests (faster workflow)
- CRUD boilerplate
- CSS/HTML (Claude overthinks it)
The Honest Truth
Is Claude better than Copilot? For thinking, yes. For typing, no.
Would I pay $20/month for it? I do. Every month. No regrets.
Could I live without it? Probably. But I’d be slower and grumpier.
My calculation: If it saves me time, I can now use it to do something I love more, write simple code snippets and helper functions.
3. Cursor
Best For: AI-first code editor
Cursor is a fork of VS Code that deeply integrates AI into every aspect of coding. It’s designed from the ground up to work with AI. Makes a big difference when you have AI integrated into an IDE of your choice, and I use VS Code. Helps with Context and significantly speeds up the conversation between you and an AI assistant.
Key Features
- Chat with your codebase
- AI-powered code generation
- Automatic bug fixing
- Code explanations
- Multi-file editing
Cursor Pricing:
Hobby (Free): 2,000 completions/month, 50 slow requests Pro: $20/month - BUT includes $20 credit pool + unlimited "Auto" model Ultra: $200/month - 20x Pro’s credit pool Teams: $40/user/month Note: Cursor faced a MAJOR pricing controversy in June 2025 when it switched from request-based to usage-based pricing. The event caused massive backlash.
Why It’s Different
Unlike traditional code editors with AI plugins, Cursor treats AI as a first-class citizen, making it more intuitive and robust.
4. Tabnine
Best For: Privacy-focused AI code completion
Tabnine offers AI-powered code completion with a focus on privacy and security. It can run entirely on-premises. I don't know much about this tool, but the community likes it.
Key Features
- Whole-line and full-function code completion
- Runs locally or in the cloud
- Trained on permissive open-source code
- Supports 30+ languages
- Team training on your codebase
Pricing
- Free: Basic completions
- Pro: $12/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
5. Replit Ghostwriter
Best For: Cloud-based development with AI
Ghostwriter is Replit's AI pair programmer, perfect for learning, prototyping, and collaborative coding. It's a coding app with a great vibe, ideal for fast prototyping.
Key Features
- Code completion and generation
- Explain code
- Transform code
- Generate code from comments
- Integrated with Replit's cloud IDE
Pricing
- Included with Replit Core ($25/month)
6. Amazon CodeWhisperer
Best For: AWS-focused development
CodeWhisperer is Amazon's AI coding companion, optimized for AWS services and cloud development.
Key Features
- Code recommendations
- Security scans
- Reference tracking
- AWS best practices
- Supports 15+ languages
Pricing
- Free for individual use
- Professional: $19/user/month
7. Codeium
Best For: Free AI coding assistant
Codeium offers enterprise-grade AI code completion completely free for individuals.
Key Features
- Fast code completions
- Natural language search
- Supports 70+ languages
- Works in 40+ editors
- Chat interface
Pricing
- Free forever for individuals
- Teams: $12/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
8. Sourcegraph Cody
Best For: Code search and understanding
Cody helps you understand and navigate large codebases using AI, making it perfect for enterprise development.
Key Features
- AI-powered code search
- Code explanations
- Bug detection
- Documentation generation
- Codebase Q&A
Pricing
- Free: Limited usage
- Pro: $9/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
9. Pieces for Developers
Best For: Code snippet management with AI
Pieces uses AI to help you save, search, and reuse code snippets more effectively.
Key Features
- Automatic metadata extraction
- Smart search
- Context-aware suggestions
- Offline-first
- Cross-IDE support
Pricing
- Free: Core features
- Pro: Coming soon
10. Mintlify
Best For: Automatic documentation generation
Mintlify uses AI to generate and maintain documentation automatically from your code.
Key Features
- Auto-generate docstrings
- Create beautiful docs sites
- Keep docs in sync with code
- MDX support
- Custom branding
Pricing
- Free: Open source projects
- Starter: $120/month
- Growth: $400/month
11. Codacy
Best For: AI-powered code quality and security
Codacy uses AI to analyze code quality, detect security vulnerabilities, and enforce coding standards.
Key Features
- Automated code reviews
- Security vulnerability detection
- Code coverage tracking
- Custom rules engine
- CI/CD integration
Pricing
- Free: Open source projects
- Pro: $15/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Honorable Mentions
AI Debugging Tools
- Jam.dev: AI-powered bug reports
- Sentry: AI-assisted error tracking
Testing Tools
- Mabl: AI for test automation
- Testim: Intelligent test authoring
DevOps AI
- Harness: AI for CI/CD
- Honeycomb: AI-powered observability
Choosing the Right Tools
When selecting AI tools for your workflow, consider:
1. Integration
Does it work with your existing IDE and tools?
2. Language Support
Does it support your primary programming languages?
3. Privacy
Are you comfortable with how it handles your code?
4. Cost
Does the pricing fit your or your team’s budget?
5. Learning Curve
How long will it take to become proficient?
Best Practices for Using AI Coding Tools
1. Don’t Trust Blindly
Always review AI-generated code. AI can make mistakes, especially with:
- Security vulnerabilities
- Edge cases
- Performance issues
- Business logic
2. Use AI as a Pair Programmer
Think of AI tools as a junior developer who needs guidance:
- Provide clear Context
- Ask specific questions
- Verify suggestions
- Teach it your patterns
3. Combine Multiple Tools
Different tools excel at different tasks:
- Use Copilot for quick completions
- Use Cursor for complex refactoring
- Use Cody for codebase understanding
4. Stay Updated
AI tools improve rapidly. Keep your tools up to date and experiment with new features.
5. Share with Your Team
Establish team conventions for:
- When to use AI suggestions
- Code review processes
- Documentation standards
The Future of AI in Development
The integration of AI in development tools is just beginning. We can expect:
- Better Context understanding: AI that knows your entire project
- Automated testing: AI that writes and maintains tests
- Intelligent refactoring: AI that can modernize entire codebases
- Natural language programming: Writing code in plain English
- Autonomous debugging: AI that fixes bugs independently
Conclusion
AI tools are no longer optional, they’re essential for staying competitive as a developer in 2025. Start with one or two tools that fit your workflow, and gradually incorporate more as you see the productivity benefits.
Remember: AI tools are meant to augment your skills, not replace them. The best developers use AI to handle small repetitive tasks so they can focus on solving more abstract problems and building great products.
Getting Started
- Try the free tiers of GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or Codeium
- Spend a week with your chosen tool to build muscle memory
- Measure your productivity - track time saved and bugs prevented
- Share learnings with your team
- Iterate - switch tools if something isn’t working
My Actual Daily Workflow (What I Really Use)
Forget the "best practices" BS. Here’s what I actually have open:
Primary Setup (Every Day)
1. Claude in VS Code Terminal
- Free tier (hit limits ~2-3x per month)
- Open in a split terminal, always
- Use for: architecture decisions, refactoring, "WTF does this code do"
The Real MVP: Free Tier Strategy
If you’re broke or just testing:
Free Tier Combo:
- Claude.ai Free - 50 messages/day (usually enough)
- Copilot Free - 2,000 completions/month (test it)
- ChatGPT Free - Backup when Claude is rate-limited
This costs: €0 This works for: 80% of developers
Pro Tips from 2 Years Using AI Coding Tools
1. Don’t run multiple AI completions at once I see devs with Copilot, Tabnine, and Cursor all fighting each other. Pick ONE inline tool.
2. Use Claude for thinking, Copilot for typing They’re different tools. Stop expecting Copilot to design your architecture.
3. Rate limits are your friend They force you actually to think. When Claude says "you’ve hit your limit", that’s your sign to step away and code without AI for a bit.
4. Copy-paste workflow is acceptable Everyone acts like you need perfect editor integration. Terminal + copy-paste works great.
5. Free tiers are enough for most people If you’re coding <20 hours/week, you don’t need paid plans.
What Actually Matters
Not the tools. Not the pricing.
What matters:
- Can you ship good maintainable code that is self-explanatory, self-documenting, well tested, and rugged?
Use their AI tools to your advantage, but still rely primarily on your skills and never stop expanding them. Don’t use these tools like a crutch; when they don’t offer any good ways to help, you are just stuck.
The day you can’t code without AI is the day you’ve failed as a developer.
Use these tools. Don’t become dependent on them.
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