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Javier Márquez
WriterI've been in media for over a decade, but I've been marveling at the possibilities that technology brings us much longer. I believe we live in a world where the digital revolution is changing everything and that Xataka is the best place to write about it.
Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
When discussing coding assistants, GitHub Copilot often comes to mind. The Microsoft product has gained recognition for its ability to complete code, generate functions, and simplify programming tasks through artificial intelligence. However, Google has entered the arena with an ambitious proposal to attract developers.
A generous free experience. Google aims to distinguish itself in the AI coding competition by making its services more affordable for users. While GitHub Copilot provides 2,000 queries per month for free, Gemini Code Assist has set its limit at an impressive 180,000 queries. In other words, Google’s free offering surpasses Microsoft’s counterpart by more than 90 times, providing developers with a significant advantage.
While once uncommon, free tiers have become a key strategy for attracting new users and familiarizing them with a tool or service. This tactic, as old as computing itself, involves companies providing limited but functional versions of their software to encourage adoption. The final goal is to eventually convert those users into paying customers.
The Copilot’s logo.
In the case of Gemini Code Assist, the free tier limit may be enough for some users to complete their projects. “If you’re a student working on a time-sensitive project, you won’t find your coding project suddenly stalled because you’ve hit a cap,” Google points out. Another advantage is that you can start using the service without registering a credit card. Additionally, the limits reset every month.
Gemini Code Assist in action.
Integration. There’s a notable difference between using a conventional chatbot like ChatGPT for coding tasks and utilizing a dedicated tool like Gemini Code Assist. The main benefit is its integration into integrated development environments. Gemini Code Assist works with both Visual Studio Code and JetBrains IDE, enabling users to complete code automatically while writing or working with functions.
In addition, Google’s new AI coding assistant features a chat window that offers up to 240 free daily requests and supports up to 128,000 input tokens. This allows you to work with large files and optimize local code understanding. Moreover, Gemini Code Assist is integrated with GitHub, where it automatically reviews change requests, detects bugs, and intelligently suggests improvements.
Coding without AI is becoming increasingly rare. Several experts recently pointed out that the new generation of developers often lacks the ability to program without AI assistance. This is because young programmers have entered the field using AI tools. Notably, Google is embracing this trend, with 25% of all the code created within the company being generated by AI.
Image | Shahadat Rahman
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