15 best AI software development and vibe coding tools you should try in 2026

AI coding tools have changed what “building software” looks like.

You can ship faster with a smaller team. You can also create a mess faster, with code nobody fully understands.

That’s why tool choice matters much more than it used to. Because you need a workflow you can trust.

In this guide, we break down the AI development tools that are actually worth your time in 2026. 

We cover all major types, from AI-first editors and coding assistants to coding agents and voice tools. 

For each tool, you’ll see what it does, the important features, ideal use cases, pros and cons, and pricing.

Let’s dive in!

Cursor

Cursor is an AI-first code editor that brings “chat with your codebase” and agent-style coding into the editor itself, not as a separate tool you copy and paste from. 

It indexes your repo so it can pull relevant context from across files, answer questions based on what’s already in your code, and propose changes that match existing patterns.

source: Latent Space

Cursor also ships its own in-editor model called Composer, built for quick multi-step coding loops and trained to work with tools like codebase-wide semantic search. 

Important features

• Agent mode for multi-step tasks

Give Cursor a goal and it can work through the steps, edit across files, and run terminal commands when needed.

• Codebase-wide context through semantic search

Cursor can search your repo semantically, so it pulls in the files and patterns that matter for the change you’re making, not just whatever is open in your editor. 

• Terminal execution with guardrails

The Agent can execute commands through the terminal with different execution modes and a recorded command history, which helps when you want automation without giving it free rein.

• Reusable rules and team commands

You can define rules for how the agent should behave, and set up commands your team can reuse to keep outputs consistent across projects.

Ideal use cases

• Getting up to speed in a new or messy codebase – When you inherit a large repo, Cursor helps you find where things live and understand how parts connect through codebase indexing and semantic search.
• Multi-file feature work and refactors – If a change touches multiple files, Cursor’s Agent can explore the code, apply edits across the project, run terminal commands, and fix errors as it goes.
• Fast iteration when you’re shipping under time pressure – Cursor works well when you want a tight prompt -> edit -> test loop in the editor. It’s a good fit for small teams and solo developers who need momentum without constantly switching tools.

Cursor pros and cons

Pricing

Cursor offers several a free plan (Hobby) and several paid plans:

• Pro – Starting at $20/month, with extended limits on Agent, unlimited Tab completions, Cloud Agents, maximum context windows.
• Pro+ – Starting at $60/month, includes everything in Pro, plus 3x usage on OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini models.
• Ultra – Starting at $200/month, includes everything in Pro, plus 20x usage on OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini models, plus priority access to new features.
• Teams – Starting at $40/user/month, includes team features like shared chats, commands, and rules, centralized billing, usage analytics and reporting, and advanced controls.
• Enterprise – Custom pricing, includes everything in Teams plus enterprise features like audit logs, granular admin and model controls, and priority support.

On paid plans, Cursor also includes a monthly amount of API-priced Agent usage – for example, Pro includes $20, Pro+ includes $70, and Ultra includes $400.

Claude Code

Claude Code is an agentic coding tool that works directly in your codebase. 

It can read your repo, edit files, and run commands to move work forward, instead of stopping at suggestions and snippets. 

You can use it from the terminal, inside an IDE, in a desktop app, or in the browser, depending on how you like to work.

source: Anthropic

Claude Code is built around a simple idea: give it a task and let it do the steps. 

That includes debugging, implementing changes across multiple files, and checking its own work by running tests or other commands.

That makes it a practical fit for teams that want an agent in the workflow, and not another tab on the side. 

Important features

• Tool and data access through the Model Context Protocol (MCP)

You can connect Claude Code to external systems and internal tooling via MCP servers, so it can pull context from places like docs, tickets, and chat tools. 

• Project-level guardrails with CLAUDE.md

You can add a CLAUDE.md file to your repo to spell out coding standards, architecture choices, and review checklists Claude Code should follow in every session.

• Reusable slash commands and hooks

Claude Code can package repeatable workflows into slash commands (like /review-pr) and use hooks to run shell commands before or after Claude Code actions, like formatting or linting. 

• GitHub automation with @claude mentions

Mention @claude in an issue or pull request and it can analyze the code, implement changes, and even open pull requests through GitHub Actions.

Ideal use cases

• Understanding a new codebase – Use Claude Code to map out how a repo works, find key logic, and answer “where is this handled” questions before you start changing things. 
• Bug fixes and refactors – It’s a good fit when your work spans multiple files and needs validation. Claude Code can edit code, run commands, and iterate based on test or lint results.
• Teams that need the agent to work with “outside the repo” context – If the right answer is in design docs, tickets, or internal tools, MCP connections let Claude Code pull that context in and act on it. 

Claude Code pros and cons

Pricing

Claude offers a range of paid plans which include Claude Code:

• Pro – $20/month with Claude Code included. $17/month if billed annually ($200 upfront).
• Max – $100 or $200/month. Choose 5x ($100) or 20x ($200) more usage than Pro.
• Team – From $20/seat/month, from 5 to 75 seats. A standard seat is $20/seat/month billed annually ($25 monthly), while a premium seat is $100/seat/month billed annually ($125 monthly). 
• Enterprise – Custom pricing, Includes enterprise controls like SCIM and audit logs. 
• Claude API – Pay as you go, uses standard Claude API pricing with no per-seat fee. 

If you use Claude Code through the API, usage is billed by tokens and varies by codebase size and how you run it.

OpenAI Codex

OpenAI Codex is a software engineering agent that can take on real tasks in your codebase, like implementing features, fixing bugs, and drafting pull requests you can review.

Codex can run multiple tasks at once, with each task running in its own cloud sandbox that’s preloaded with your repository. 

source: OpenAI

That makes it feel closer to assigning work to a teammate than asking for a snippet.

You can use it in a few forms depending on how you like to work. 

There’s a web app for managing tasks, a local terminal agent (Codex CLI), and a dedicated Codex app built as a “command center” for orchestrating agents across projects.

Important features

• Cloud tasks in isolated sandboxes

Each task runs in its own isolated environment preloaded with your repo, so Codex can edit files and run commands like tests, linters, and type checkers.

• Parallel work across multiple threads and projects

Run multiple tasks at once, then review each result separately instead of waiting on a single long conversation.

• Repo-specific guidance with AGENTS.md

Add an AGENTS.md file to tell Codex how your repo works, which commands to run, and what standards to follow before it starts changing anything.

• GitHub pull request review via @codex review

Trigger Codex reviews in PRs directly in GitHub, with feedback posted as a standard GitHub code review.

Ideal use cases

• Implementing well-defined features from scratch – A strong fit when you have a clear spec and want Codex to build the first full version, including tests and setup, in an isolated environment you can review before merging.
• Parallel fixes and maintenance tasks –  When you want to delegate multiple small tasks at once, like bug fixes, test additions, or cleanup work, without blocking your main flow.
• PR review and quality checks – When you want another set of eyes on a change inside GitHub, with review comments that match the PR workflow your team already uses. 

OpenAI Codex pros and cons

Pricing

OpenAI Codex is available with paid ChatGPT plans:

• Plus – $20/month, includes Codex access with standard usage limits, suitable for individual developers who want agent-based coding inside ChatGPT.
• Pro – $200/month, ​​higher usage limits and priority access, designed for heavy individual use and more parallel agent tasks.
• Business –  $30/user/month, per-seat pricing with team management features, shared access controls, and higher usage limits than Plus.
• Enterprise and Edu – Custom pricing, includes organization-wide controls, advanced security and compliance options, and custom usage limits for large teams and institutions.

Usage is included with these plans, and you can extend usage with ChatGPT credits if you hit limits.

If you run Codex with an API key, usage is billed by tokens based on the Codex model you choose.

GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is an AI coding assistant that perfectly mirrors real development workflows. 

You can use it in your IDE for inline completions and chat and in pull requests for reviews and fixes. 

And in GitHub itself, where you can hand it work like an issue and have it open a pull request you can review.

source: GitHub Copilot

What makes Copilot feel different from most “editor-only” tools is exactly that workflow coverage. 

It starts with autocomplete and Copilot Chat in the IDE, then extends into the platform with features like a coding agent, code review, and the ability to choose between different models.

Important features

• Inline code completions in your IDE

Suggests whole lines or blocks as you type, with support for changing the completion model in supported editors.

• Copilot Chat for “ask and edit” workflows

Lets you ask questions about code, generate code, and iterate in chat, with model choice and auto model selection available.

• Copilot coding agent for issue-to-PR work

You can assign an issue to Copilot and it will make the changes and open a pull request for review. You can also ask it to create a pull request from Copilot Chat. 

• Multi-model support

Supports multiple models and lets you pick the one that fits the task, for both chat and inline suggestions.

Ideal use cases

• Everyday coding support in the IDE – Best when you want faster first drafts for functions, tests, docs, and small refactors while you stay in your editor.
• Turning issues into PR drafts – Works well when you want a starting implementation for a scoped task, then review and adjust the PR yourself.
• PR feedback and quick fixes – Useful when you want a second set of eyes on a change, plus suggested edits you can apply right away. 

GitHub Copilot pros and cons

Pricing

GitHub Copilot offers a free plan with 50 agent mode or chat requests and 2,000 completions per month. They also offer several paid plans:

• Pro – $10/month or $100/year, with unlimited code completions and 300 premium requests. Includes coding agent and code review.
• Pro+ – $39/month or $390/year, includes everything in Pro, plus 5x as many premium requests and access to additional models and agents.
• Enterprise: $39/user/month, available in GitHub Enterprise Cloud only.

Tabnine

Tabnine is an AI coding assistant built for companies that want AI help without giving up control of their code.

It runs as an IDE plugin with code completions and chat, and it can be deployed in the cloud, inside your VPC, on-premises, or fully air-gapped for maximum security.

source: Medium

The part that makes Tabnine stand out is the security and governance angle. 

Tabnine states it has zero code retention, doesn’t train on your code, and supports enterprise compliance and controls, including options like SSO for private deployments.

Important features

• IDE-based completions and chat

Works as an IDE assistant with context-aware suggestions, plus chat for planning, writing, testing, reviewing, and maintaining code.

• Jira implementation and validation agents

Can generate code from Jira issue requirements, then validate whether the code matches those requirements. 

• Onboarding and code explanation agent

Helps you get oriented in unfamiliar projects with plain-language explanations of behaviors, dependencies, and structure.

• Zero code retention 

Tabnine states it doesn’t store or share your code, and it doesn’t train its models on your code.

Ideal use cases

• Regulated teams with strict data and compliance rules – A strong fit when you can’t send code to third-party services and need private deployment options.
• Organizations that need consistent standards across repos – Useful when you want code review and guidance that reflects your internal rules, not generic advice.
• Teams onboarding into large, long-lived codebases – Helps when new engineers need faster understanding of how a project works, plus safer changes with review support.

Tabnine pros and cons

Pricing

Tabnine offers one paid plan, priced at $59/user/month.

But, you get unlimited usage when you bring your own on-prem LLM or your own cloud LLM endpoint.

Lovable

Lovable is a full-stack AI development platform that lets you build, iterate on, and deploy web apps by describing what you want in plain language. 

It generates real code behind the scenes, so you can keep shipping past the prototype stage instead of getting stuck in a demo.

source: Lovable

Your projects can sync or export to a GitHub repo you control, so you can review changes, keep working outside the platform, or hand the code over to your engineering team.

It’s also built for the full loop, not just UI generation. The product is designed around building the app, connecting the backend pieces, then publishing and iterating quickly.

Important features

• Prompt-to-app building in one workspace

You describe what you want, then review and iterate on the generated app in the same place.

• Supabase integration for databases and authentication

You can add a PostgreSQL database, authentication, and other backend pieces through Lovable’s native Supabase integration.

• One-click publish and updates

Publish to a live URL, then push updates anytime. Access controls differ depending on your plan.

• Custom domain support

Connect your own domain with automatic setup or manual DNS, after you publish.

Ideal use cases

• Fast MVPs – Great when you want to go from idea to a working web app quickly, then keep iterating without having to rebuild everything from scratch.
• Internal tools – A good fit for dashboards and simple back-office apps where you want UI plus a real database and auth, without a long setup cycle.
• Handoff to engineering – Useful when you want to get the first version done, then move the project into a normal GitHub workflow for code review, CI, and longer-term maintenance.

Lovable pros and cons

Pricing

Lovable has a free plan with 5 daily credits, up to 30 per month. They also offer several paid plans:

• Pro – From $25/month, starts at 100 monthly credits ($25 monthly, or $250/year).
• Business – From $50/month, starts at 100 monthly credits ($50 monthly, or $500/year). Adds SSO, restricted projects, and opt-out of data training.
• Enterprise – Custom pricing, for larger organizations.

You can buy one-time credit top-ups on Pro and Business in 50-credit blocks. 

Hosting and embedded AI usage run on a separate usage-based balance, with every workspace getting a monthly included allowance.

Replit

Replit is a browser-based development workspace where you can create, run, and publish apps without local setup. You write code in the same tab where you run it, preview it, and ship it. 

Where Replit stands out is the “idea to running app” loop powered by Replit Agent. 

source: Qodo

You describe what you want in plain language and the agent can scaffold a project, add features, and update code across the repo, instead of only suggesting snippets. 

And from the workspace you can publish apps, and add backend basics like a built-in SQL database that Agent can wire up for you. 

Important features

• Replit Agent

Describe what you want in everyday language. Agent can set up an app from scratch and keep adding features as you iterate.

• Built-in SQL database

Add persistent data storage with a managed SQL database, then connect to it from your app. Agent can also wire it up for you.

• Secrets and environment variables

Store sensitive values as encrypted environment variables in the workspace.

• Real-time collaboration

You can work together with several people in the same workspace with Multiplayer. 

Ideal use cases

• Fast prototypes in the browser – Best when you want to build and run an app immediately, without setting up a local environment.
• Shipping small web apps end to end – A good fit when you want one place for coding, a database, and deployment, plus a custom domain.
• Pairing and quick reviews – Useful when you want to collaborate live in the same environment while you build and debug. 

Replit pros and cons

Pricing

Replit offers a free Starter plan and 3 paid plans:

• Replit Core – $20/month billed annually, with team collaboration features for up to 5 people.
• Pro – $100/month, includes tiered credits with discounts, priority support, and up to 15 team members.
• Enterprise – Custom pricing, with advanced security and governance features.

Each plan includes monthly credits that apply to platform usage (Agent, deployments, databases, and more). 

Once you use them up, you move to pay-as-you-go. Credits reset monthly and don’t roll over.

Base44

Base44 is an AI app builder that turns a plain-language prompt into a working, full-stack web app. 

You can generate an app with core building blocks like authentication, database functionality, and analytics, then keep iterating in the same workspace.

source: UI Bakery

It’s designed to ship complete internal tools, customer portals, and small SaaS-style apps without you stitching together a stack first. 

Important features

• Built-in auth and user management

Add sign-up, login, and user management without setting up a separate auth service first.

• Database and backend functions

Store data and add backend logic through built-in database functionality and backend functions.

• Built-in hosting with instant live apps

Apps are hosted by default, so a new app is live and shareable right away.

• Custom domain support

Connect your own subdomain by adding a CNAME record in your DNS provider.

• GitHub integration

 Connect GitHub so you can work with your app code in a repo-based workflow.

Ideal use cases

• Internal tools – Good for dashboards, ops tools, and lightweight back-office apps where you want auth, data, and a UI without setup overhead.
• Customer portals and simple SaaS apps – Works well for account-based apps that need login, basic data models, and a custom domain.
• Fast MVPs you can hand off – Useful when you want a working first version quickly, then export the code or move it into GitHub once engineers take over.

Replit pros and cons

Pricing

Base44 has a free version with 25 message credits and 100 integration credits per month. They also offer several paid plans:

• Starter – $20/month (billed annually). 100 message credits per month, 2,000 integration credits per month.
• Builder – $40/month (billed annually). 250 message credits per month, 10,000 integration credits per month.
• Pro – $80/month (billed annually). 500 message credits per month, 20,000 integration credits per month.
• Elite – $160/month (billed annually). 1,200 message credits per month, 50,000 integration credits per month.

Credits reset on your monthly cycle and don’t roll over.

v0

v0 is an AI agent for building web UI and full-stack apps from prompts, with an output you can actually ship. 

It generates production-ready React code, with Tailwind and shadcn/ui patterns baked in, so you can iterate on real components instead of mockups. 

source: Peerlist

It also supports a “prompt to prototype to PR” workflow, where you can refine designs, update copy, generate features, then deploy or open a pull request for review.

Important features

• Deploy from v0

Deploy to production immediately, or keep it as a live prototype while you iterate.

• GitHub connection for version control and PRs

Connect a repo to track changes, collaborate, and open pull requests for review.

• “Open in v0” for shadcn/ui components and registry items 

Pull UI components into v0, edit them with natural-language changes, then paste them into your app.

• Team collaboration in shared chats

Share chats and collaborate with your team, with centralized billing through Vercel.

Ideal use cases

• React UI scaffolding – Best when you want a solid starting point for React components and screens.
• Design-to-code iteration – Useful when you want to tweak layout, copy, and components in quick loops, then export the code.
• PR-ready UI changes – A good fit when you want v0 to draft UI changes and open a pull request your team can review. 

v0 pros and cons

Pricing

v0 has a free plan with a 7 messages/day limit. They also have a range of paid plans:

• Premium – $20/month. $20 included monthly credits, $2 free daily credits on login, and Figma import.
• Team – $30/user/month. $30 included monthly credits per user. $2 free daily credits on login per user, with team collaboration and centralized billing.
• Business – $100/user/month. $30 included monthly credits per user. Training opt-out by default.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing. Training opt-out by default, SAML SSO, role-based access control, priority access, and support SLAs.

On Premium, Team, and Business you can buy extra credits when you run out.

Monthly credits reset on your billing date and do not roll over, and purchased credits expire after a year. 

Google Antigravity

Google Antigravity is an agent-first development platform from Google Labs that turns the IDE into a place where you manage autonomous coding agents. 

Instead of focusing on autocomplete first, it gives you a “Mission Control” style workspace.

source: Google Antigravity

Agents can plan work, make changes across the repo, run terminal commands, and even use a built-in browser to test and verify what they shipped.

Important features

• Editor view with tab completions and inline commands

You get a familiar IDE surface for hands-on work, plus AI commands and completions when you want them.

• Manager surface for running multiple agents

A separate “mission control” view where you can spawn, orchestrate, and observe agents working across different workspaces.

• Agents that work across editor, terminal, and browser

Agents can plan and execute tasks, run terminal commands, and use an integrated browser to test and verify changes.

• Artifacts for review and verification

Instead of scrolling through tool logs, you get deliverables like task lists, plans, screenshots, and browser recordings you can review and comment on.

• Browser controls with a URL allowlist

The browser agent can click, scroll, type, and read logs. You can restrict where it’s allowed to browse to reduce risk. 

Ideal use cases

• Multi-tool feature work – Good when a task needs code changes, terminal commands, and a quick browser check to confirm it works.
• UI changes you need to validate fast – Useful when you want the agent to implement UI updates, then prove the result with screenshots or walkthrough-style artifacts.
• Bug fixes and maintenance in the background – Fits when you want to delegate longer-running tasks like reproducing an issue, adding a test, and drafting a fix while you keep working. 

Google Antigravity pros and cons

Pricing

You can get access to Antigravity via paid plans for Google One, Google Workspace, and Google Cloud.

Bolt

Bolt is a browser-based AI app builder that turns a prompt into a working web app you can run and deploy, without setting up a local dev environment. 

It gives you an editor, a live runtime, and an agent that can make changes across files, install packages, and iterate based on what breaks.

source: UI Bakery

And since it’s built by StackBlitz, it leans into “instant dev environments” as the default experience, so you can go from idea to a deployed app directly in the browser.

Important features

• Full-stack runtime in the browser

Run Node.js, install npm packages, and start servers directly in the browser using StackBlitz WebContainers.

• Agent with control over the environment

The agent can work across the filesystem, package manager, terminal, and browser console so it can build, run, and fix an app, not just generate code.

• Install packages and run backends

Bolt supports real package installs and server-side runtimes, which is the core difference versus UI-only generators.

• Deploy and share from chat 

Deploy to production and share what you built through a URL without leaving the workspace.

• Bolt Cloud for hosting, domains, and databases 

Manage domains, hosting, and databases in one place without adding extra third-party tools.

Ideal use cases

• Shipping a working app from the browser – Use Bolt when you want to build, run, and deploy without setting up a local environment first.
• Full-stack prototypes with real dependencies – A strong fit when you need npm packages and a Node.js backend, not just generated UI code.
• Sharing and iterating with others – Useful when you want a live URL you can send to teammates or stakeholders, then keep iterating based on feedback. 

Bolt pros and cons

Pricing

Bolt offers a free plan with a 300k daily token limit. And they offer 3 paid plans:

• Pro – $25/month. No daily token limit, with 10 million tokens/month.Also available annually (example shown: $216/year).
• Teams – Everything in pro, plus centralized billing, access management, and admin controls.
• Enterprise – Built for larger orgs that need advanced security and support. 

Paid-plan tokens can roll over (free-plan tokens don’t), and each paid team member gets their own monthly token allotment.

Wispr Flow

Wispr Flow is a cross-app voice keyboard that lets you dictate anywhere you write. Slack, docs, email, tickets, and even code editors. 

It runs on Mac, Windows, and iPhone, so you can keep the same “talk instead of type” workflow across devices.

source: Medium

What makes it stand out in a “vibe coding” context is that you can turn spoken input into usable text for the place you’re working in, with formatting that adapts to context. 

It also has developer-focused handling for variables and code syntax, so you don’t have to clean up naming conventions after dictation.

There are also developer-focused integrations that tie into Cursor and Windsurf, so you can do more inside your editor without jumping back to the keyboard.

Important features

• Dictation that works in any app

Flow types into any text field across your desktop apps and browser, so you can use it in Slack, docs, email, and more.

• Auto-edits while you speak

It can handle backtracking, remove filler words, format numbered lists, and add punctuation based on how you speak.

• Personal dictionary, snippets, and styles

Save custom terms, create voice shortcuts for repeated text, and set tone preferences for different writing contexts.

• Command Mode for voice edits

Highlight text, then speak an edit like “make this shorter” or “turn this into bullets” and Flow replaces the selection.

• Developer mode for IDEs

Variable recognition and file tagging help Flow behave better in coding contexts, including Cursor and Windsurf. 

Ideal use cases

• Voice prompts with file context – When you work in Cursor or Windsurf, Flow can tag the file you mention as you speak, so your prompt includes the right context without hunting for paths.
• Dictating code without mangling names – Useful when you want to speak variable names, functions, and syntax in an IDE or terminal, then get text that looks like real code instead of a transcript you have to fix.
• Writing dev workflow text faster – Great for the stuff around coding: commit messages, PR descriptions, review comments, and short technical notes in tickets, without switching out of your tool. 

Wispr Flow pros and cons

Pricing

Wispr Flow has a free plan with a 2,000 words per week limit.

They also have 2 paid plans: Flow Pro ($12/month) and Flow Enterprise, with custom pricing and advanced control.

Windsurf

Windsurf is an AI-native editor built around an agent called Cascade. 

It combines an IDE with an assistant that can move past autocomplete and help with multi-step work across your repo, like making edits in multiple files and checking errors

source: Analytics Vidhya

Cascade runs in Code and Chat modes, can call tools, and keeps real-time context from your editor and terminal so it can keep work moving.

Important features

• RAG-based context engine for repo awareness

Windsurf indexes your codebase and retrieves relevant files and snippets so responses stay grounded in your project.

• Context pinning and knowledge base controls

You can guide what the assistant should keep in scope, which helps when you’re working on a specific area of the code.

• Model switching and BYOK options 

Pick different models inside Cascade depending on the task, with clear credit costs per model.

• Windsurf Chat inside the editor

Ask questions about your codebase with context retrieval built in, without leaving the IDE.

Ideal use cases

• Multi-file changes with an agent – Use it when a task spans several files and you want the assistant to make coordinated edits you can review.
• Working in large repos – A strong fit when you need repo-aware answers and suggestions based on indexed project context.
• Terminal-driven debugging and fixes – Helpful when you want to turn a prompt into real CLI commands, then iterate based on what the terminal returns.

Windsurf pros and cons

Pros: Great for multi-file work, strong IDE integration, good at explaining code

Cons: Can slow down with huge projects, cost control can be tricky

Pricing

Windsurf has a paid plan with 25 prompt credits/month. They also have 3 paid plans:

• Pro – $15/month. 500 prompt credits per month.
• Teams – $30/user/month. 500 prompt credits per user per month.
• Enterprise – Custom pricing. 1,000 prompt credits per user per month, with enterprise-grade controls.

Amazon Q Developer

Amazon Q Developer is a generative AI assistant built for developers who work in AWS day to day. 

It can answer AWS-specific questions, help you build and operate workloads on Amazon Web Services, and guide you through AWS services, SDKs, and best practices with the AWS context baked in.

source: AWS

Alongside code chat and completions, it includes security scanning for vulnerabilities in your code and tools for code upgrades and improvements. 

Important features

• CLI chat and autocompletions 

Use Q in the terminal for command help and AI chat, including over SSH.

• Security scanning and auto reviews 

Scan a file or an entire codebase for security issues and code quality problems, with optional auto reviews as you write.

• Java modernization with code transformation 

Upgrade Java language versions and dependencies with a plan, diff, and summary you review before accepting changes.

• Works across common IDEs

Supports popular environments like JetBrains IDEs, VS Code, Visual Studio, and Eclipse. 

Ideal use cases

• AWS-first development work – Best when most of your app and infra lives on AWS and you want answers and code help that reflect that.
• Finding and fixing security issues – Useful when you want to catch vulnerabilities early and apply fixes before code reaches production.
• Upgrading older Java apps – A good fit when you need to modernize Java projects and want an upgrade workflow that produces a reviewable plan and diffs.

Amazon Q Developer pros and cons

Pros: Strong fit for AWS users, wide IDE integration

Cons: Quality varies outside of AWS

Pricing

Amazon Q Developer has a free plan with 50 agentic requests per month and 1,000 lines of code per month for Java upgrades.

They also offer a paid Pro plan ($19/user/month) with higher usage limits and an admin dashboard and policy management.

JetBrains AI Assistant

JetBrains AI Assistant brings AI into the JetBrains IDEs devs already use every day, with the assistant sitting next to the editor, navigation, refactors, and inspections.

That tight IDE integration is the point. 

You can ask questions about code with project context, generate and edit code, create tests, and apply changes across one or more files without leaving the IDE.

source: JetBrains

It’s also one of the more flexible setups on this list. You can use JetBrains’ own AI service with access to multiple cloud models, or run with your own provider key. .

Important features

• Project-aware AI chat in the IDE 

Ask questions about the code you’re looking at, then apply suggested changes without leaving the editor.

• Agent mode for multi-file edits

Let it make coordinated changes across multiple files, then review the list of affected files and apply the diff from chat.

• Cloud code completion that follows your project context 

Autocompletes lines, blocks, and whole functions based on what it sees in your project, including naming and style cues.

• Explain and fix problems inside the IDE

Explain code and common errors, find issues, and suggest fixes. Support varies by IDE, but the core “explain and fix” flow is consistent.

• Bring your own model, including local options 

Use your own API key with supported providers, or connect local model runners like Ollama and LM Studio for some workflows.

Ideal use cases

• Teams already using JetBrains IDEs – Best when your day-to-day work happens in IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, or Rider and you want AI that feels native.
• Making safe, reviewable changes across a project – Useful for multi-file tasks and if you want the IDE to show you exactly what changed before you apply it.
• Tighter control over models and data paths – A good fit when you want to choose the model per task, use your own keys.

JetBrains AI Assistant pros and cons

Pricing

JetBrains AI Assistant has a Free tier with a small monthly quota, while paid plans give more cloud quota each month:

• AI Pro – $10 per month, includes 10 AI Credits. 
• AI Ultimate – $30 per month, includes 35 AI Credits. 
• AI Enterprise – Custom pricing, with custom AI integrations.

You can top up credits if you use more than your monthly quota.

AI software development tools: FAQs

Conclusion

AI tools can speed you up a lot. But they can also create more work later if you pick the wrong tool.

Start with what matches how you already work.

If you want faster daily coding, an IDE assistant or AI-first editor is usually the easiest win.

If you need help with multi-file tasks, agents can take on more, as long as you keep review and CI tight.

And if you need a working app fast, app builders will get you there.

Whatever you choose, keep to the same standards: clear requirements, readable diffs, tests, and security checks.

AI is just helps you get to the first version faster.