What is Gemini Code Assist, Google’s free AI-based coding tool

Google has announced the global launch of a free version of its artificial intelligence-powered coding tool, Gemini Code Assist, aimed at individual developers such as students, freelancers, enthusiasts, and startups. Now, users will be able to generate and complete code blocks in multiple programming languages, all within their preferred integrated development environments (IDEs).

As the company explains in a statement, this initiative aims to democratize access to advanced programming tools: “Over 75% of developers use AI to perform their daily tasks, and while organizations with sufficient resources are equipping their engineering teams with the latest AI capabilities, that level of tools has not always been accessible to students, enthusiasts, freelancers, and emerging companies (…) To close that gap, today we announce the public preview of Gemini Code Assist for individuals, a free version of our AI coding assistant.”

What is Gemini Code Assist

Gemini Code Assist is a coding assistant designed to enhance developer efficiency and facilitate code writing. Using the Gemini 2.0 model, the tool offers contextual suggestions, code autocompletion, and on-demand generation of full blocks or functions. Additionally, it incorporates a chatbot interface that allows interaction through natural language instructions, simplifying software development and increasing productivity.

One of its most outstanding features is its limit of up to 180,000 code completions per month, making it a much more generous option than similar tools, such as GitHub Copilot, which in its free version only offers 2,000 monthly completions.

Main features of Gemini Code Assist:

• Integration with popular IDEs: it is compatible with widely used development environments such as Visual Studio Code, GitHub, and JetBrains, allowing programmers to receive assistance without switching applications and maintain a more efficient workflow.
• Support for multiple programming languages: compatible with a wide range of languages, making it versatile for different projects, from web development to the creation of artificial intelligence software or mobile applications.
• It offers a wide context window of up to 128,000 tokens, allowing work with large files and better understanding of local code.
• Autocompletion and code generation: thanks to its engine based on Gemini 2.0, it can complete lines of code while typing, as well as generate complete blocks or entire functions according to the developer’s needs.
• Review: it assists developers in detecting errors and style issues, suggesting automatic corrections.
• Natural language interaction: it allows users to give instructions in natural language, making coding more accessible. For example, a developer can write: “Build a simple HTML form with fields for name, email, and message, and add a ‘submit’ button”, and the tool will generate the corresponding code.

Some limitations

Although the free version of Gemini Code Assist is quite comprehensive, some advanced features are reserved for the Standard and Enterprise editions. These include productivity metrics, integrations with Google Cloud services like BigQuery, and the ability to customize responses using private code sources. These versions are oriented towards enterprises and development teams that require additional functionalities and more specialized support.

How to access Gemini Code Assist

To start using Gemini Code Assist, developers only need a personal Gmail account. No payment information is required, which facilitates access to a wide audience, including students and independent professionals. The tool is available in public preview and can be installed as an add-on in the previously mentioned IDEs.

According to Google, based on user feedback regarding this public preview version, the company will be gradually refining the tool. You may share feedback directly from the “Send Feedback” form in the IDE or on GitHub.

Image: Google