VS Code AI tooling has now clearly exceeded the realm of simple auto-completion.
Today you can chat with an assistant, get multi-file edits, generate tests, and even run commands straight from natural language prompts.
There's also been an increased set of tooling options to pick from, beyond the default of GitHub Copilot.
These are what high-powered developers use to elevate their coding efficiency and stay ahead of the curve.
1. Gemini Code Assist
Google’s Gemini Code Assist brings the Gemini model into VS Code. It stands out for its documentation awareness and Google ecosystem ties.
Why it’s great:
Answers come with citations so you can see which docs were referenced.
It can do code reviews, generate unit tests, and help debug.
Works across app code and infrastructure (think Terraform, gcloud CLI, etc.).
Great for: Anyone working heavily in Google Cloud, Firebase, or Android, or who values transparent, sourced answers.
2. Cline for VS Code
Cline is an autonomous coding agent for VS Code built around Claude. It can read your project, plan multi-step tasks, edit files, and run commands — all with human-in-the-loop approval.
Why it’s great:
Agent-style workflow: reads files, proposes plans, applies diffs you can review.
Runs commands, tests, and dev servers while reacting to errors.
Can open and interact with your app in a browser using computer control.
Supports MCP tools for extra capabilities.
Works with many models (Claude, OpenAI, Gemini, local models, etc.).
Great for: Developers who want a powerful, Claude-driven coding agent that can operate on real projects while keeping them fully in control.
3. Amazon Q for VS Code
Amazon Q is AWS’s take on an “agentic” coding assistant — it can read files, generate diffs, and run commands all from natural language prompts.
Why it’s great:
Multi-step agent mode writes code, docs, and tests while updating you on its progress.
MCP support means you can plug in extra tools and context to extend what it can do.
Inline chat and suggestions feel native to VS Code.
Great for: AWS developers who want more than autocomplete — a true assistant that can execute tasks in your environment.
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