AI Tools for Writing and Shipping Code
The best AI coding tools split into three groups: editors that complete code as you type, agents that take a task and work through a repo on their own, and builders that turn a prompt into a running app. Cursor and GitHub Copilot sit in the first group. Aider, Cline and Devin sit in the second. Bolt.new sits in the third. Pick based on how much of the work you want to hand over. This category holds 37 tools: 26 freemium, 6 free, 5 paid.
37 tools · Catalog updated
Code & Dev tools
What is the difference between a code assistant and a coding agent?
An assistant works inside your editor and waits for you. GitHub Copilot suggests the next line or the rest of a function while you type, and you accept it or ignore it. Cursor goes further, building the editor itself around the model so it can write and edit across your code. An agent takes a goal instead of a keystroke. Aider runs in your terminal and edits files in any git repo. Cline reads, edits and executes across a whole codebase from inside VS Code. Devin goes furthest, planning, coding, testing and deploying end to end. The more autonomy you grant, the less of each change you personally read.
How do I choose one for my own work?
Start with where your work already lives. If you spend the day in VS Code, an editor-based tool is the shortest path in. If you live in a terminal and git, Aider fits the habit you already have. If you want a working app before you want a codebase, Bolt.new generates and runs one in the browser. Then decide how much autonomy you want to grant. Completion is low risk and easy to undo. An agent that rewrites twenty files needs review discipline and real tests, or you inherit code nobody read. Most of these tools are freemium, so try the shortlist on one real task from your own repo and judge the diff.
Frequently asked questions
- Are any of these free?
- Yes. Six of the 37 tools in this category are free, and 26 more are freemium, meaning a usable tier with limits you can hit. Aider and Cline are open source and free to run, though you still pay for the model tokens they consume. Five tools are paid only.
- Do I still need to know how to code?
- For anything you plan to maintain, yes. Prompt-to-app builders like Bolt.new get a working prototype in front of people fast. Reviewing what an agent changed, judging whether a fix is correct, and debugging it six months later all still require reading code. The tools shift where your time goes, not whether skill is needed.
- Can I use more than one at a time?
- Most people do. A common setup is one editor tool for everyday typing, such as Cursor or GitHub Copilot, plus an agent like Cline or Devin for larger jobs you hand off and review in a diff. They work on the same repo, so the practical limit is your own review capacity, not compatibility.