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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes.

You’re knee-deep in code, deadlines are looming, and you wish you had a magical helper to boost your productivity. Enter Large Language Models (LLMs) for coding.

These AI-powered sidekicks are trained with code-related data and are revolutionizing the way developers work.

Whether it’s generating code, debugging, refactoring, or writing test cases, these coding assistants are here to make your life easier and your workflows more efficient.

They can even chat with you about coding problems and offer inspiring solutions.

In this guide, we’re diving into the best LLMs for coding in 2024. Grant Hickey and his team at TechRadar have put these AI models to the test, and I will be sharing four of their top picks.

Keep in mind, that the world of LLMs is evolving rapidly, so there might be a newer model that fits your needs even better.

How Does a Coding Assistant Work?

If you've read my previous post about Large Language Models (LLMs), you already know these AI marvels can understand and generate human language with incredible finesse.

Now, let’s apply this linguistic superpower to coding.

Think of a coding assistant as your super-smart friend who not only reads everything but also knows all the best coding practices.

These LLMs are trained on public code repositories, documentation, and licensed work, making them a treasure trove of coding knowledge.

They can understand syntax, coding styles, and programming paradigms to help you with everything from generating code, debugging, and code analysis to solving complex coding problems across various languages.

These AI sidekicks integrate seamlessly into your development environment, offering inline code suggestions as you type.

Some are even trainable using your organization’s codebases, making their suggestions even more relevant and context-aware.

Why Shouldn’t I Trust the Code Blindly?

As amazing as these AI wizards are, they’re not perfect. Sometimes, they “hallucinate,” which is a fancy way of saying they make stuff up.

They might generate code that’s almost perfect but with a tiny, sneaky bug, or they might just get it completely wrong.

The accuracy of their suggestions depends a lot on the training data and the model’s overall intelligence.

So, while they’re incredibly helpful, always give their work a once-over to make sure it’s spot on.

Now, let’s get to the good stuff!

Bests LLMS for Coding (As of June 2024)

GitHub Copilot: The Coding Bestie

Imagine you're coding away, and suddenly GitHub Copilot suggests the perfect code snippet to complete your function.

GitHub Copilot is an AI tool that integrates with popular coding environments like Visual Studio Code to provide real-time code suggestions based on the context of what you're writing.

• Why It Rocks: It seamlessly integrates with your coding tools and is powered by the mighty GPT-4 model, providing intelligent suggestions and autocompleting code as you type.

• Perfect For: Serious coders and enterprise folks who don’t mind paying for a little magic.

• Watch Out: It’s subscription-based and sometimes thinks it’s a know-it-all. Always double-check its suggestions.

CodeQwen1.5: The DIY Coder’s BFF

If you’re the type who likes to tinker and customize, meet CodeQwen1.5.

It’s an open-source AI tool that can be hosted locally and trained with your code, making it highly adaptable to your needs.

• Why It Rocks: Open source, can be hosted locally, and you can train it with your code. Talk about a personalized experience!

• Perfect For: Individual coders and small teams who love to get their hands dirty.

• Watch Out: It doesn’t come with fancy integrations, and you’ll need a decent rig to run it.

LLama 3: Budget-Friendly Beast

Need a powerful coding buddy without emptying your wallet? LLama 3 is your go-to.

This open-source AI model excels in coding tasks and is cost-effective, making it perfect for budget-conscious developers.

• Why It Rocks: It’s open-source, performs well in coding tasks, and is cost-effective. Think of it as the thrifty coder’s dream.

• Perfect For: Developers who want a versatile AI assistant on a budget.

• Watch Out: Bigger models need more muscle (read: hardware), which could cost you.

GPT-4: The Debugging Guru

Got bugs? GPT-4 is here to squash them like a pro.

This AI model is excellent at debugging, explaining errors, and offering fixes, making it a valuable tool for any developer.

• Why It Rocks: Stellar at debugging, explaining errors, and offering fixes. It’s your go-to for cleaning up messy code.

• Perfect For: Anyone who wants a reliable sidekick to help debug and learn from coding errors.

• Watch Out: It’s a bit pricey, but the peace of mind is worth it.

Wrapping Up

And there you have it—a quick tour of the best AI coding assistants of June 2024.

These tech marvels are excellent starting points for you to test out and see which one fits your needs best.

Technology is always evolving, and even as we speak, there are new developments like Claude 3.5 Sonnet, which is proving to be a game-changer in coding.

If you’re a developer looking to boost your productivity, why not give these AI wizards a try?

Start with GitHub Copilot’s free trial, or explore the open-source flexibility of CodeQwen1.5.

You might just save yourself from pulling out your hair with a little extra help.

And if you want more technical details, check out Grant Hickey's post on TechRadar.

See you in the next one,

Aaron

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