Google Unveils Free AI Coding Assistance for All, Offering Generous Usage Limits

Writers have their quirks, but programmers? We take fussiness to a whole new level. Take George R.R. Martin, who penned all those epic Game of Thrones books using DOS and WordStar from the '80s. Yet, when it comes to being particular about tools, we coders outdo even the most finicky wordsmiths.

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Imagine managing millions of lines of code where a single misplaced semicolon could unleash chaos or, worse, prompt a marketing executive to rush your product out the door. That's where development environments (IDEs) come in. They're our lifelines, and each of us has our favorite—like phpStorm or VS Code. But it's not just about picking an IDE; it's about tailoring it to perfection with custom features, layouts, shortcuts, plugins, and even colors.

When generative AI tools like ChatGPT first hit the scene, coders were thrilled at the prospect of AI-assisted coding. Initially, it was a novelty. But as we started weaving AI into our daily workflows, the constant copy-pasting between browser tabs became a drag and a drain on efficiency.

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AI vendors, who were also using these tools, saw the need and began integrating AI directly into our beloved IDEs. You could select a code block, and the AI would analyze, respond, and even suggest updates. If the AI got it right (a big if, considering how often they mess up), it was a huge time-saver.

Which brings us to Google's latest announcement about Gemini Code Assist.

Free AI coding assistant for individuals

Last year, Google introduced Gemini Code Assist, and I was cautiously hopeful. It promised some useful features, but at the time, it only passed one out of my four coding tests, ranking it at the bottom of our ZDNET coding ladder. It's great to have an in-IDE coding interface, but it's only valuable if the code it generates actually works.

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Initially, Gemini Code Assist was exclusive to Gemini Advanced and other business clients. But now, Google has announced that it's making Gemini Code Assist available for free to everyone. This is a game-changer. With more users, we'll see more bug reports and subsequent improvements. Free tools often see a surge in adoption, opening up access to hobbyists and students.

Generous usage and IDE integration

It's not just about being free. Many AI tools offer free trials or limited functionality that can leave you high and dry once you start relying on them. Often, these limits are tied to the number of queries or code completions you can perform each month.

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There's this old saying that programmers write about 50 lines of code a day, accounting for all the edits, fixes, and updates. But let's be real—I've had days where I've barely hit 50 lines, and others where I've pushed out 200 or more. With caffeine and protein fueling me, I've even hit 300-400 lines in a single day.

Assuming an average of 100 lines per day without AI, and let's say AI boosts that to 250 lines, with each line representing a code completion or prompt. Many AI providers cap you at 2,000 completions per month, which you'd burn through in just over a week—not enough to really make a dent in your work.

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Professional coders might expect to pay for their tools, but what about hobbyists or beginners? I certainly couldn't afford them when I started out.

That's where Google's latest move shines. They're offering 180,000 code completions per month. With that kind of allowance, I doubt any coder will hit their limit mid-month. You can access this feature in VS Code, JetBrains IDEs (like phpStorm), Firebase, and Android Studio.

AI-powered code reviews with GitHub

Alongside making Gemini Code Assist free and offering a generous completion allowance, Google is also rolling out Gemini Code Assist for GitHub. This tool enables developers to conduct AI-assisted code reviews on pull requests or check-ins, with Gemini highlighting potential issues.

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One cool aspect is that it supports custom style guides, recognizing that different teams and coders have their own coding styles.

Coding help for everyone

So, what's your take on Google making Gemini Code Assist free? Have you dabbled with AI coding tools before? How do they stack up? Do you find AI code reviews useful, or do you prefer the human touch? Will the generous code completion limit make AI more integral to your development process? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.

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