Code Assistants: Blurring Category Lines

For long, AI Coding tools have naturally split into specialized roles to solve different developer needs, Inline assistants for real-time suggestions and Multi-file editors for broader changes. Today, these approaches are converging, making our development workflows more efficient than ever.

I see two distinct categories of AI code assistants in our development landscape.

The inline assistance category, championed by GitHub Copilot and Codeium, excels at real-time completions and suggestions. These assistants are like pair programmers who peek over your shoulder, helping you craft code line by line. While Copilot started with simple completions, its recent addition of chat participants and multi-line edits shows this category expanding beyond its initial focus. Codeium has followed suit for inline edits, with their Windsurf editor earning praise for multi-file edit capabilities.

The multi-file editors category, where Aider and Cursor shine, operates like architects who understand your entire codebase. They take your prompt and make required changes in one sweep. Aider’s /ask and /architecture modes exemplify this category’s strength in project-wide changes and architectural discussions. Their new watch-files feature demonstrates how this category is evolving to include real-time assistance capabilities.

This convergence isn’t about competition - it’s about categories blending their strengths. As these categories mature, they’re learning from each other, breaking down the barriers between quick, focused assistance and comprehensive project-wide changes. The result? A richer ecosystem where developers can seamlessly switch between immediate help and broader architectural support.

May the convergence be with you