AI coding assistants are bringing revolution in web development. These changing the way we write code by helping developers to write code more efficiently with fewer errors by providing code suggestions.
In our previous tutorials, we have explained about Github Copilot and Cursor to use in VS Code editor. In this tutorial, we will compare both AI tools and take a closer look at what features each tools offers, along with their strengths and weaknesses.
The comparison will help developers to choose the best AI tools for their needs.
What is GitHub Copilot
Copilot is an AI coding assistant for coders to write code with less effort. It generate code as per description and also ask question via inline chat to get the right code and accept with a single click.
What is Cursor AI
Cursor is an AI powered editor based on OpenAI GPT models. It is a coding assistant that allows to interact with code using natural language.
Features of AI Tools
Here are few special features of AI tool which makes them special for developers:
- Quick Chat
- Automatic Code Generator
- Code completion
- Review code
- Generate documentation
Advantages of using AI Tools
Here are some advantages of suing AI Tools in development:
Now let’s dig into some key features of AI tools to compare:
Chat
Both the AI tools provide chat feature to ask questions and get answers, so let’s see
Github Copilot
Github Copilot provides inline chat interface (Ctrl+i) to ask questions and receive answers related to code. It make changes to code as per requirement and can accept/discard changes. It provides access to coding information without navigating documentation. It also provides access to chat history to check questions and different answers.
You can also access quick Chat view (Ctrl+Shift+I) to ask question immediately and back to actions.
Cursor
Cursor chat (Ctrl/⌘ + L) feature uses AI to answer code questions with smart context and file references in your editor. It allows to drag and drop folder into chat get additional context and provide code suggestions from the chat. Cursor also allows images for visual context.
Cursor has also several built-in features to provide context in chat, such as automatically including context across your entire codebase, searching the web, indexing documentation, and user-specified references to code blocks. These features are built to eliminate the tedious copy-pasting otherwise necessary for working with language models on code.
Automatic Code Generator
This is a special features of AI tools to allow developers just describe your requirement and get generated code for yourself. Both the tool allow this features, so let’s see.
Copilot
Copilot generate code automatically for you. You just need to give name of your function or provide description to get generated code for it. It also allow to provide description of your requirement to generate code automatically.
Cursor
Cursor provides composer feature for automatic code generation. It creates code for your requirement by looking at your whole project while generating code. It also crate complete applications as per requirement.
Code completion
Code autocomplete suggestions is very cool feature of AI tools. It enables developer to just type letter and get relevant suggestions. You get get this features in both tools.
Copilot
Github Copilot provides autocomplete suggestions relevant to your code. You just need to write code in the editor and Copilot provides you with relevant suggestions. If you need something specific, just add description to give direction to Copilot about what your requirement.
Cursor
Cursor also provides tab completion. It will always look at your whole project code and make multiple suggestions. Cursor also suggests edits and multi-line changes based on your recent work.
Review code
We can also get reviewed our code from AI tools that provide automated feedbacks on code quality, bugs and best practices
Copilot
Copilot added a new feature with a review button in source control tab. You just need to hit this button and it will check your staged and un staged changes. This will show suggestions right inline in code and you can apply. Simple apply that is appropriate otherwise skip.
Cursor
Just like Copilot, the Cursor has bug finder feature that scans code and branch changes potential bugs. You just need to click and it will fix things right in your editor.
Generate documentation
AI tools also help to generate documentation for our code. Here we will check this feature in both Copilot and Cursor.
Copilot
Copilot enables you to create code documentation through it’s chat feature. You simply add description to create documentation and it will do right for you.
Cursor
Curosr also provides a feature where you can generate documentation for your codebase. The tool generate a .cursordocs file automatically in each folder. The .cursordocs file summarizes the folder’s contents, including the tech stack, architecture, functions, and interactions.
Final Words
Here in this analysis of Cursor vs Copilot, both the tools are powerful for development and provide integrated experience with advanced code generation capabilities. So you can choose any one from these as per your special needs.