Choosing an AI coding assistant without the hype
Tools change monthly, so compare on criteria, not rankings.
What to do
- Editor and language support you actually use.
- Data handling: is your code used for training? Is there an enterprise or zero-retention option? Read the vendor's policy.
- Context: can it read your repo, run tests, use the terminal?
- Pricing and limits: check the vendor's official pricing page on the day you buy; we don't list prices because they change.
Copy this prompt
Make a comparison table of these coding assistants: [names], on editor support, repo context, agent/terminal features, data retention policy, and admin controls. For every cell, say whether you are sure and where I should verify. Don't state prices.Check the bot's work
Verify features and prices on each official site.
Questions
Can I trust the bot on choosing a tool?
Use it to plan and explain, then verify. Verify features and prices on each official site.
Which bot works best?
Grok Bot, ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini all handle this prompt. Paste the same prompt into two and compare; disagreements show where to check a source.
Where these facts come from
- OWASP Top 10
- CISA: Secure by Design
- GitHub Docs: Secret scanning
- W3C: WCAG overview
- Open Source Initiative: Licenses
- NIST SP 800-218: Secure Software Development Framework
Tools, features and prices change often. We don't list prices; check each vendor's official pricing page. Never paste secrets into a prompt. Checked Oct 30, 2026.
Coding with bots · Agents, tools and setup: all lessons → Next: Prompting for code →