Gemini Code Assist, An Honest Review!



AI Summary

Summary of Gemini Code Assist Video

  • Introduction:
    • Gemini Code Assist is a new coding assistant extension for IDEs.
    • It’s available for Visual Studio Code and JetBrains IDEs.
    • It’s not a replacement for existing tools like Cursor or GitHub Copilot.
    • The extension is free with a generous usage limit.
  • Installation and Setup:
    • Install from Visual Studio Code Marketplace.
    • Sign in with Google after installation.
    • Privacy settings can be adjusted to prevent Google from using your data.
  • Usage:
    • Invoke Gemini Code Assist by clicking an icon or using a shortcut (Cmd+I on Mac, Ctrl+I on Windows).
    • Offers options to generate, fix, explain, and generate unit tests.
    • The assistant can be slow compared to other solutions.
    • Changes are presented in a diff view, allowing users to accept or decline.
  • Limitations:
    • Not suitable for creating code from scratch, especially for complex tasks like Android app development.
    • Incomplete code generation may occur, requiring users to invoke the assistant multiple times.
    • Best suited for large codebases or single large files.
    • Can explain code and make suggestions for modifications.
  • Demonstration:
    • Showed how to use the assistant to generate and explain code.
    • Demonstrated the assistant’s ability to handle variable learning rates in code.
    • Highlighted the assistant’s capability to edit parts of the code and generate code with context.
    • Attempted to create a new file from scratch, but faced issues with incomplete code generation.
  • Conclusion:
    • Gemini Code Assist is useful for certain scenarios but not a comprehensive coding solution.
    • Users should not blindly accept all suggestions and should be aware of its limitations.
    • The assistant is more of a chat with the codebase rather than a standalone coding tool.