AI Powered IDE Alternatives (Part 1)

AI In Action
Dev Tools
IDE
Authors

Phlo

Yikes

Published

September 13, 2024

Modified

November 21, 2024

AI In Action | 2024 Week 37

An exploration of IDEs, featuring Cursor, PearAI and NeoVim - AI-powered coding tools. The session covers comparative analysis, practical demonstrations, and open-source alternatives in the rapidly evolving landscape.

Initial Setup and Discussion

  • Phlo compares PearAI to Cursor, finding it similar but lacking features like Cursor’s “Composer” mode and advanced autocomplete.
  • The discussion touches on the slowing pace of model advancements and the focus shifting towards application layer innovations.
  • They express excitement about OpenAI’s new o1 model and Qwen2-VL for their reasoning capabilities and video understanding respectively.

PearAI Demo

  • Phlo demonstrates PearAI, highlighting its VS Code fork nature and features like a larger chat window button.
  • He attempts to use PearAI to translate a shell script into Python, comparing the experience to Cursor.
  • The discussion revolves around PearAI’s strengths and weaknesses compared to Cursor, with Cursor’s “Composer” mode and Cursor’s proprietary models emerging as a significant differentiator.

NeoVim and Composer Discussion

  • The conversation shifts to NeoVim as a customizable IDE alternative, emphasizing its keyboard-centric workflow and potential for speed.
  • Yikes recommends LazyVim and Kickstart for learning NeoVim and precognition.nvim for mastering keybindings.
  • They discuss the value of NeoVim in building a personalized development environment tailored to individual preferences.

Composer Demo

  • Phlo showcases Cursor’s “Composer” mode using a website redesign project. He demonstrates how to:
    • Use “Control-K” for in-file code edits based on prompts.
    • Use “Control-L” for chat-based interactions with the model to refine code.
    • Use “Control-I” for multi-file edits or creating new files with Composer mode.
  • They discuss Composer’s ability to handle multi-file edits and the importance of providing context for larger code bases.

Open Source Alternatives and Conclusion

  • Yikes recommends openv0.dev, and gptengineer.app as open-source alternatives to v0.dev for front-end development.
  • The participants discuss the benefits of the weekly AI In Action livestreams, with Yikes highlighting the value of learning from others’ experiences and discovering new tools.
  • The session concludes with plans for Yikes to demo Melty and NeoVim configurations in the following week.

We enjoyed exploring the evolving landscape of AI-powered IDEs, showcasing demos, sharing recommendations, and emphasizing the importance of community engagement in driving innovation.