The best AI tools to boost your development projects: our feedback

As a web development company, we are always on the lookout for new technologies that can make our work more efficient. Artificial intelligence is profoundly transforming our practices, by automating not only code generation, but also bug analysis, interface creation, and much more. Here is our feedback on the best AI tools tested by our experienced web developers, and that we recommend to optimize your development projects.

AI Coding Assistants and Intelligent IDEs: Boost Your Productivity

AI coding assistants have become essential development companions. They speed up code writing, reduce human errors, and even explain complex code segments.

• GitHub Copilot: Based on OpenAI Codex, this tool shines with its ability to offer contextual suggestions in real time. Ideal for languages like Python and JavaScript. However, it can sometimes lack precision on very complex projects.
• Tabnine: We appreciate its ease of integration into several IDEs. Less advanced than Copilot, but lighter and faster on small projects.
• Amazon CodeWhisperer: Very relevant for the AWS ecosystem. If you work on cloud-native, it is a valuable ally.
• Cursor: An IDE based on VS Code, with very advanced AI integration. The code explanation is a real plus.
• Windsurf: This agentic IDE surprised us with its ability to code almost autonomously. Still experimental but promising.
• Replit Ghostwriter: Perfect for rapid collaborative development in the browser.

Pro tip: For complex projects, Copilot and Cursor are our favorite choices, but Tabnine is perfect for rapid prototyping.

Full-stack Code Generators and Low-code/No-code Platforms: Accelerate Your Prototypes

We often need to test ideas quickly. Full-stack code generators and no-code platforms are perfect in these cases. They allow you to create complete applications from simple instructions, reducing the need for manual coding while speeding up prototyping.

• https://bolt.new/: Impressive for generating a functional full-stack architecture in a few minutes.
• MERN.AI: If you develop with the MERN stack, this tool is a real time-saver. Plus, its logo looks like Castelis’, so let’s hope that’s a good sign!
• Lovable.dev: Pure no-code, very good for concept testing without writing a single line of code.

Our opinion: These tools do not replace a developer, but they are perfect for prototyping. However, be cautious of the quality of the generated code. You need to have the skills to critically assess it and be comfortable with writing prompts.

Automated Debuggers and Code Analyzers: Secure Your Codebase

Code quality and security are priorities for any self-respecting developer, and especially in a web development company that works with sensitive data and offers cloud and cybersecurity services. Here are some automated debugger and code analyzer tools that have been helping us out for some time:

• Snyk Code: Essential for identifying security vulnerabilities. Works with DeepCode AI, which detects bugs with impressive accuracy.
• Windsurf: Also integrates advanced analysis features.

Tip: Integrate these tools from your early development phases to avoid costly errors in production.

Documentation Generators and Code Explainers

Documenting code is often seen as a chore, but AI tools can now make it easier. They automate the creation of technical documentation and the explanation of source code, facilitating collaboration and maintenance. We tested:

• Merlin Codex: Very useful for quickly understanding existing code.

Our advice: Use these tools to generate an initial documentation base, but always reread to ensure accuracy.

Interface Generators and Rapid Prototyping

Creating functional and aesthetic user interfaces can be time-consuming. These interface generation and rapid prototyping tools are amazing:

• Uizard: Generates complete interfaces from simple sketches.
• Figma with AI Plugins: Perfect for collaborative design assisted by AI.

Note: AI makes prototyping easier, but a UX UI designer remains essential for a quality final product.

CI/CD Automation and AI Agents: Optimize Your Deployment Pipelines

Automating CI/CD pipelines is crucial in our DevOps projects. Here are some tools that we are using more and more regularly to reduce manual interventions and improve pipeline efficiency:

• Harness AI: Complete automation with optimization recommendations.
• LaunchFlow: Specialized in backend deployment.
• Cody by Sourcegraph: Contextual search and code review automation.

My advice: Harness is excellent, especially for large teams with complex continuous delivery processes, which is often the case in Castelis projects.

Conclusion: Towards Reliable and Secure AI-Assisted Development

AI tools for developers are evolving rapidly and now cover all stages of the development cycle:

• Coding phase: Copilot, Tabnine, Cursor…
• Prototyping phase: Bolt.new, MERN.AI…
• Testing/deployment phase: Harness AI, Snyk…
• Documentation phase: ExplainDev, Codex Explain…

Our verdict: These tools do not replace the expertise of a developer, but they allow you to go faster and gain in quality. A word of advice: Test several solutions and choose the ones that integrate best with your workflow. Ready to take the plunge? Don’t hesitate to ask me your questions or share your own experiences with these AI tools!