Tabnine vs. GitHub Copilot – Which One Is Better?
Tags: webdev, programming, devops, ai
Published: 2024-02-12 08:23:45


Hey there, fellow developers! 

If you're on the lookout for an AI pair programmer to [supercharge your web development efforts](https://medium.com/@-TutortAcademy/useful-web-development-tools-to-improve-your-workflow-498d8ffddfcb?source=user_profile---------116----------------------------), you're in luck. 

With a plethora of options available, it's essential to weigh the pros and cons of each AI pair programmer to find the perfect fit for you and your team. 

Let's dive into a comparison between two leading AI assistants for software development – **_GitHub Copilot and Tabnine._**


## GitHub Copilot 

- Offering an AI-powered code completion tool that's designed to make coding a breeze. 
- It integrates seamlessly with Visual Studio Code and uses the power of OpenAI Codex to suggest code snippets and complete code in real-time as you write in your editor. 
- The excitement around Copilot is palpable, with its ability to generate code snippets based on natural language prompts and the context of your code.

However, there's a catch – GitHub Copilot is now a premium service with limited options, which has left many developers feeling dissatisfied, especially given that it's trained using free source code. 

The business concept of transitioning from a free service to a paid one has raised concerns among users. 

Despite this, some believe that GitHub Copilot is a powerful and evolving tool that's worth the investment.


## Tabnine

- Tabnine, on the other hand, is an AI coding assistant that takes a different approach to code completion. 
- It offers real-time code completion across the most common coding languages and IDEs, aiming to boost your development speed. Unlike Copilot, Tabnine prioritizes code privacy, never storing or sharing your code, and it's trained on open-source code with permissive licenses.

- When it comes to architecture, Tabnine takes the route of individualized language models, offering tailored models to cater to each developer's specific needs. 
- This approach has proven to yield excellent predictions quickly and efficiently, with the ability to use the appropriate tool for any code prediction task.


## Why are developers opting for Tabnine instead of GitHub Copilot?
Tabnine and GitHub Copilot both offer code suggestions, but they have some distinct differences. 


- While Copilot primarily suggests snippets or full lines of code, Tabnine takes it a step further by flowing with you and providing more comprehensive suggestions. This means that developers are more likely to accept and use Tabnine's code suggestions.

- One key difference is that Tabnine allows developers to train their own AI model using code from their GitLab, GitHub, or BitBucket repositories. On the other hand, Copilot relies on a single universal AI model and does not provide the option for user training.


- Another advantage of Tabnine is its flexibility in deployment. Users can run the Tabnine model on the cloud, locally on their own machines, or even on a self-hosted server with Tabnine Enterprise. This gives developers more control and options for utilizing the AI model.


- Additionally, Tabnine offers an attractive feature for privacy-conscious developers. Unlike Copilot, which requires code to be exposed to the internet, Tabnine allows developers to use it within their firewall, ensuring that sensitive code remains protected.


- Lastly, the pricing structure sets Tabnine apart from Copilot. Microsoft currently offers Copilot as a commercial product without a free plan. In contrast, Tabnine provides a fantastic free plan that allows developers to access its capabilities without any financial commitment.

Considering these factors, it's no wonder why developers are leaning towards Tabnine as their preferred code suggestion tool over GitHub Copilot.

In conclusion, while Copilot may benefit languages like Go with its boilerplate capabilities, Tabnine's user-friendly approach and focus on code privacy make it a strong contender. 

As the landscape of [AI programming tools](url) continues to evolve, it's important to evaluate the options available and choose the one that best aligns with your development needs.

So, which AI pair programmer will you choose [for your next web development project](10 Stunning Full Stack Project Ideas & Topics for 2023)? The decision is yours, and it's an exciting time to explore the [possibilities that AI technology](https://medium.com/@-TutortAcademy/the-booming-frontiers-of-technology-4a6ae1c8a573?source=user_profile---------13----------------------------) offers to enhance your coding journey.

Happy coding!