In the latest in our ‘New Beings’ series, we explore AI and coding. Today, we delve into Tabnine. 

What is Tabnine?

Tabnine is an AI assistant for software developers that provides AI-powered code completions and suggestions to enhance productivity and accelerate coding workflows. It uses advanced machine learning models trained on open-source code with permissive licenses to offer intelligent code suggestions across various programming languages and major integrated development environments (IDEs) [2].

Features and resources

Tabnine has the following key features:

  • AI Completions: Tabnine offers AI-driven code completions that assist developers in writing code faster and more accurately.
  • Language and IDE Support: Tabnine supports multiple programming languages, including JavaScript, Java, Python, TypeScript, PHP, C++, Go, Rust, and more. It is compatible with popular IDEs like Visual Studio Code and WebStorm [2].
  • Privacy and Security: Tabnine ensures the privacy and security of developers’ code. It never stores, or shares any user code, and actions that involve sharing code with Tabnine servers require explicit opt-in. Tabnine’s generative AI only uses open-source code with permissive licenses for training models [1].

It provides resources, such as a trust centre, which gives users information about the privacy and security practices employed by Tabnine, ensuring developers that their code remains private and protected [1].

Tabnine also offers comprehensive documentation and resources to help developers get started with using Tabnine effectively in their coding workflows.

Setup

Developers can install the Tabnine extension for their preferred integrated development environment (IDE). The installation process may vary depending on the IDE being used. 

Once installed, Tabnine integrates with the IDE and provides AI-powered code completions as developers write code [2].

Real-Life Action

In real-life scenarios, Tabnine acts as an AI assistant for developers, providing intelligent code completions and suggestions. It analyses the code being written and offers relevant suggestions, helping developers write code faster and reduce manual effort.

When used in combination with Copilot it can really enhance developer productivity and streamline the coding process.

Concerns about Tabnine

Although Tabnine strives to provide accurate code suggestions, the quality and relevance of suggestions may vary depending on the context and codebase. Developers should review and test the suggested code for their specific use cases.

We will be looking at the legal position around Tabnine in New beings: Legal issues and AI.

Alternatives to Tabnine

While Tabnine is a popular AI code completion tool, there are alternative options available in the market. Some notable alternatives include:

  • Kite: An AI-powered code completion tool that offers contextually relevant code suggestions based on machine learning models.
  • Codota: A code completion tool that uses machine learning to provide intelligent code recommendations based on millions of open-source code examples.
  • DeepCode: A code review tool that uses AI to analyse code and provides suggestions for code improvements and bug fixes.

Key Takeaways and conclusions

  1. Tabnine is an AI assistant that provides developers with AI-powered code completions and suggestions. It supports multiple programming languages and integrates with popular IDEs.
  2. Tabnine prioritises privacy and security, ensuring that user code remains private and is not used to train models other than private code models.
  3. Developers should consider the accuracy and relevance of suggestions when using Tabnine and review and test the suggested code accordingly.

Tabnine is a valuable AI assistant for developers, offering AI-powered code completions and suggestions to enhance productivity. It supports various programming languages and major IDEs, allowing developers to benefit from its intelligent code suggestions. However, developers should be cautious of taking Tabnine’s suggestions, and test their accuracy and relevance.

If you’re interested in learning more about our exploration of AI for development, see our previous articles in the ‘New Beings’ series.