DeepLearning.AI and OpenAINo certificate
ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers
A short course on getting reliable output from an LLM API, with runnable notebooks.
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The best AI tools for developers in 2026
The best AI tools for developers are Cursor for an AI-first code editor, Claude Code for agentic tasks in your terminal, GitHub Copilot for completion inside your existing IDE and Perplexity for researching docs and errors. Add Ollama to run open models locally and Hugging Face to find them. Review every change before you merge it.
AI coding tools have split into 3 kinds: editors with AI built in, agents that carry out multi-step tasks, and completion inside the IDE you already use. These 6 picks cover all 3, plus research and open models, so you can pick by how you work rather than by hype.
Last checked : each pick's free plan and price on the maker's own pricing page.
AI tools for developers at a glance
One tool per job, in the order most developers need them. Select a name to jump to why we picked it.
| Pick | Tool | Use it for | Score | Best for | Learn it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CursorAnysphere | Edit code with AI across the whole project | 8.7 / 10 | Best for experts | CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python |
| 2 | Claude CodeAnthropic | Hand off multi-step tasks from the terminal | 8.5 / 10 | Best for experts | CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python |
| 3 | GitHub CopilotGitHub | Get completions inside the IDE you already use | 8.3 / 10 | Best for experts | CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python |
| 4 | PerplexityPerplexity AI | Research errors, libraries and docs | 8.0 / 10 | Good for everyone | Maker's own tutorials |
| 5 | OllamaOllama | Run open models on your own machine | 8.4 / 10 | Best for experts | Hugging Face LLM Course |
| 6 | Hugging FaceHugging Face | Find open models and datasets | 9.2 / 10 | Best for experts | Hugging Face LLM Course |
Why we picked each tool
What each tool does for you, the catch, what is free and what costs money, from the maker's own pricing page.
- 8.7 / 10
Number 1: Cursor
Anysphere
Best for expertsAn editor built around AI: it reads your codebase, proposes multi-file edits and lets you accept or reject each change. If you're happy to switch editors, it's the quickest way to feel the difference.
- Use it for
- Edit code with AI across the whole project
- The catch
- It makes it easy to accept code you don't understand. Review every change it makes.
- Free plan
- Hobby plan is free, with limited agent requests and no card needed.
- Paid plans
- Pro is US$20 a month. Cursor pricing (opens in a new tab)
- 8.5 / 10
Number 2: Claude Code
Anthropic
Best for expertsDescribe a task, such as adding a feature or fixing a failing test, and it reads files, runs commands and edits code to get there, asking before risky steps. Best for well-scoped tasks in a repo with tests.
- Use it for
- Hand off multi-step tasks from the terminal
- The catch
- Agents can make sweeping changes quickly. Work on a branch and review the diff.
- Free plan
- The Claude Code page lists paid plans only.
- Paid plans
- Included in Claude Pro, US$17 a month billed yearly or US$20 billed monthly. Claude Code pricing (opens in a new tab)
- 8.3 / 10
Number 3: GitHub Copilot
GitHub
Best for expertsWorks in VS Code, JetBrains IDEs and others, so you don't change your setup. Strong for boilerplate, tests and the next few lines while you stay in flow.
- Use it for
- Get completions inside the IDE you already use
- The catch
- Beginners should switch it off at first. Fighting with a problem is how you learn to code.
- Free plan
- Free plan with limited chat and agent use.
- Paid plans
- Pro is US$10 a month. GitHub Copilot pricing (opens in a new tab)
- 8.0 / 10
Number 4: Perplexity
Perplexity AI
Good for everyonePaste an error or ask how two libraries compare, and get an answer with links to docs and issues. It's quicker than reading 6 search results, but check the version the answer assumes.
- Use it for
- Research errors, libraries and docs
- The catch
- A cited source isn't always a good source. Open the links before you trust the summary.
- Free plan
- Free plan available.
- Paid plans
- Pro is US$17 a month billed yearly. Perplexity pricing (opens in a new tab)
Learn it free
No free course we'd recommend yet. You'll learn this one fastest by using it, and the maker's own tutorials are the best place to start.
- 8.4 / 10
Number 5: Ollama
Ollama
Best for expertsOne command downloads and runs an open model locally, with an API your code can call. Use it for private code, offline work and prototyping without API bills.
- Use it for
- Run open models on your own machine
- The catch
- Big models need a lot of memory. On an average laptop you're limited to the smaller ones.
- Free plan
- Free to run models on your own computer; the app is open source (MIT licence).
- Paid plans
- Pro is US$20 a month for cloud models. Ollama pricing (opens in a new tab)
- 9.2 / 10
Number 6: Hugging Face
Hugging Face
Best for expertsThe main hub for open models, datasets and demos. When you need a model for a specific task, such as embeddings or speech, start your search here.
- Use it for
- Find open models and datasets
- The catch
- There are a huge number of models, and many are poorly documented. Stick to well-used ones at first.
- Free plan
- Free account to download and share models and datasets.
- Paid plans
- PRO is US$9 a month. Hugging Face pricing (opens in a new tab)
Should a developer use Cursor, Claude Code or GitHub Copilot?
A developer should use GitHub Copilot to stay in their current IDE, Cursor to switch to an editor built around AI, and Claude Code to hand whole tasks to an agent. They overlap less than they seem: many developers pair an editor tool with an agent.
How do you keep AI-written code safe to ship?
You keep AI-written code safe to ship by treating it like a pull request from a new colleague: read every diff, run the tests and question anything you don't understand. Never paste secrets or private keys into a prompt, and check licences on suggested snippets.
Free courses that make these tools more useful
Knowing what AI is good and bad at makes every tool above more useful. These reviewed courses teach that, with no code.
MicrosoftNo certificate
Generative AI for Beginners
Microsoft's open-source course on building apps with large language models, from prompting to retrieval.
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Hugging FaceNo certificate
Hugging Face LLM Course
Hugging Face LLM Course has 12 chapters of 6 to 8 hours each, costs nothing and has no certificate. You learn LLMs with the Transformers library.
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Questions about AI tools for developers
What is the best AI coding tool for professional developers?
It depends on how you work. Cursor suits developers happy to switch editors, GitHub Copilot suits those who want to stay in VS Code or JetBrains, and Claude Code suits handing off whole tasks from the terminal. Try each on a real ticket.
Can I run an AI coding assistant offline?
Yes, with an open model. Ollama runs models on your own machine and exposes a local API that some editors and extensions can use. Expect weaker suggestions than the hosted tools unless you have a powerful GPU.
Is it safe to share company code with AI tools?
Check your employer's policy first. Business plans of most coding tools offer settings that exclude your code from training. Never paste secrets, keys or customer data into a prompt, and prefer local models for code you can't share.
Do AI coding tools make junior developers worse?
They can, if you accept code you don't understand. Use them to explain code and suggest approaches, then write or rewrite the solution yourself until you could have produced it without help. Reviewing AI output is a skill worth practising.
Where do I find open models for my project?
Hugging Face hosts most open models and datasets, with model cards describing what each was trained for. Filter by task, then run a shortlisted model locally with Ollama to test it on your own examples.
Which free course teaches developers to build with LLMs?
ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers is a short, practical start on calling models from code. The Hugging Face LLM Course goes deeper into open models and the Transformers library.
Our verdict
If you write code every day, pick AI tools for developers by workflow: GitHub Copilot to stay in your IDE, Cursor to switch editors, and Claude Code once you want to hand off tested, well-scoped tasks.
Where to go next
- Best AI coding assistants, ranked
AI that writes, explains and fixes code with you.
- Best AI research tools, ranked
Answers with sources, and study partners for your own notes.
- Best tools for running open AI models, ranked
Download open models and run them on your own machine.
- Best AI tools for students
Revise from your own notes, research with sources and polish essays without cheating yourself.
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- Best AI tools for small business
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- Best AI tools for teachers
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- Best AI tools for marketing
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- Best AI tools for writers
Edit, check, research and hear your work, while the words stay yours.
Know your tools? Learn the ideas behind them.
Every course we link is free to start and reviewed. Browse the catalogue to find one at your level.