Product Overview: Visual Studio IntelliCode
Visual Studio IntelliCode is an AI-powered tool integrated into Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code, designed to enhance software development by providing context-aware code completions and other AI-assisted features. Here’s a detailed look at what IntelliCode does and its key features:
AI-Assisted Code Development
IntelliCode leverages artificial intelligence to predict and suggest the most relevant code completions based on the developer’s current code context. This is achieved by analyzing patterns from thousands of highly rated, open-source projects on GitHub. This approach ensures that the suggestions are not just alphabetical lists, but rather dynamic and contextually relevant recommendations.
Key Features
Context-Aware Code Autocompletions
IntelliCode provides AI-assisted IntelliSense that suggests the most likely correct API or method for the developer to use. These suggestions appear at the top of the completion list, marked with a star icon, making it easier for developers to select the most appropriate option without having to navigate through extensive lists.
Whole-Line Autocompletions
For languages like C# in Visual Studio 2022, and Python, JavaScript, and TypeScript in Visual Studio Code, IntelliCode offers whole-line autocompletions. This feature predicts the next chunk of code based on the current code context and presents it as gray text inline predictions. This can significantly speed up the coding process by suggesting entire lines of code that fit the context.
API Usage Examples
IntelliCode provides access to real-world examples of how other developers have used specific APIs. With just one click, developers can view examples from over 100,000 different APIs, drawn from public open-source repositories on GitHub. This feature is particularly useful for languages such as Python, JavaScript, and TypeScript.
Local Model Execution
The AI model that powers IntelliCode runs locally on the developer’s machine, ensuring that the feature is available even in offline or air-gapped environments. This local execution also allows for better performance and privacy.
Supported Languages and Environments
IntelliCode supports a range of programming languages, including:
- C#: Specifically in Visual Studio 2022 and higher, with features like whole-line autocompletions.
- Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, and Java: In Visual Studio Code, with features such as whole-line autocompletions, API usage examples, and AI-assisted IntelliSense.
Integration and Availability
IntelliCode is integrated into Visual Studio and can be installed through the Visual Studio installer. For Visual Studio Code, it is available as an extension that can be installed from the Extensions marketplace. The extension requires Visual Studio Code version 1.29.1 or later.
Benefits
- Enhanced Productivity: By providing context-aware code completions and whole-line predictions, IntelliCode helps developers write code more efficiently.
- Improved Code Quality: The AI-driven suggestions ensure that the code is more accurate and relevant to the context.
- Learning and Reference: The API usage examples feature allows developers to learn from real-world implementations, enhancing their coding skills and knowledge.
In summary, Visual Studio IntelliCode is a powerful tool that leverages AI to make software development more efficient, productive, and accurate. Its context-aware code completions, whole-line autocompletions, and API usage examples make it an indispensable asset for developers working in various programming languages and environments.