Comprehensive Comparison of AI Programming Tools in 2025: An Essential Developer's Guide

In the field of software development, AI programming assistants have evolved from assistive tools to an integral part of a developer's daily workflow. With the rapid development of Large Language Models (LLM) technology, these tools can not only provide simple code completion but also understand complex project structures, perform multi-file refactoring, and even autonomously complete development tasks. This article will provide a comprehensive comparison of the mainstream AI programming tools in 2025 to help developers, product managers, and project managers choose the tools that best suit their needs.

Background on the Development of AI Programming Tools

Over the past few years, AI technology has made breakthroughs in the field of software development. From what started as simple code completion to intelligent assistants that can now understand entire code bases and provide contextually relevant suggestions, AI programming tools are reshaping the way software development is done.

In 2022, the release of OpenAI's Codex model and GitHub Copilot marked the commercialization of AI-assisted programming. In 2023, with the rapid development of Large Language Modeling (LLM) technology, major tech companies are launching their own AI programming tools. By 2025, the market will have formed a diversified competitive landscape, with more choices for developers, from standalone IDEs to editor plug-ins, and from open source community projects to commercialized products.

Of particular note are the three major trends in AI programming tools between 2024 - 2025:

1. Rise of the Agent Paradigm: from simple code completion to autonomous agents capable of executing complex task sequences.

2. Enhanced Multimodal Support: programming assistants capable of understanding images, design drafts, and even video content.

3. Growing Demand for Private Deployments: More and more organizations are choosing to deploy AI programmers in-house for data security reasons.

According to McKinsey, AI-assisted programming can increase developer productivity by up to 55% while reducing bug rates by 30%. This not only means faster development, but also higher code quality and lower maintenance costs.

Current AI programming tools are mainly divided into the following categories:

1. IDE Plug-in Type: such as GitHub Copilot, Tongyi Lingcode, Augment, etc., integrated into existing IDEs.

2. Independent IDE Type: such as Cursor, Windsurf, etc., to provide a specially optimized editor experience for AI.

3. Agent Type: Augment, Cline, etc., AI assistants that can autonomously perform complex tasks.

Next, we will introduce in detail the features, advantages, and application scenarios of nine mainstream AI programming tools.

GitHub Copilot: The Industry Benchmark

GitHub Copilot, as one of the earliest AI programming assistants to enter the market, has developed into an industry benchmark.

Network heat: ★★★★★
As the AI programming tool with the largest market share, GitHub Copilot has a high degree of popularity and discussion in the developer community.

Deployment: IDE Plugin
Supports major development environments such as VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains family of IDEs, Neovim, and more.

MCP Support:✅ Supports Model Context Protocol since early 2025, allowing integration with third-party tools and services to extend its functionality.

Pricing Strategy:

• Personal Edition: $10/month or $100/year

• Business Edition: $19/month/user

• Free Edition: Free version with limited functionality

Multi-modal support: ✅ Support for image input and comprehension to analyze code and UI design in screenshots.

Agent Mode: ✅ Introduced in February 2025, Agent Mode allows Copilot to autonomously perform complex tasks such as refactoring code and fixing bugs.

Project Understanding: ★★★★☆
Able to understand large project structures, but may not perform as well as specialized tools on very large code bases.

Advantageous Features:

• Deep integration with GitHub

• Huge training dataset

• Multi-model support, including GPT-4o and Claude 3.7 Sonnet

• Sophisticated enterprise-level features and compliance

Weaknesses:

• Relatively high price

• The quality of code generation in some specific domains is not as good as specialized tools

• Relatively limited autonomous Agent capabilities

Applicable Crowd:

• Enterprise development teams

• Developers who need compliance and security assurance

• Developers who are tightly integrated with the GitHub ecosystem

Supported Models:

• OpenAI GPT-4o

• Anthropic Claude 3.7 Sonnet

• Self-developed models

Official URL: github.com/features/copilot

Tongyi Linguistic Code: The Leader of Domestic AI Programming Assistant

Tongyi Spirit Code is an AI R&D assistant tool based on Tongyi's large language model launched by Aliyun, which is one of the most popular AI programming assistants in China and has a wide user base among domestic developers.

Network heat: ★★★★☆

It is extremely hot in the domestic developer community, with relatively low international awareness.

Deployment Mode: IDE Plugin + Cloud Service
Supports mainstream IDEs such as VS Code, IntelliJ IDEA, etc., and also provides a cloud service.

MCP Support: ✅ The latest version already supports MCP configuration, including form configuration and script configuration, and also supports marketplace one-click installation.

Price Strategy:

• Basic Edition: free, daily limit 1000 tokens

• Standard Edition: ¥59/month, 100,000 tokens per month

• Professional Edition: ¥199/month, 500,000 tokens per month

• Enterprise Edition: Customized Pricing

Multi-modal Support: ✅ Supports image input and understanding, can analyze screenshots and charts.

Agent Mode: ✅ Supports autonomous execution of tasks, can understand requirements, and generate complete solutions.

Project comprehension: ★★★★ ☆
Exceptional comprehension of Chinese code and documentation, especially excellent in the Ali system technology stack, with support for multiple programming languages.

Advantageous Features:

• Excellent support for Chinese

• Deep integration with the AliCloud ecosystem

• Optimized for commonly used frameworks and libraries in China (e.g., AliCloud services, WeChat applets, etc.)

• An interactive body optimized for Chinese developers' habits

Weaknesses:

• Relatively weak internationalization support

• Community plug-in ecology is not as rich as international products

Applicable people:

• Domestic development teams

• Developers using the AliCloud ecosystem

• Developers who need Chinese language support

Supported Models:

• Tongyi Thousand Questions Series

• DeepSeek series

Official Website: aliyun.com/product/yunxiao/lingma

Cline: an Open-Source AI Programming Assistant

Cline is an open-source AI programming assistant that focuses on VS Code integration and MCP support.

Network heat: ★★★★☆ (in rapid growth, the GitHub project has received 42.6k stars There is a certain degree of popularity in the open source community, especially among VS Code users.

Deployment method: VS Code plug-in, designed specifically for VS Code.

MCP Support:✅ As an early supporter of MCP, Cline excels in this area.

Pricing strategy:

• Completely free and open source

Multi-modal support: ✅

• Supports basic image input and comprehension.

• Ability to parse error screenshots and provide fixes.

• Can generate front-end code directly from the design draft.

Agent Mode: ✅ Provide Plan/Act dual mode, support terminal execution, one of the strongest Agent-capable programming assistants on the market.

Project Understanding: ★★★★★☆☆☆
Good performance on small and medium-sized projects, excellent complex project understanding, can effectively handle codebase and complex dependencies, and large projects may require additional configuration.

Advantageous Features:

• Fully open source, active community

• Perfect MCP ecosystem, easy to extend

• Powerful Agent capabilities can execute terminal commands, create/edit files.

• "Human in the loop" design concept, each step of the operation requires user confirmation, and high security.

Weaknesses:

• Functionality is not as comprehensive as commercial products

• May consume more tokens, cost uncertainty, due to the support of multiple models, users need to manage their own API key.

• The user interface is relatively simple, the threshold for advanced functions is slightly higher, and certain configuration experience is required.

• Limited documentation and support resources

Applicable people:

• Open source enthusiasts

• Independent developers with a limited budget

• Developers seeking autonomy and customization

• VS Code users

• Individuals or small teams who prefer to pay per use

Supported Models:

• Supports connecting any compatible model via the MCP

• OpenAI and Anthropic models are supported by default

Official URL: cline.bot

Cursor: AI holistic project development editor

Cursor is a standalone code editor optimized for the AI programming experience, built on VS Code but with many AI features added.

Web buzz: ★★★★★
It is extremely well-known among AI programming tools and is often compared to GitHub Copilot.

Deployment: standalone IDE, standalone editor built on VS Code.

MCP Support:✅ MCP support allows you to connect to various AI models and services.

Price strategy:

• Free version: basic features are free with limitations

• Pro version: $20/month

• Team Edition: $25/month/user

Multi-modal support: ✅
Fully support image input and understanding, including code screenshots, UI design, and diagrams.

Agent Mode: ✅
Provides powerful Agent functionality, capable of performing complex tasks autonomously.

Project comprehension: ★★★★★
Excels in large-scale project comprehension, supporting multiple file contexts and complex refactoring.

Advantageous Features:

• Interface optimized for AI programming, integrated experience, no additional configuration required

• Fast-response real-time code completion, powerful multi-file editing capabilities

• Excellent code generation and refactoring capabilities

• Extension system compatible with VS Code

• Built-in high-quality LLM model, no need to configure the API yourself

Disadvantages:

• Relatively high price

• Need to adapt to the new environment as a standalone IDE

• Some advanced features require a paid subscription

• As a standalone IDE, integration with other development tools requires additional work

Applicable Crowd:

• Developers who rely heavily on AI programming and want a one-stop AI programming experience

• Teams dealing with large and complex projects

• Developers who don't want to deal with API keys and model selection

• Beginners and users who like an out-of-the-box experience

Supported Models:

• OpenAI GPT-4o

• Anthropic Claude 3.5/3.7 Sonnet

• Support for connecting to other models via MCP

Official website: cursor.com

Trae: A Homegrown AI Programming Assistant

Trae is an emerging AI programming assistant focused on providing a clean and powerful programming experience.

Network Heat: ★★★★★☆☆☆
As an emerging tool, its popularity is rapidly increasing.

Deployment Mode: Standalone IDE + Plugin, providing both a standalone editor and a VS Code plugin for use.

MCP Support: ✅ MCP support, can connect to various AI models.

Price strategy:

• Completely free at the moment (in early stages)

• Payment plans may be introduced in the future

Multi-modal support: ✅
Supports image input and comprehension.

Agent mode: ✅

• Provides basic Agent functionality, able to perform simple tasks.

• Able to parse UI design drafts and generate code

• Support error screenshot analysis and fix suggestions

Project comprehension: ★★★★★☆☆
Performs well for small and medium-sized projects; large project support is being improved.

Advantageous Features:

• Simple and intuitive interface, excellent user experience

• Fast response time

• Adaptable AI assistant

• Currently completely free

Weaknesses:

• Features are not as comprehensive as mature products

• Relatively small community and ecosystem

• Limited enterprise-level features

Applicable demographics:

• Individual developers

• Startups

• Users with limited budgets

Supported Models:

• OpenAI GPT-4

• Anthropic Claude

• Support for connecting other models via MCP

Official website: trae.ai

Augment: An AI Assistant Focused on Large Codebases

Augment is an AI programming assistant designed for professional software engineers and large codebases.

Web Popularity: ★★★★☆
It is well known among enterprise developers and is regarded as one of the best choices for handling large code bases.

Deployment method: VS Code and JetBrains series IDE plug-ins.

MCP Support: ✅ Full MCP support, can be integrated with various tools and services.

Pricing strategy:

• Free version: basic features, Ask Q&A times and charge limitations, basically the same as the Pro version, but the free version will use your code (after anonymization process) to train its model!

• Pro version: 29/month Team version: 49/user/month

• Enterprise Edition: Customized pricing

Multimodal Support: ✅
Supports image input and understanding, including architecture diagrams and system design diagrams.

Agent Mode: ✅
Provides powerful Agent functionality to understand and execute complex tasks, which can be combined with the RooCode plugin to automatically analyze, plan, and execute cross-file code modification tasks.

Project comprehension: ★★★★★
Excellent code base comprehension, especially for large and complex projects, tops the SWE-Bench test as its main selling point.

Advantageous Features:

• Outstanding context-awareness ability to effectively handle large codebases

• Powerful context-awareness, with a "memory" feature that remembers and applies developers' coding styles and preferences

• Professional code refactoring and optimization advice

• "Next Edit" predictive features to improve development fluency

• Enterprise-grade security and compliance

Downside:

• Higher price, especially for Team Edition

• Relatively steep learning curve

• Can be too complex for small projects

Applicable Crowd:

• Enterprise development teams

• Specialized development teams dealing with large, complex projects

• Developers dealing with large legacy systems

• Senior engineers who need deep code understanding

Supported Models:

• Self-developed large-scale code understanding models

• Support for OpenAI and Anthropic models

• Support for connecting to other models via MCP

Official website: augmentcode.com

Windsurf: All-in-one AI Programming Platform

Windsurf (formerly Codeium) is an all-in-one AI programming platform that provides extensive IDE support and powerful programming features.

Network heat: ★★★★☆
has a wide user base and good reputation in the developer community.

Deployment mode: Multi-IDE plug-in + independent editor, supports almost all major IDEs, while providing an independent editor.

MCP Support: ✅ Support MCP, which can connect to various AI models and services.

Price strategy:

• Personal Edition: basic features for free, with restrictions

• Pro Edition: $12/month

• Team Edition: $20/month/user

Multi-modal support: ✅
Support image input and understanding, including code screenshots and UI design.

Agent Mode: ✅ : Supported, especially its "Cascade" feature that emphasizes smooth collaboration between AI and developers.

Project comprehension: ★★★★☆
Good support for projects of all sizes, especially in a multi-file context.

Advantageous features:

• Emphasizes "Flow State" to reduce developer context switching.

• "Tab to Jump" intelligent navigation to improve development efficiency

• Built-in preview and deployment features, development-deployment integration

• Excellent automatic Lint fixes and code optimization suggestions

• Enterprise-grade security, FedRAMP certification, and HIPAA compliance

Shortcomings:

• Some advanced features require payment

• Less specialized than vertical tools in specific areas

• The "mobile experience" philosophy requires a period of user acclimation

Target demographic:

• Developers who emphasize development efficiency and focused experience

• Full-stack development teams that need AI assistance for the whole process, from front-end to deployment.

• Teams that are considering switching from a traditional IDE to an AI-powered IDE.

Supported Models:

• Self-developed models

• Support OpenAI and Anthropic models

• Support for connecting to other models via MCP

Official website: windsurf.com

RooCode: An AI Programming Assistant Focused on VS Code

RooCode is an AI programming assistant designed for VS Code, providing powerful MCP support and flexible configuration options.

Network heat: ★★★★★☆☆☆
has some popularity among VS Code users, especially in the open-source community.

Deployment method: VS Code plugin, a plugin designed for VS Code.

MCP Support: ✅ Support, but the MCP market is not as perfect as Cline.

Price strategy:

• Completely free, open source

• Users only need to pay the API cost of the AI models used

Multi-modal support: ✅
Supports basic image input and understanding.

Agent Mode: ✅ Provides basic Agent functions, able to perform simple tasks.

Project comprehension: ★★★★★☆☆
Performs well for small and medium-sized projects; large projects may require additional configuration.

Advantageous Features:

• Enhanced version based on Cline, open source, and free

• An innovative multi-mode system (Code, Architect, Ask, Debug, etc.) can be switched for different scenarios

• Support more AI models, including local and open-source models

• Support for browser automation, capable of web testing and interaction

• Differential editing capability to handle code changes more efficiently

Shortcomings:

• Relatively poor documentation

• Only supports VS Code

• Not as comprehensive as some commercial products

• Slightly more complex to set up and configure, steeper learning curve

Who it's for:

• VS Code users, Cline users looking for more customizable features

• Developers looking for flexibility and variety

• Users who want one tool to meet the needs of multiple development scenarios

Supported Models:

• Supports any compatible model via MCP

• OpenAI and Anthropic models are supported by default.

Official website: roocode.com

MarsCode: ByteDance's AI Programming Assistant

MarsCode is an AI programming assistant launched by ByteDance, providing comprehensive programming support and an optimized Chinese experience.

Network Heat: ★★★★☆
It is hot in the domestic developer community, and its international popularity is increasing.

Deployment method: standalone IDE + plugin

• Programming Assistant (VS Code and JetBrains plug-ins)

• Cloud IDE (Cloud Development Environment).

MCP Support: ✅ Limited support for MCP.

Pricing Strategy:

• Free (as of May 2025)

Multimodal Support:✅
Support for image input and understanding, including code screenshots and UI design.

Agent Mode: ✅
Basic support with relatively limited functionality.

Project comprehension: ★★★★ ☆
Good support for projects of all sizes, especially in Chinese code and documentation comprehension.

Advantageous Features:

• Completely free to use

• Excellent Chinese language support

• Comprehensive programming features

• Integrated with the ByteDance ecosystem, Cloud IDE provides an out-of-the-box development environment without local configuration.

• Optimized for common domestic frameworks

Shortcomings:

• Relatively weak internationalization support

• Less specialized than vertical tools in some specific areas

• Partial overlap with Trae, the byte strategy is not clear enough

Applicable People:

• Domestic development teams

• Developers who need Chinese language support

• Full-stack developers

Supported Models:

• Self-developed models

• Support connecting other models via MCP

Official website: marscode.com

Tool Comparison Summary

How to Choose the Right AI Programming Tool for You

When choosing an AI programming tool, you need to consider the following factors:

1. Budget: If you have a limited budget, you can consider tools such as Cline, Trae, or Augment that offer free versions.

2. Project size: For large and complex projects, Augment and Cursor may be a better choice.

3. IDE preference: If you don't want to replace your existing IDE, choose a plug-in type tool such as TomoLink or Augment.

4. Team size: Enterprise teams may want to consider tools that offer enterprise-level features such as GitHub Copilot, Augment, and Cursor.

Combined, I prefer Cursor, Augment and Tongyi Ling code three tools, Cursor and Augment can be a complete development and management of the overall project, Augment and Tongyi Ling code in the code prompts to improve the efficiency of hand-written is very good, Cursor on the can also be cracked for free (see this site to crack the instructions), Copilot charges can not afford to use, and other tools like Trae and Warehouse. Others, such as Trae and Windsurf, according to most users' feedback, are not good for this effect.

Future Prospects

AI programming tools are rapidly evolving, and we can look forward to the future:

1. Deeper code understanding: AI will be able to understand more complex code structures and business logic.

2. More autonomous development capabilities: Agent mode will be further developed to be able to autonomously complete more complex development tasks.

3. More personalized programming experience: AI will be able to adapt to individual programming styles and preferences.

4. Broader tool integration: AI programming tools will be integrated with more development tools through protocols such as MCP.

Whether you are an experienced developer or a newbie just starting, AI programming tools can significantly improve your development efficiency. By choosing the right tool for your needs and integrating the power of AI into your development workflow, you will be able to build software products faster and better.