AI Assistants for Java Developers: Overview of Tools 2024

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AI Assistants for Java Developers: Overview of Tools 2024

The world of Java development is changing rapidly. What once seemed like science fiction — automatic code writing, intelligent refactoring, and test generation — has become a reality thanks to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). For Java programmers, this is not just a trendy fad, but a powerful tool capable of reducing time spent on routine tasks and helping to focus on architecture and business logic.

We have compiled an overview of key AI tools that are already changing the approach to Java development.

1. GitHub Copilot

The most popular AI assistant from GitHub, based on OpenAI Codex. For a Java developer, Copilot is a true "pair programmer." It analyzes the context of your code, comments, and method signatures, suggesting entire blocks of code: from standard loops and collection handling to complex algorithms and Spring Boot configurations. The tool integrates into IntelliJ IDEA, VS Code, and Eclipse.

Pros: Excellent generation of boilerplate code, understanding of popular frameworks (Spring, Hibernate, Jakarta EE).
Cons: Sometimes suggests outdated or suboptimal solutions, requires checking for license compliance.

2. Tabnine

This AI assistant focuses on privacy and customization. Tabnine learns from your repository or team, making its predictions maximally relevant to the project's coding style. For Java, it excels at autocompleting long method chaining sequences and providing hints for generics.

Pros: Local training (data security), support for Java 21 and new features (Records, Pattern Matching).
Cons: The basic version is limited; full functionality requires a paid subscription.

3. IntelliJ IDEA AI Assistant (JetBrains)

Built-in AI assistant in the latest versions of IntelliJ IDEA. It doesn't just complete code but also helps with refactoring: explains complex sections, suggests rewriting legacy code using modern Java constructs, and automatically generates unit tests (JUnit 5).

Pros: Deep integration with the IDE's code analyzer, understanding of the entire project context.
Cons: Available only in the paid Ultimate version, requires a token from JetBrains.

4. Amazon CodeWhisperer

A free tool from AWS that is particularly strong in the cloud ecosystem. For Java developers working with Amazon SDK, Lambda, or DynamoDB, CodeWhisperer offers ready-made secure code templates, automatically checking them for vulnerabilities (OWASP Top 10).

Pros: Free for individual developers, built-in security scanner.
Cons: Requires an AWS account, less accurate in non-AWS contexts.

5. Sourcegraph Cody

A tool for working with large codebases. Cody helps not to write code from scratch, but to quickly understand unfamiliar Java code: explains what a method does, finds bugs, and suggests fixes using the entire codebase as context.