I've been using AI coding tools daily for two years. Here's the shit nobody talks about in the polished reviews and sponsored content.
The Reality Check Nobody Wants to Give You
Every review talks about "revolutionary productivity" and "game-changing features." Bullshit. These tools are useful but they're not magic, and some will waste more time than they save.
Last week Copilot suggested onClick={(e) => e.preventDefault} without the parentheses. Took me 10 minutes to debug because the onClick just silently failed. Two days ago it tried to auto-complete a React component with Angular syntax. This happens constantly.
What These Tools Actually Do (The Good and the Bullshit)
The good part: They're genuinely helpful for boilerplate code, simple functions, and when you're learning new frameworks. Jest setup used to take me 15 minutes, now it's 3.
The bullshit part: They fail in stupid ways at the worst possible moments. Right before a deploy, Copilot suggested the old `import { useState } from 'react/hooks'` syntax, which hasn't been valid since React 16. The ghost text can be more annoying than helpful when it's wrong 40% of the time.
The Tools That Don't Suck (As Much)
GitHub Copilot: The Toyota Camry of AI Tools
Why it doesn't suck: Microsoft has dumped billions into this and they're not going anywhere. If you already use VS Code, it takes 2 minutes to set up.
Why it's frustrating: Built by committee and it shows. The suggestions feel conservative and sometimes completely wrong. I've seen it suggest `import pandas as pd` in JavaScript files. Multiple times. The autocomplete assumes you're writing the most boring possible code.
Bottom line: It's boring but reliable. Like choosing Windows over Linux - you sacrifice innovation for stability.
Cursor: Actually Good (But Will Get Acquired)
Why I pay for it: The chat interface is genuinely useful. When you're working with unfamiliar codebases, being able to ask "what does this function do?" and get a real answer saves hours. Code generation quality is noticeably better than Copilot.
Why it scares me: It's a VC-backed startup that will get acquired or run out of money. They're burning cash to provide better service than they can afford long-term. I use it but keep my Copilot subscription active as backup.
Who should use it: Individual developers or small teams who can afford to migrate when (not if) something changes.
The Rest of the Field
Codeium: Free tier is surprisingly usable. Not as smart as the expensive options but doesn't cost anything. Good for side projects or tight budgets.
Tabnine: On-premise deployment if your company is paranoid about code privacy. Feels dated compared to newer tools but gets the job done.
Amazon Q Developer: Actually decent if you're already living in AWS. Integration with AWS services is smooth. Completely useless for anything outside that ecosystem though.
Windsurf: Under new ownership (Cognition) and nobody knows what direction they're heading. Might be good, might disappear again. Too risky for production work.
What Nobody Tells You About AI Coding Tools
After using these daily for real projects:
They're mostly the same for basic stuff. Autocomplete differences don't matter much. The real differences show up in complex code generation and chat features.
The time savings are real but not revolutionary. 30-40% faster for boilerplate, no difference for complex logic. Don't expect miracles.
They break at the worst possible moments. Right before deploys, during demos, when you're debugging production issues. Always have a fallback.
The costs add up. $10-40/month per developer. For a 10-person team, you're looking at $2400-4800/year. Make sure the time savings justify it.
You will become dependent. After 6 months of AI assistance, writing code without it feels like going back to a flip phone. Plan accordingly.
