watsonx Code Assistant

AI code assistants represent a significant opportunity to transform the way we approach software development.  As a developer, AI can help you simplify application development, accelerate your understanding of existing code, streamline your unit test generation, and more.   Start your AI-powered coding journey today with the IBM watsonx Code Assistant 30-day free trial. Let’s dive in!

This Getting Started guide explains the steps necessary to access the IBM Watsonx Code Assistant service and enable it in your Visual Studio Code (VS Code) environment. It also provides a guide for AI code generation and details what you can expect from the code assistant on day one. 

There are three primary actions to take to start a successful trial:

1. Register for the watsonx Code Assistant trial
2. Install the watsonx Code Assistant VS Code extension
3. Generate code using the watsonx Code Assistant chat interface

Step 1: Register for the watsonx Code Assistant trial

1. Visit the trial registration page
2. Create an IBM Cloud account or log in if you already have on
3. Select “Set up”
4. Select the blue arrow to Create a deployment space. Enter a Name, choose “watsonxCodeAssistant” in the Code Assistant Service dropdown, and then select “Create.”
5. You’re all set! Finish registering by selecting “Go to Homepage”

Step 2: Install the watsonx Code Assistant VS Code extension

1. Select “Start tour”
2. Select “Installing the extension”
3. Create an IBM Cloud API key
4. Install the watsonx Code Assistant extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace
5. Log in with your API key

Step 3: Generate code using the watsonx Code Assistant chat interface

1. In the watsonx Code Assistant chat interface, click the menu option
2. Select “Prompt Library” from the dropdown
3. Browse a wide range of pre-built prompts and choose one to try

Now that you’re up and running, continue to explore the capabilities of IBM watsonx Code Assistant, such as code generation, code completion, code explanation, and more. 

Ready for the Next Step When Your Trial is Over?

Once the trial ends, you can upgrade to a paid plan tailored to your needs. The Essentials and Standard plans provide flexible deployment options and follow a "pay-for-what-you-use" pricing model, ensuring cost-effectiveness. To compare features and choose the plan that suits you best, visit the watsonx Code Assistant pricing page.

Don't miss this opportunity to explore how watsonx Code Assistant can accelerate software development, enhance productivity, and improve code quality across more than one hundred programming languages, including Java, Python, Go, C, C++, JavaScript, TypeScript, and more.

Sign up for the trial and start coding with AI today!