While startups are using AI coding tools for rapid prototyping and development, large enterprises remain cautious.
Tools like Cursor, Windsurf, and even Claude have taken over the coding world since last year, offering auto-completion capabilities and generating code for most use cases. While Indian companies were initially hesitant to use them, their use is now becoming more accepted, and there is a shift towards in-house development instead of solely relying on existing market solutions.
In a recent Reddit discussion, a full-stack developer working in a product-based firm highlighted how the teams have been using AI tools extensively and have also built an in-house extension of VS Code to integrate into ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. The tool also has access to the company's entire codebase.
"To use it, you simply enter the ticket number you're working on in the extension's chat box. The AI retrieves the relevant Jira ticket, analyses its details, and generates the required code," the developer explained, adding that the tool can do close to 60% of the work. Later, the developers can review and edit the rest of the code.
The team is also actively updating the extension to increase the productivity of its employees with the aim of completing at least 80% of the tasks using AI. "It's not replacing me; it's enabling me to concentrate on the most important pieces while taking care of the repetitive tasks."
In the discussion, developers expressed optimism about the tool while also expressing fear and criticism about how such tools could threaten developers' jobs. Some users said if AI is able to write the code for the software that the firm is building, the company must be building low-level stuff and might be at threat of closing down soon.
According to a recent survey by GitHub, 56% of Indian developers said that using AI tools helps them boost their chances for employment owing to the skills they develop. Moreover, around 80% of them believe AI tools have improved code quality.
While startups are eagerly embracing these tools to accelerate development, legacy enterprises remain hesitant due to cost and implementation concerns. Abhishek Upperwal, CEO of Soket AI Labs, told AIM that these tools have become indispensable for him.
"We've been using AI coding tools at Soket AI Labs for a while now - both open and closed source. Honestly, the whole experience depends on the backend model. Tools like Claude 3.5 Sonnet and GPT-4o are great for easy stuff like refactoring, but if you're looking at complex code generation, O1 is the real deal," Upperwal said.
However, AI tools still have limitations. "None of these tools are useful when it comes to things like CUDA kernel optimisations - we've been working with Triton [and are] still waiting for AI to start building AI," he added.
While interacting with AIM, Yulu CTO Naveen Dachuri revealed that his team has been experimenting with Claude and Windsurf for many coding tasks and has witnessed good results when it comes to shipping faster.
While startups are leveraging AI coding tools for rapid prototyping and development, large enterprises remain cautious. The primary roadblock? Cost.
According to Upperwal, even if productivity shoots up tenfold, a $20 license for 5 lakh employees is not feasible even for enterprises.
Adarsh Shirawalmath from Tensoic and Adithya S Kolavi from CognitiveLab echoed similar thoughts about the cost of such models.
Dharmesh Shah, CTO at HubSpot, recently shared his experience on LinkedIn while helping his 14-year-old son choose a coding tool for an AI-based web application.
"I personally use Cursor for my development, but [I'm] not sure if it's the best choice for a 'generate an entire app' use case. I've heard good things about Bolt and Windsurf," he said, adding that he is also a fan of Replit.
Responding to Shah, Jonathan Tushman, CPO and CTO at Hi Marley, said, "Right now, it's a toss-up between Cursor and Windsurf. But for beginners, Windsurf has the advantage. They've just released a major upgrade that includes web search, which is a big deal."
"The biggest thing for your 14-year-old to learn is Git and GitHub. Keeping a clean branch and working with PRs (pull requests) is key. Without that, it can be a frustrating experience," Tushman added.
A structured approach is crucial for developers working with AI-generated code. Mike Beech, an early-stage startup tech expert, revealed a technique. "First, enter your requirements and ask for a more detailed specification. Then, get a step-by-step breakdown as a markdown to-do list. This ensures the AI stays on track and avoids unnecessary complexity."
While AI coding tools are undoubtedly accelerating software development, they are not a substitute for fundamental programming skills.
"These tools are only as good as the person using them. If you know your stuff, they'll blow your mind with the quality. But hand them to someone without decent programming skills, and it's chaos. They're powerful, but they're not magic. Yet," Upperwal pointed out.
