GitHub Copilot vs JetBrains AI Assistant
Detailed comparison of features, performance, and use cases
95/100
GitHub Copilot
An AI pair programmer that helps you write code faster and with less effort, directly integrated into your development environment.
Quick Verdict
GitHub Copilot excels at code completion and pair programming with a score of 95/100. GitHub Copilot pioneered AI-assisted coding and remains the gold standard for intelligent code completion.
90/100
JetBrains AI Assistant
Integrated AI coding assistant built into JetBrains IDEs, offering context-aware suggestions and explanations.
Quick Verdict
JetBrains AI Assistant excels at jetbrains ide users and enterprise development with a score of 90/100. JetBrains AI Assistant leverages the deep IDE integration and powerful static analysis capabilities of JetBrains tools.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | GitHub Copilot | JetBrains AI Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Core AI Model(s) | Powered by a variety of generative AI models from GitHub, OpenAI, and Microsoft. Specific models available depend on the user's plan, including Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4.1 (Free), Claude 3.7/4 Sonnet, Gemini 2.5 Pro (Pro), and Claude Opus 4, o3 (Pro+). | JetBrains AI Assistant uses a combination of models. It leverages its own proprietary LLM, Mellum, which is optimized for coding. It also provides access to third-party cloud models from providers like OpenAI, Google (Gemini 2.5 Pro), and Anthropic (Claude 3.7 Sonnet). |
| Context Window | Context is derived from the code within your editor, focusing on the lines immediately surrounding your cursor, other open files in your workspace, and the URLs of relevant repositories or file paths to provide relevant suggestions. | The assistant is deeply integrated into the IDE and is context-aware, using information from the current project, including language versions, libraries, and related files, to generate more accurate prompts and suggestions. |
| Deployment Options | Available as an extension for major IDEs including Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, Neovim, Xcode, Eclipse, and the JetBrains suite. It also integrates with the GitHub CLI, GitHub Mobile, and directly into the GitHub.com interface for Enterprise users. | The AI Assistant is available as a plugin within JetBrains' commercial IDEs. For enterprise customers with strict data privacy needs, an on-premises solution is available through IDE Services, which can run in an air-gapped environment using local models like Llama 3.1 via Hugging Face. |
| Offline Mode | No, GitHub Copilot requires a constant internet connection to function. It sends code snippets and context to GitHub's cloud servers for processing and cannot generate suggestions while offline. | Yes, JetBrains AI Assistant supports an offline mode. Users can connect to locally hosted models through tools like Ollama or LM Studio, allowing most AI features to function without an internet connection. However, some advanced features like multi-file edits are not available in offline mode. |
Core Features Comparison
GitHub Copilot Features
- Real-time code suggestions and completions
- Context-aware code generation
- Support for dozens of programming languages
- Integration with popular IDEs and editors
JetBrains AI Assistant Features
- Context-aware code completion within JetBrains IDEs
- Code explanation and documentation generation
- Refactoring suggestions based on best practices
- Integration with JetBrains' powerful development tools
Pricing & Value Analysis
| Aspect | GitHub Copilot | JetBrains AI Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing URL | View GitHub Copilot Pricing | View JetBrains AI Assistant Pricing |
| Overall Score | 95/100 | 90/100 |
| Best For | Code Completion, Pair Programming, IDE Integration | JetBrains IDE Users, Enterprise Development, Code Refactoring |
Best Use Cases
GitHub Copilot Excels At
- Writing boilerplate code and repetitive functions with intelligent autocomplete suggestions
- Learning new programming languages and frameworks by getting contextual code examples
- Accelerating API integration by generating code based on documentation and existing patterns
JetBrains AI Assistant Excels At
- Automated commit message generation based on code changes and project context
- Complex refactoring operations with AI understanding of code dependencies and design patterns
- Code explanation and documentation for team knowledge sharing and onboarding new developers
Performance & Integration
| Category | GitHub Copilot | JetBrains AI Assistant | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDE Support | Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Neovim, Xcode, Eclipse, Azure Data Studio. | Fully integrated with the suite of JetBrains IDEs, including IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, CLion, ReSharper, and others. | Tie |
| Community | Active community | Active community | Tie |
| Data Richness | Comprehensive | Comprehensive | Tie |
| Overall Score | 95/100 | 90/100 | GitHub Copilot |
The Bottom Line
Both GitHub Copilot and JetBrains AI Assistant are capable AI coding tools, but they serve different needs. GitHub Copilot scores higher (95/100 vs 90/100) and excels in code completion and pair programming. The choice depends on your specific workflow, team size, and technical requirements.
Choose GitHub Copilot if: you prioritize code completion and pair programming and want the higher-rated option (95/100).
Choose JetBrains AI Assistant if: you prioritize jetbrains ide users and enterprise development and don't mind a slightly lower score for specialized features.