Forem: Uncle Drew

How to Handle Vercel's 'Action Required' Security Alerts in Your Projects

Uncle Drew — Wed, 13 May 2026 18:28:21 +0000

If you've ever logged into your Vercel dashboard and seen a red warning that says "Action Required - Take action to secure your project from critical vulnerabilities", you're not alone. It can look scary, especially if you're not sure what it means or what to do next.

The good news? It's not as complicated as it sounds, and Vercel actually does most of the heavy lifting for you.

In simple terms, a vulnerability is like a unlocked back door in your app that hackers could potentially walk through. In this case, the issue is with React Server Components, a feature used in modern Next.js apps. A security flaw was discovered in it, and your project needs to be updated to close that door.

This guide will walk you through the alternative steps you need to take to fix it.

1 Go to the repository on GitHub and click Pull requests.

2 Open the available security pull request, “Fix React Server CVE vulnerabilities.”

3 Scroll down to the Checks section of the pull request and click the "Ready for review" button. Wait for GitHub to run the checks

4 Once all checks pass, the Merge pull request button will become clickable. Click Merge pull request.

5 Click Confirm merge.

Vercel will automatically redeploy your project. If automatic redeploy fails, go to vercel and do it manually.

5 Best Free AI Image Generators You Can Use Right Now

Uncle Drew — Mon, 04 May 2026 18:21:50 +0000

AI image generators are everywhere right now, and honestly, they’re getting really good. You can turn a simple text prompt into a full image in seconds, whether it’s for a project, social media, or just messing around with ideas.

The best part, you don’t even need to pay to try them out. There are some solid free options that still give impressive results.

In this article, I’ll show you 5 of the best free AI image generators you can start using right now.

Google Gemini (Free)

This is the one to start with if you want the most accurate results straight out of the box. Gemini does not just create a good-looking image, it actually includes almost every detail you ask for — capturing everything from textures and lighting to small background details that most other tools completely miss.

The quality feels natural and cinematic and you get generous daily limits without any credit card required. If you just want something that works beautifully without any fuss, Gemini is your first stop. Head to gemini.google.com to get started.

Try it out

2 Microsoft Designer (Free)

If you want volume without paying anything, Microsoft Designer is hard to beat. It offers 15 priority boosts per day with unlimited standard speed generations after the boosts are used, meaning you can generate a serious number of images daily for free.

It runs on DALL-E under the hood, works right in your browser with just a Microsoft account, and the interface is clean and beginner friendly. Great for social media graphics, blog headers, and quick creative work.

Try it out

3 Adobe Firefly (Free Tier)

This one is for anyone who needs images they can actually use commercially without worrying about copyright. Adobe Firefly is trained exclusively on licensed content, which makes it one of the safest options if you are worried about using AI images in paid projects or client work.

The free plan gives you 25 generative credits per month, each producing four image variations. Quality is polished and professional especially for product shots and editorial visuals.

Try it out

4 Leonardo AI (Free Tier)

This is the one for creators who want the most variety and control without spending a penny. Leonardo gives free users 150 tokens per day, translating to roughly 15 to 35 images per day depending on settings, and offers the widest model variety of any free tool on this list including Flux-based models that produce noticeably sharper detail and more accurate lighting than older architectures.

It also has a built-in canvas for editing and extending images. Perfect for concept art, character design, and stylized illustration. Head to leonardo.ai to sign up for free.

Try it out

5 Ideogram (Free Tier)

If your images need to include readable text — think posters, social media graphics, thumbnails, or ad creatives — Ideogram is the one to use. Most AI image generators still butcher text inside images but Ideogram's latest algorithm is able to accurately and reliably include text along with any generated image, and it is also one of the best image generators overall with an intuitive web app and features like using any image as the basis for a new one.

The free plan gets you started with no credit card needed. Head to ideogram.ai to try it out

Try it out

The Best Free Chrome Tab Changer Extensions

Uncle Drew — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:04:10 +0000

If you spend any decent amount of time in Chrome, you know how easy it is to end up with 30 tabs open, no idea where anything is, and a default new tab page that does absolutely nothing for you. That changes today.

We are covering 5 of the best completely free Chrome extensions that transform how your new tab looks, works, and feels. Some turn it into a gorgeous personal dashboard. Some make it a productivity hub. Some completely change how you navigate and switch between tabs altogether.

And one is a hidden gem built specifically for developers that barely anyone knows about yet.
All are verified live on the Chrome Web Store right now. All are completely free. No trials, no credit cards, no catch.

1 Infinity New Tab (Free)

Infinity New Tab turns your new tab into a fully loaded personal dashboard. It comes with over 200 flat design icons, 365 hand-picked HD wallpapers that change daily, cloud sync to back up your data, Gmail notifications, a to-do list, and built-in search across Google, Bing, and Baidu — all accessible the moment you open a new tab.

It is one of the most feature-rich free options on the Chrome Web Store and has built a loyal following for good reason. Search "Infinity New Tab" on the Chrome Web Store.

Try it

2 Signal Morph (Free)

Signal Morph replaces your default new tab with a developer-focused dashboard that surfaces trending content from Reddit, dev community, and GitHub every time you open a new tab. Instead of staring at a blank page every time you open a new tab, you get a curated feed of what is actually happening in the dev world right now — new projects, hot discussions, trending repositories and more, all in one place without opening a single extra tab.

On top of that it includes a built-in AI-powered coding idea and concept generator so whenever you are stuck or just looking for something new to build, you have got a tool right there to spark some inspiration. The interface is clean, fast, and distraction-aware so it never feels overwhelming or cluttered. No data collection, and completely free to use.

Try it

3 Tabliss — A Beautiful New Tab

If you are tired of Chrome's boring default new tab page, Tabliss is the cleanest upgrade you can make. It offers hundreds of customisation options to create a new tab page that is unique to you, with stunning background providers that reward you with beautiful new pictures every time you open a tab.

Add widgets to stay productive, keep your data private, and enjoy a completely free experience with no strings attached. The developer collects zero data. A lot of people call it the best free alternative to Momentum and honestly it is hard to argue. Search "Tabliss" on the Chrome Web Store.

Try it

4 Tabme — Tab and Bookmark Manager (Free)

This one is a little different from the rest. Tabme turns your new tab page into a powerful bookmark dashboard where you can save open tabs instantly with drag and drop, organize them into color-coded folders, and find anything with fast search with no registration needed.

It also detects and closes duplicate tabs, supports dark mode, and handles hundreds of saved tabs without slowing anything down. The free plan is genuinely generous. Search "Tabme" on the Chrome Web Store.

Try it

5 Awesome New Tab Page (Free)

Clean, customizable, and completely ad-free. It transforms your Chrome new tab into a personalized dashboard with interactive widgets that display real-time information, a fully customizable layout where you can add, remove, and resize tiles, and direct search from shortcuts.

It includes weather, cryptocurrency price trackers, and more widgets being added regularly. The developer does not track your browsing activity or sell your data in any way. Search "Awesome New Tab Page" on the Chrome Web Store.

Try it

Best Free Chrome Extensions for Privacy & Security 4

Uncle Drew — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:54:10 +0000

We are past the halfway mark! Posts 1 to 3 covered the big names everyone knows. This batch gets into some seriously useful tools that fly under the radar. All confirmed live on the Chrome Web Store right now. Let's go.

16.Disconnect — Tracker Protection (Free)

Disconnect is one of the most trusted names in online privacy and has been around for years. It blocks the trackers that feed advertising networks, analytics companies and social media platforms that follow you silently from site to site.

What makes it stand out is that it also visualizes the invisible network of trackers on every page you visit so you can actually see who is watching you. It loads pages up to 44% faster as a side effect of blocking all that background noise.

Named best privacy tool by the New York Times and trusted by over 350 million users. Search "Disconnect Tracker Protection" on the Chrome Web Store.

17.Privacy Guard (Free)

Ever tried to read a website privacy policy and given up after the first paragraph? Privacy Guard solves that. It instantly analyzes any website's privacy policy and translates it into a simple colour-coded risk score from 1 to 5 so you can see at a glance whether a site is safe to trust with your data.

No legal jargon, no walls of text — just a clear verdict in seconds. Really handy when you are signing up for something new and want to know what you are actually agreeing to. Search "Privacy Guard" on the Chrome Web Store.

Try it

18.IDX Privacy (Free)

IDX Privacy is an all-in-one tracker blocker that goes beyond just cookies. It detects and blocks fingerprinting attempts, the sneaky technique websites use to identify you even when cookies are cleared, as well as hiding your browser data and masking your browsing preferences. It also blocks ads and stops third party trackers from building a profile of your activity. The interface is clean and beginner-friendly so you do not need to be technical to use it. Search "IDX Privacy" on the Chrome Web Store.

19.NoScript (Free)

NoScript is a award winning security extension that has been trusted by privacy experts for years and is even bundled with the Tor Browser.

It works by allowing active content to run only on domains you specifically trust, so sketchy or unknown websites cannot execute potentially harmful scripts in your browser without your permission. It recently got a major update making it fully cross-browser and Manifest V3 compatible for Chrome.

If you want one of the most battle-tested layers of protection you can add to your browser, this is it. Rated 4.8 stars. Search "NoScript" on the Chrome Web Store.

20.WebRTC Control (Free)

Here is one most people have never heard of but genuinely need. Even when you are using a VPN, your real IP address can leak through a browser feature called WebRTC — a communication protocol used for things like video calls.

WebRTC Control disables this leak with one click so your actual IP stays hidden even while your VPN is running. It also lets you run an IP leak test right from the extension to confirm you are fully protected. Rated 4.3 stars. Search "WebRTC Control" on the Chrome Web Store.

And that is a wrap on the Privacy and Security category!

Over 4 posts we covered 20 completely free Chrome extensions that protect your data, block trackers, fight phishing, and keep your browsing private. No paid plans, just tools that work and are live right now on the Chrome Web Store.

If you install even half of these you will be browsing with more protection than 99% of people online right now.

Best Free Chrome Extensions for Privacy & Security 3

Uncle Drew — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:16:49 +0000

We are halfway through the Privacy and Security category! So far we have covered ad blockers, tracker blockers, VPNs, and browser cleaners. This batch gets into some tools that most people have never heard of but genuinely wish they had installed sooner. Let's go.

11.PixelBlock (Free)

This one is specifically for Gmail users and it solves a problem most people do not even know exists. When someone sends you an email with a tracking pixel embedded in it, they can see exactly when you opened it, how many times, and even your rough location.

PixelBlock detects and blocks those invisible tracking pixels automatically so senders never know when you read their emails. It shows you a red icon whenever it catches a blocked tracker so you can see how often it is actually happening. Simple, free, and available right now on the Chrome Web Store.

12.I Still Don't Care About Cookies

You know those cookie consent pop-ups that appear on literally every website asking you to accept or reject cookies? This extension makes them disappear.

It automatically handles cookie banners for thousands of websites so you never have to see another one again. It either dismisses the banner or selects the most privacy-friendly option on your behalf. No more clicking, no more interruptions, no more banners blocking the content you actually came to read. Small extension, massive quality of life improvement.

13.Smart HTTPS

Smart HTTPS automatically upgrades your connection from the insecure HTTP version of a website to the safer HTTPS version every time you browse. And here is the smart part, if the HTTPS version fails to load it automatically switches back to HTTP so nothing breaks.

It remembers which sites do not support HTTPS to speed things up over time. Simple one click on and off switch in your toolbar, no setup needed. Search "Smart HTTPS" on the Chrome Web Store and you will find it right away.

14.Malwarebytes Browser Guard

Malwarebytes has been one of the most trusted names in online security for years and Browser Guard brings that protection directly into Chrome. It blocks malicious websites, phishing attempts, scam pages, and sketchy ads in real time as you browse.

It also flags tech support scams and browser hijacking attempts before they can lock you out. The free version is genuinely solid and covers most of what you need day to day. Think of it as a security layer that sits above everything else and catches the stuff other extensions might miss.

15.AdGuard AdBlocker

AdGuard goes beyond just blocking ads. It also strips out tracking scripts, blocks malicious websites, and removes social media widgets that follow you from site to site building a profile of your browsing habits. It works across YouTube, Facebook, and basically everywhere you browse.

The filter lists are updated regularly so it stays current with new tracking methods. Unlike some ad blockers that let certain "acceptable" ads through by default, AdGuard blocks everything right out of the box. Free, fast, and one of the most comprehensive options in this space.

15 down. Post 4 is coming up next with extensions 16 to 20. We are getting into some really interesting tools in the next batch so stay tuned.

Best Free Chrome Extensions for Privacy & Security 2

Uncle Drew — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:11:29 +0000

We're back! Last post we kicked things off with the essentials — uBlock Origin Lite, Bitwarden, DuckDuckGo, Privacy Badger, and Ghostery. If you missed it, go check that one out first.

Today we're adding 5 more to your privacy toolkit. Let's get into it.

6.Bitdefender TrafficLight

Think of this as your personal bodyguard while you browse. Bitdefender TrafficLight scans every website you visit against a live database of known threats and flags dangerous pages before they even load. It colour-codes search results too, green means safe, yellow means sketchy, red means stay away.

It caught the majority of phishing and scam sites in independent tests and it does all of this quietly in the background without slowing anything down. Free, lightweight, and one of the best anti-phishing tools available for Chrome right now.

7.Proton VPN (Free Tier)

Most free VPNs are a privacy disaster waiting to happen. They log your data, cap your bandwidth, or sell your activity to advertisers. Proton VPN is the rare exception. The free tier has no data limits, no bandwidth caps, and a strict no-logs policy that has actually been independently audited.

You get a handful of server locations to connect through, your browser traffic gets encrypted, and your real IP stays hidden. It's built by the same team behind ProtonMail — people who take privacy seriously for a living. One of the very few free VPNs you can actually trust.

8.CyberGhost VPN (Free Tier)

Another VPN worth knowing about and one of the very few where you don't even need to create an account to use the free version. CyberGhost's free Chrome extension gives you access to servers in four countries with unlimited bandwidth and 256-bit AES encryption on your browser traffic.

It won't give you the full server network of the paid plan but for quick, secure browsing on public Wi-Fi or when you just need your IP masked, the free tier gets the job done without any sign-up friction.

9.Click&Clean

Your browser knows a lot about you, every site you've visited, every form you've filled out, every cookie sitting quietly in the background collecting data. Click&Clean gives you a one-click button to wipe all of it. Browsing history, cache, cookies, download history, gone in seconds.

You can also set it to automatically clear everything when you close Chrome, so you always start fresh. Simple, fast, and way more thorough than Chrome's built-in clear history option. Great habit to pair with your other privacy extensions.

10.Windscribe (Free Tier)

Windscribe is a VPN and privacy tool rolled into one and the free plan is one of the more generous ones out there. You get 10GB of data per month and access to servers in over 10 countries.

Beyond the VPN, it also blocks ads, trackers, and social media buttons that follow you around the web. No account required to get started and the interface is clean and easy to use. If you need a free VPN with a bit more flexibility than Proton or CyberGhost, Windscribe is a solid pick.

That's 10 down. Post 3 drops next with extensions 11 to 15. We're getting into some seriously underrated tools in the next batch. Don't miss it.

Best Free Chrome Extensions for Privacy & Security

Uncle Drew — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:20:41 +0000

Hey, welcome to my Chrome Extensions series! We're going category by category covering the best free extensions you need in your browser right now. This category is Privacy & Security — and we're kicking things off with the first 5.

Let's get into it.

uBlock Origin Lite

This is the one everyone should have installed before anything else. uBlock Origin Lite blocks ads, pop-ups, and trackers across every website you visit and it does it without slowing your browser down. It's open source, completely free, and has zero interest in your data. Worth noting , the original uBlock Origin had limitations placed on it by Google's new extension framework, so the Lite version is the one currently built for Chrome. Still excellent and still the gold standard for blocking unwanted content.

2.Bitwarden

Stop reusing the same three passwords everywhere — it's going to catch up with you. Bitwarden is a free, open-source password manager that generates strong unique passwords for every site and fills them in automatically. Everything is protected with zero-knowledge encryption meaning not even Bitwarden can see what's in your vault. Secure notes, credit card details, and login credentials all in one place. The free plan covers everything most people will ever need and there's no catch.

3.DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials

This one does a lot in a single install. DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials blocks hidden trackers, switches your default search engine to DuckDuckGo which never builds an ad profile on you and gives every website a privacy grade so you can see at a glance how safe it is. It also sends Do Not Track signals automatically so sites know upfront you're not interested in being followed around the internet. Free, lightweight, and genuinely useful for everyday browsing.

4.Privacy Badger

Built by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the non-profit that fights for digital rights. Privacy Badger takes a smarter approach to blocking trackers. Instead of relying on a fixed list, it actually learns as you browse and automatically blocks trackers that ignore your privacy preferences. The interface is dead simple with a colour-coded slider showing you exactly what's being blocked on every page. No ads, no premium plan to upsell you just a non-profit doing its thing.

5.Ghostery

Ghostery has been protecting people's privacy online for years and the free version is genuinely solid. It shows you every tracker running on a page and lets you block them at whatever level you're comfortable with block everything, block nothing, or somewhere in between. You can whitelist sites you trust and blacklist ones you don't. It won a SXSW Innovation Award for Privacy & Security and the free plan gives you everything you need without pushing you toward an upgrade.

That's the first 5! Post 2 drops next with extensions 6 to 10. If any of these are already in your browser, drop a comment which ones do you use?

FREE AI CODE ASSISTANTS THAT ACTUALLY WORK 5

Uncle Drew — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:28:58 +0000

5 Free AI Code Assistants – Tools That Auto-Complete, Refactor & Debug Your Code.

We made it to the final part! Parts 1 through 4 covered the established players, the underrated gems, the debugging specialists, and the privacy-first local tools. Now let's close out the series with the newest, most exciting tools entering the space — ones that are redefining what an AI code assistant can even do.

21.Windsurf (by Codeium) — Free Tier

Windsurf is Codeium's brand new AI-native IDE and it's genuinely impressive. The free tier gives you access to their "Cascade" agent that doesn't just complete code, it takes multi-step actions across your project. It can read files, make edits, run terminal commands, and fix errors autonomously. It's less "assistant" and more "junior developer who never sleeps."

Try it out

22.Claude (Anthropic) — Free Tier

Claude's free tier via claude.ai is one of the best free options for code explanation, architecture discussions, and refactoring long complex files. It has an enormous context window and handles nuanced instructions better than most. It won't sit inside your IDE but for thinking through hard problems, designing systems, or untangling legacy code, it's exceptional.

Try it out

23.DeepSeek Coder V2 (Free via API / Locally)

DeepSeek Coder V2 is an open-source coding model that benchmarks above GPT-4 on several coding tasks — and it's completely free to run locally or access via their free API tier. It's become a favorite in the open-source community fast. If you want raw coding performance without a subscription, this model is worth trying immediately.

Try it out

Install locally

24.Void (Open Source IDE)

Void is an open-source VS Code alternative being built specifically as a privacy-respecting AI IDE. You bring your own API key or run local models, and all your data stays yours. It's still in early development but the community behind it is active and the vision is solid. One to bookmark and revisit every few months.

Try it out

25.OpenCode (Free & Open Source)

OpenCode is the open-source terminal coding agent that the dev community can't stop talking about right now. It works as a terminal interface, a desktop app, and a VS Code extension — and supports over 75 AI models including Claude, OpenAI, and Gemini.

Swap models freely, run local ones for privacy, or use whatever API key you already have. It reads your project files, makes multi-file edits, runs terminal commands, and handles full workflows on its own.

Try it out

And that's a wrap on the full series!

We just covered 25 absolutely free AI code assistants across 5 posts, from industry giants to open-source local tools to the newest agents pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

The honest takeaway? You don't need to spend anything to code with AI in your corner. The free tools today are better than the paid tools were two years ago and they're only getting better.

If you found this series useful, share it with a developer friend who's still writing everything by hand. And drop a comment — which of these 25 tools are you going to try first?

FREE AI CODE ASSISTANTS THAT ACTUALLY WORK 4

Uncle Drew — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:47:26 +0000

PART 4 OF 5: The Privacy-First Local AI Tools

5 Free AI Code Assistants – Tools That Auto-Complete, Refactor & Debug Your Code

Not everyone wants their code sitting on someone else's server. Whether it's company policy, client confidentiality, or you just don't love the idea of your codebase training someone's model — this part is for you.

These tools run locally or give you full control over your data. And yes, they're still free.

16.Ollama + Continue.dev

This combo is the ultimate free local AI setup. Ollama lets you run open-source models like CodeLlama, DeepSeek Coder, or Mistral right on your own machine. Pair it with Continue.dev in VS Code and you have a fully offline AI code assistant that rivals paid tools. Your code never leaves your computer. Full stop.

Using Continue with ollama guide

17.LM Studio

LM Studio gives you a beautiful desktop app to download and run AI models locally. It has a built-in chat interface and an OpenAI-compatible local server, which means you can connect it to tools like Continue or any app that supports custom API endpoints. Great for non-technical setup. Just click, download a model, and go.

Try it out

18.Tabby (Open Source)

Tabby is a self-hosted AI coding assistant. You deploy it on your own machine or server and it gives you GitHub Copilot-style completions without any data leaving your environment. It supports VS Code and JetBrains and has a clean dashboard to monitor usage. A little more setup involved but totally worth it for teams with privacy requirements.

Try it out

19.FauxPilot
This is an open-source, self-hosted alternative to GitHub Copilot. It uses the same API format as Copilot, which means it drops right into editors that already support Copilot. You run it on your own hardware, pick your own model, and get real-time completions with zero cloud dependency. Requires a decent GPU to run smoothly.

Try it out

20.CodeGeeX (Free)

CodeGeeX is an open-source multilingual code generation tool developed by Tsinghua University. It runs locally, supports over 100 programming languages, and has a VS Code plugin that's easy to set up. It's not as well-known in the Western dev community but the code quality is solid and the privacy story is clean.

Try it out

Part 4 wrapped! Last one coming up. Part 5 covers the most exciting new wave of AI coding tools that are just starting to gain traction. These are the ones to watch in 2026 and beyond.

FREE AI CODE ASSISTANTS THAT ACTUALLY WORK 3

Uncle Drew — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:42:00 +0000

PART 3 OF 5: The Debug & Explain Specialists

5 Free AI Code Assistants – Tools That Auto-Complete, Refactor & Debug Your Code.

Alright, Part 3 is here and this one's for everyone who's ever stared at an error message for 45 minutes only to find out it was a missing semicolon. These tools are built to help you understand and fix code — not just write it.

11.ChatGPT (Free Tier)

Yes, it counts. ChatGPT's free plan runs on GPT-4o and it is genuinely great at debugging. Paste in your broken code, describe the error, and it'll walk you through exactly what's wrong and why. It's not an IDE plugin but for complex logic bugs, runtime errors, and code explanations, nothing beats a proper back-and-forth conversation with it.

Try it out

12.Google Gemini (Free)

Gemini is Google's answer to ChatGPT and the free version is surprisingly capable for code. It's especially strong with Python and data-heavy code. You can paste in long functions and ask it to explain them line by line. The context window on the free plan is huge, you can throw entire files at it without issues. It can be used in your terminal, IDE's and other platforms.

Try it out

13.Phind Chat (Free — No Login Required)

Ever wished you could just describe your bug in plain English and get a straight answer with working code attached?

That's exactly what Phind Chat does. It's built purely for developers. So instead of generic chatbot responses, you get technically accurate answers with real code examples, explanations, and sources all in one place.

No sifting through Stack Overflow threads, no ten blue links. Just ask your question, get your answer, and keep coding. It supports Python, JavaScript, C++, and all the major languages, works in real time, and you don't even need to create an account to start using it. Simple, fast, and surprisingly good.

Try it out

14.Aider (Free & Open Source)

Aider is a command-line AI coding assistant that connects to models like GPT-4o or Claude and works directly with your git repository. It's completely free to run. You describe changes you want in plain English and it edits the actual files and commits the changes. Incredible for refactoring sessions.

However, there are limits on user and feature access, and users may need to upgrade to access advanced features and higher limits. The free plan is available indefinitely, but costs for API usage of the underlying AI model will apply.

Try it out

15.Cline (Free & Open Source)

Cline is one of the most exciting free tools in the space right now and it deserves way more attention. It's an open-source VS Code extension that doesn't just suggest code, it actually takes action.

It can read your entire project, make edits across multiple files, and run terminal commands all on its own. You describe what you want in plain English and it figures out the steps to get there. You bring your own API key so you control the model and the costs, and your code never leaves your machine. Think of it less like an assistant and more like a junior dev who works while you sleep.

Try it out

Three down, two to go! Part 4 is all about AI tools that work offline or locally — perfect if you care about privacy or just want something that works without an internet connection.

FREE AI CODE ASSISTANTS THAT ACTUALLY WORK 2

Uncle Drew — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:07:19 +0000

PART 2 OF 5: The Underrated Ones You're Probably Sleeping On

5 Free AI Code Assistants – Tools That Auto-Complete, Refactor & Debug Your Code

Welcome back to the series! In Part 1 we covered the big names. Now let's talk about the tools that don't get enough credit — but honestly deserve way more attention.
These five are free, powerful, and might just become your new daily driver.

6.Cursor (Free Tier)

Cursor is a full VS Code fork with AI baked in at every level. The free plan gives you 50 slow premium requests and unlimited basic completions per month. What makes Cursor different is how deeply the AI is embedded — you can select a block of code, describe what you want, and it rewrites it right there. Refactoring has never felt this smooth.

Try it out

7.Continue.dev

This one is open-source and completely free — forever. Continue is a VS Code and JetBrains extension that lets you connect any AI model you want, including local ones via Ollama. You're not locked into one provider. It's perfect for developers who want full control over what's under the hood.

Try it out

8.Supermaven (Free Tier)

Built by the creator of Tabnine and it shows — this thing is fast. We're talking the fastest code completions you'll ever experience. The free plan includes unlimited completions with a 300k token context window, which means it understands more of your codebase at once than most paid tools. Seriously impressive for free.

Try it out

9.Replit Ghostwriter (Free on Replit)

If you do any coding in the browser or just want to prototype fast, Replit's built-in AI is included free with your Replit account. It auto-completes, explains errors, and helps debug in real time right inside the editor. Great for beginners and anyone who wants zero setup.

Try it out

10.Pieces for Developers

This one is a bit different — it's less about completions and more about being a smart coding companion. Pieces captures code snippets, remembers context from your workflow, and uses AI to help you reuse and refactor saved code. Free plan includes local AI features. Think of it as an intelligent clipboard for developers.

Try it out

Part 2 done! We're halfway through the series. Part 3 is coming up and we're diving into tools built specifically for debugging and code explanation. Super useful if you spend more time reading code than writing it.

FREE AI CODE ASSISTANTS THAT ACTUALLY WORK

Uncle Drew — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 19:34:04 +0000

PART 1 OF 5: The Heavy Hitters Everyone’s Talking About

5 Free AI Code Assistants – Tools That Auto-Complete, Refactor & Debug Your Code

Hey, let’s be real — coding is hard enough without doing everything manually. The good news? There are some genuinely free AI tools that can auto-complete your code, spot bugs, and even refactor messy logic while you sip your coffee.

This is Part 1 of a 5-part series where I break down 25 free AI code assistants worth your time. No paid plans, no free trials — just tools you can actually use without pulling out your credit card.

Let’s get into it.

GitHub Copilot (Free Tier) Microsoft quietly made Copilot free inside VS Code, and it's still the most polished AI coding experience out there. You get 2,000 completions and 50 chat messages a month. It reads your entire file for context, so completions feel natural rather than random. Perfect for scaffolding, boilerplate, and unit tests.

2.Qodo (Free Tier) Qodo — formerly known as CodiumAI — is a free AI coding assistant that goes beyond just completions. What makes it stand out is its focus on code quality. It automatically generates unit tests for your functions, spots edge cases you might have missed, and explains what your code actually does versus what you intended it to do. It plugs right into VS Code and JetBrains, supports all major languages, and the free plan is genuinely useful without feeling crippled.

If you write tests regularly — or know you should but keep skipping them — Qodo makes the whole process almost effortless.

3.Mistral Le Chat (Free Tier) Mistral's free coding assistant is quietly one of the best kept secrets in the developer community right now. Le Chat's free plan gives you access to their latest models which are genuinely strong at code completion, refactoring suggestions, and explaining complex logic. It works across all major languages, has a clean interface, and doesn't throttle you aggressively on the free tier. If you've been sleeping on Mistral, this is a good reason to wake up.

4.Amazon CodeWhisperer (Now part of Amazon Q Free Tier) AWS built their own Copilot alternative and made the individual plan free. It works especially well if you're building anything cloud-related or working with AWS services. It'll suggest entire functions and flag security vulnerabilities in real time. Bonus: it references open-source licenses so you know where suggestions come from.

5.Blackbox AI Less talked about but seriously underrated. Blackbox is built specifically for coding — no general chatbot fluff. It auto-completes, explains code, and has a really handy feature where you can extract code from videos or screenshots. Free plan is generous and it works right in the browser or VS Code.

Use in VS code

That's Part 1 done! Next up - 5 more free tools that are flying under the radar but pulling serious weight. Drop a comment if you've used any of these and what you think.