Gemini Code Assist now supports custom shortcuts and project-specific rules.
Gemini Code Assist will also let users run multiple sessions simultaneously
Photo Credit: Google
Gemini Code Assist, Google's artificial intelligence (AI) coding platform, has received multiple updates recently. The platform is free for individuals, and an enterprise version is also available. The Mountain View-based tech giant has now upgraded the platform's capabilities with the Gemini 2.5 Pro AI model. Additionally, the company has also made improvements to its chat function and has added new personalisation features. Google says Gemini Code Assist can now generate more relevant code suggestions and better understand the context while performing a code transformation task.
In a blog post, the tech giant detailed the list of improvements it has added to the AI coding platform. Notably, individuals can access Gemini Code Assist for free by installing the Visual Studio Code plug-in or JETBRAINS integrated development environment (IDE) extension.
Performance upgrades in the coding assistant are powered by the new Gemini 2.5 Pro model, which was recently updated for coding-related tasks. With this, it can now answer more complex queries about the user's codebase or a particular project. The code generation itself is being improved so that the suggested code is more relevant to the user, Google said.
Code transformation tasks, such as adding comments or refactoring code, are also being improved as the Gemini Code Assist can understand the context behind a user prompt better. The tech giant says this will make the platform more reliable while handling complex requests. Additionally, the code review agent in Gemini Code Assist for GitHub can better analyse users' code and provide more helpful solutions to potential issues.
Two new personalisation features are also being added to Gemini Code Assist. First is Custom commands, which lets create shortcuts for repetitive tasks. This can be done by going to the platform's Quick Pick menu and selecting Custom Commands in VS Code, or by navigating to Settings > Tools > Gemini > Prompt Library in the JetBrains IDE. Once a shortcut has been added, these can be used by selecting them from the Quick Pick menu (Ctrl + I for Windows and Linux; Cmd + I for Mac OS) on VS Code, or Cmd + \ for macOS.
The second feature is dubbed Rules, using which users can add project-specific conventions to ensure that the generated code aligns better with an organisation's libraries and best practices. Rules can be set by visiting the Command Palette menu (Ctrl + Shift + P for Windows and Linux; Cmd + Shift + P for macOS) in VS Code. In that menu, users will have to select “Preferences: Open Settings (UI)” and enter “Geminicodassist: Rules” in the text field. Then, users can write the rules for the project with multiple lines in the text field. After adding rules, the platform will follow them for every user request.
Gemini Code Assist's chat interface is also being improved. Users can now include entire folders in their prompts, use the new Context Drawer to select the active files and folders, and run multiple chat sessions simultaneously. Users can also resume past sessions, which are now automatically saved within the interface.
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