---
title: "Codeium"
description: "Free AI-powered code completion and chat assistant that enhances developer productivity across multiple programming languages."
category: "tools"
tags: ["ai-completion", "free", "vscode", "jetbrains", "autocomplete", "chat-assistant", "productivity", "development"]
tech_stack: ["JavaScript", "Python", "Java", "C#", "C++", "Ruby", "Go", "PHP", "TypeScript", "HTML", "CSS"]
---

### Tool Benefits
Codeium offers a smart code completion tool that boosts your coding speed by giving you real-time suggestions as you type. It supports over 70 programming languages, making it useful across various development setups. Here are some standout benefits:

- You’ll receive real-time code suggestions tailored to your coding style.
- Code explanations help clarify complex snippets.
- Refactoring assistance improves your code quality and keeps it organized.
- A chat feature allows for quick questions and coding advice without limits.
- It integrates smoothly with popular IDEs like VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, and Neovim.

### Setup & Installation
#### Visual Studio Code
1. Open VS Code.
2. Click on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar to access the Extensions view.
3. Type "Codeium" in the search bar.
4. Click **Install** to add the Codeium extension.
5. Reload VS Code to activate the extension.

#### JetBrains IDEs (e.g., IntelliJ IDEA)
1. Open your JetBrains IDE.
2. Go to `File > Settings > Plugins`.
3. Search for "Codeium" in the Marketplace.
4. Click **Install** and restart your IDE.

#### Neovim
1. Make sure you have a plugin manager like `vim-plug` installed.
2. Add this line to your `init.vim`:
   ```vim
   Plug 'Codeium/Codeium'
   ```
3. Run `:PlugInstall` in Neovim to install the plugin.

### Configuration
Once you install Codeium, you can configure it to match your needs:
- **API Key**: If necessary, grab your API key from the Codeium website and enter it in your IDE settings.
- **Language Preferences**: Indicate the languages you work with most often in the settings.
- **Completion Settings**: Adjust the suggestion delay and toggle features like inline suggestions or tooltips.

### Usage Guide
- **Code Completion**: Start typing your code, and Codeium will offer suggestions. Press `Tab` to use a suggestion.
- **Code Explanation**: Highlight a code block and use the Codeium chat feature (usually `Ctrl + Shift + C`) for explanations.
- **Refactoring**: Select the code you want to refactor, right-click, and pick the refactor option offered by Codeium.

#### Example
```python
def calculate_area(radius):
    return 3.14 * radius ** 2

# Start typing below to see suggestions
calculate_area(5)
```

### Advanced Features
- **Multi-language Support**: Switch between languages effortlessly; Codeium adjusts to your language context.
- **Custom Commands**: Set up custom commands for snippets you use frequently.
- **Integration with CI/CD**: Implement Codeium in your CI/CD pipelines to maintain code quality checks.

### Troubleshooting
- **Extension Not Loading**: Make sure your IDE is up to date and restart it.
- **No Suggestions**: Verify that Codeium is enabled in settings and that you’re working in a supported file type.
- **Performance Issues**: Disable other extensions to spot conflicts, or check your internet connection.

### Best Practices
- Regularly update Codeium to access the latest features and improvements.
- Use the chat feature to resolve doubts quickly instead of searching online.
- Play around with different settings to find what works best for your workflow.
- Keep your code tidy and well-commented to make the most of Codeium's suggestions.