Ever wondered if you could cut out the repetitive aspects of writing code? Well, AI has finally found a way to make this possible. Replit is an online code generator that has recently introduced AI in a bid to make writing code faster and better.
In this article, we’ll be looking into what exactly the Replit ghostwriter can do, the programming languages it works with, and how much it costs.
What is the Replit Ghostwriter?
The Replit ghostwriter is an AI code assistant that is designed to make website and app development more accessible. With it, you can write new blocks of code, debug, transform and so much more.
Replit’s ghostwriter is super fast with a response time of 500ms. We also love that you can directly import your code from repositories like Bitbucket or GitHub. In addition to the code suggestions it offers, you can use it to explain old projects and pick up from where you left off.
Accepted Programming Languages on Replit Ghostwriter
If you’re seriously considering using this AI code generator, it can help you write code in multiple languages. Some of the known programming languages it works with include HTML, CSS, Javascript, Typescript, C++, Python, Jason, PHP, Bash, SQL, Rust, and Ruby.
It’s still integrating more languages so we recommend reviewing the website to see an updated list of accepted languages.
Features of the Replit Ghostwriter
The Replit ghostwriter currently has five features embedded in its AI code generator. These features include the following;
1. Complete code
While typing in your code, you can get similar code suggestions. Think of it as an autocomplete, similar to what you get when typing in emails. This feature leverages AI to understand the context of your work and offer suggestions. Once this feature pops up, you can simply press the tab button to accept this suggestion after reviewing it.
2. Generate code
Now this feature pretty much writes out long lines of code for you. Here, you simply give the ghostwriter what you need in a natural language prompt. For example, you can ask it to draw rotating multi-colour circles.
Once you enter this prompt, it’ll return a block of code solving this request. Choose to refine the prompt and try again, copy the code block, insert it into your editor or share feedback to improve the service.
This feature is very handy when you need to write certain programs or multiple related functions at once.
3. Explain code
If you’re learning how to improve your coding skills, this is a feature that we recommend exploring. Once you highlight a code block, you can ask the Replit ghostwriter to explain it and you’ll get a step-by-step breakdown of what it means in English.
It’ll explain what the function is, what it does and the outcomes. This is also very useful if you’re trying to understand other people’s code or something you wrote in the past. Similar to other AI generators, you can always ask it to try again and share your feedback to make it better.
4. Transform code
This feature focuses on rewriting or ‘transforming’ existing code. Once you select the block of code you want to rewrite, right-click on the editor. Tap on transform and enter a prompt on what you’d like to change about the highlighted block.
You’ll then get the updated version of that code. With this feature, you can optimize your code to run faster, convert it into another language and so much more. The possibilities are endless.
5. Chat
Rather than stepping out of your tab to get context on a question, you can simply ask the AI assistant embedded in the ghostwriter. It’s particularly great for debugging because you can ask the chat to identify errors or offer hints about your coding problems.
However, like most chat AI tools, the feedback you get is dependent on your prompts. So ensure your questions are precise and detailed. Don’t also shy away from asking follow-up questions or asking them to further explain certain lines of code you don’t understand.
How much does it cost?
While Replit Ghostwriter is only available on Pro plans, you can unlock it as a basic user via Cycles. Cycles are virtual tokens you can use to unlock specific functionalities without committing to a higher plan.
In this case, you can purchase these cycles to unlock the ghostwriting feature on any plan you’re on – including the free plan. You’ll need at least 1,000 cycles to unlock this feature which costs $10.
