Boosting Programming Efficiency with AI Code Generation Tools: A CodeGeeX Tutorial

Hello, I'm Feige! Since the rise of ChatGPT, large‑model applications have proliferated, and developers are eager to know whether AI tools can truly speed up coding.

Based on months of experimentation, AI assistants significantly accelerate development by handling repetitive, boilerplate tasks. Early attempts with the official ChatGPT required a foreign phone number and soon hit IP blocks in China, prompting a search for domestic mirrors and IDE‑integrated plugins.

Among the options, Copilot demands a VPN and a $10/month subscription, while CodeGeeX is free for personal use and works without a VPN. The following guide uses CodeGeeX to demonstrate four practical capabilities:

Q&A‑generated code : Describe a requirement (e.g., a Unix Domain Socket client/server in C) and let the model produce complete source files ready to compile.

Code explanation : Select unfamiliar code (such as Redis internals) and invoke /explain to receive a natural‑language description of its functionality.

AI code completion : Write comments outlining desired behavior; the plugin suggests multi‑line completions that can be accepted with the Tab key or a custom shortcut.

Code refactoring / translation : Highlight code, choose “Code Translation,” pick a target language (e.g., Rust), and obtain an automatically translated version.

Installation is straightforward: search for “CodeGeeX” in the Goland or VS Code marketplace, install, and log in. Users can adjust the trigger key (default Tab) to “Only Key Control” for more deliberate activation.

Overall, AI assistants like CodeGeeX can offload a large portion of mundane coding work, freeing developers to focus on higher‑value activities such as learning new concepts or reading technical articles.

Plugin download links:

CodeGeeX: https://codegeex.cn/zh-CN?article=000100

VS Code extension: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=aminer.codegeex