Overview
Amazon CodeWhisperer is an AI-driven developer productivity assistant (being integrated into the broader Amazon Q Developer experience). It provides real-time inline code suggestions and full-function generation in supported IDEs, conversational/agentic coding interactions (reads/writes files, generates diffs, can run shell commands in agent mode), security scanning that identifies vulnerabilities and suggests fixes, chat-style assistant capabilities, CLI completions and natural‑language-to-Bash translation, and the ability to generate unit tests, boilerplate, infrastructure snippets (S3/DynamoDB), and code migration guidance. Integrations include major IDEs (VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio, Eclipse preview), AWS Console, Git hosting providers (GitHub/GitLab integrations or previews), and collaboration platforms (Microsoft Teams/Slack). Enterprise/admin controls are available via IAM Identity Center for Pro/enterprise management. Documentation emphasizes privacy protections and states customer code/content is not used to improve the service; enterprise data-handling and permission controls are documented. Product evolution: initial announcement June 2022, GA April 2023, and CodeWhisperer features are being folded into Amazon Q Developer (docs include migration/legacy guidance). Always confirm pricing, quotas, and regional/account-specific terms on the official pricing page or your AWS billing console before purchasing.
Key Features
Real-time inline code suggestions
Provides contextual inline code completions and full-function generation in supported IDEs (VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio, Eclipse preview, Cloud9).
Agentic / conversational coding
Agent-style interactions allow file read/write, diffs generation, and running shell commands in agent mode for conversational workflows and diagnostics.
Security scanning
Identifies potential vulnerabilities in suggestions and code, and recommends fixes; includes security-focused checks documented in user guides.
Chat / conversational assistant
Chat-style assistant supports diagnostics, code transforms, Q&A, and agent-like actions for multi-step tasks.
CLI completions and NL-to-Bash
Provides completions for CLI usage and translates natural-language commands into Bash/CLI equivalents.
Test, boilerplate, and infra generation
Generates unit tests, boilerplate code, AWS infra snippets (e.g., S3/DynamoDB), and helps with code migration (Java/.NET guidance noted).
Who Can Use This Tool?
- Individual developers:Use for inline code completions, unit test generation, CLI translations, and quick prototyping within IDEs.
- Engineering teams:Provide shared Pro subscriptions, admin controls, aggregated quotas, and team-level reporting and governance.
- Enterprises / Security & Compliance:Use enterprise controls via IAM Identity Center, privacy/data handling options, and IP indemnification features for governance.
Pricing Plans
Free individual tier with monthly usage limits and access via IDE plugins, CLI, and AWS Console.
- ✓50 agent-style chat interactions per month
- ✓Up to 1,000 lines-of-code (LOC) conversions per month
- ✓Access via IDE plugins, CLI, and AWS Console
- ✓Basic integrations and conversational features
Paid professional tier (~$19 per user/month based on available pricing text) with higher LOC quotas, admin controls, advanced reporting, and enterprise features. Monthly per-user billing; first month may be prorated in some cases. Cancellation rules vary and may stop access immediately—confirm terms on pricing page.
- ✓Higher LOC conversion quota (reported as 4,000 LOC per user per month)
- ✓Admin / management features and IAM Identity Center integration
- ✓Additional enterprise privacy and IP indemnification/coverage features
- ✓Advanced reporting and aggregated payer-account quotas for Pro subscriptions
Pros & Cons
✓ Pros
- ✓Strong IDE integration and real-time code generation improves developer productivity
- ✓Agentic conversational workflows enable advanced multi-step coding tasks
- ✓Security scanning and suggested fixes help reduce vulnerabilities
- ✓Free tier available for individuals; Pro offers enterprise controls and reporting
- ✓Documentation states customer code/content is not used to improve the service (enterprise data-handling controls documented)
✗ Cons
- ✗Product is being consolidated into Amazon Q Developer; pages and examples may be redistributed under Amazon Q which can cause navigation friction
- ✗Pricing details, overage rates, prorate rules, and cancellation behavior vary by region/account and should be validated on the official pricing page
- ✗Exact supported language list and some integration availability require checking the docs (not exhaustively listed here)
- ✗Some integrations (GitHub/GitLab, collaboration tools) may be in preview depending on region/account
Compare with Alternatives
| Feature | Amazon CodeWhisperer (integrating into Amazon Q Developer) | GitHub Copilot | Windsurf (formerly Codeium) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $19/month | $10/month | $15/month |
| Rating | 8.6/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Inline Completions | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Agent Automation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chat Assistant | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CLI & Shell | Yes | Yes | No |
| Security Scanning | Yes | Partial | Partial |
| Codebase Awareness | Partial | Yes | Partial |
| Enterprise Controls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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