Junie AI by JetBrains: A New Era in Coding Automation

JetBrains has introduced a groundbreaking artificial intelligence assistant named Junie, designed to go far beyond simple code generation by tackling more advanced software development tasks, such as running tests and conducting inspections.

As a company known for its Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), JetBrains has taken a comprehensive approach with Junie, described as a “complex agentic system built on public LLMs.” Not only does Junie generate code, but it also executes tests, verifies code performance, and ensures adherence to coding standards—all integrated seamlessly into the JetBrains IntelliJ platform.

“Junie provides a smooth developer experience thanks to its deep integration with IntelliJ IDEs,” Andrew Zakonov, product leader for Junie, shared with The New Stack. “However, Junie isn’t just about usability. It leverages the IDE’s robust tooling to navigate project structures, analyze code, run tests, and perform syntax and semantic checks.”

More Than an AI Assistant

It’s important to note that Junie offers a distinct feature set compared to JetBrains’ existing AI Assistant. While both tools aim to assist developers, they cater to different use cases. Junie’s capabilities extend to managing complex tasks in real-time collaboration, ensuring efficiency even for demanding development workflows.

According to Zakonov, “Junie is tailored to support high-impact tasks. It currently supports Java, Kotlin, and Python, with plans to expand to other programming languages soon. To achieve optimal results, we’ve conducted thorough evaluations and enhancements for these languages.”

Advancing Developer Productivity

JetBrains’ introduction of Junie reflects a broader trend in AI-powered development tools. Similar advancements, such as Amazon Web Services’ Gen AI capabilities for Q Developer, highlight a shift from code generation to automating the entire software development lifecycle.

Junie’s capabilities include:

• Developing new features, even when changes span multiple parts of a project.
• Debugging and resolving compilation issues.
• Updating and enhancing documentation for accuracy.
• Adding new tests to improve code coverage and quality.
• Investigating and resolving failed test cases.

“Junie enables developers to focus on critical problem-solving and creative tasks by automating repetitive and time-consuming activities,” Zakonov emphasized. “For instance, developers can prompt Junie to ensure UI compliance with accessibility standards, create NLP models for specific predictions, or add buttons for theme switching in a matter of moments.”

JetBrains’ Mellum Model and Local AI Integration

JetBrains has also developed an internal AI model named Mellum, which is specifically designed for software development tasks. Mellum enhances the speed and accuracy of code completions, ensuring optimal performance across different use cases. Additionally, the 2024.1 updates for JetBrains’ IDEs introduced full-line code autocompletion powered by local AI models. This ensures data processing occurs directly on the user’s device, resulting in quick and secure code completions with minimal latency.

Moreover, the AI Assistant 2024.2 offers smarter and faster code completion for Java, Kotlin, and Python. With support from advanced GPT-4o mini models, the assistant provides improved contextual understanding, including chat references for better interaction.

Cutting-Edge Technology Behind Junie

Junie leverages a combination of external large language models (LLMs) alongside IntelliJ platform algorithms to autonomously perform tasks. Zakonov highlighted Junie’s effectiveness: “Using benchmarks like SWEBench Verified, Junie can solve 53.6% of tasks on its first attempt. Additionally, it adapts to each project’s context, aligning with the developer’s style and coding guidelines for optimal outcomes.”

Despite these capabilities, it’s clear that Junie’s effectiveness improves over time as it learns and adapts to specific project needs. Developers gain greater control and reliability, making Junie a trusted team member rather than a mere tool.

Early Access and Future Plans

Currently, Junie is available on OS X and Linux platforms through an early access program for IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate and PyCharm Professional IDEs. JetBrains plans to extend support to WebStorm, its JavaScript and TypeScript IDE, in the near future.

With its unique capabilities and focus on automating complex development tasks, Junie is set to redefine the role of AI in software development, empowering developers to achieve more while reducing mundane workloads.