Kite

What is Kite?

Kite was an AI-powered code completion tool that offered intelligent autocomplete for Python and other languages directly inside popular code editors. It targeted individual developers who wanted faster coding with fewer context switches to documentation. Kite processed code locally on the user's machine rather than sending it to the cloud, which set it apart from most AI coding assistants at the time. The company behind Kite shut down in late 2022, and the product is no longer available or maintained.

Key Features

• Line-of-Code Completions: Suggested entire lines and multi-token completions based on local machine learning models, going beyond single-keyword autocomplete
• Python Documentation Lookup: Showed inline documentation for Python libraries as you typed, pulling from a curated index of popular packages
• Cloudless Processing: Ran inference locally on the developer's machine, so code never left the laptop and worked without an internet connection
• Multi-Editor Support: Worked as a plugin for VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, Sublime Text, Vim, Atom, and several other editors
• Copilot Integration (Late Stage): Added support for connecting to cloud-based models in its final versions, though this came shortly before the shutdown
• Python-First Design: Built primarily around the Python ecosystem with deeper support for Python than any other language, including type inference and library-specific completions

Use Cases

• Python developers writing data science code: Used Kite to autocomplete pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn calls without switching to browser-based documentation
• Backend engineers working on Django or Flask projects: Got context-aware suggestions that understood framework patterns and reduced boilerplate typing
• Developers on restricted networks: Relied on Kite's local inference to get AI completions in environments where cloud tools were blocked or impractical
• Not ideal for: Teams needing active support, updates, or multi-language coverage beyond Python, since the product is discontinued

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

• Local processing meant zero latency and no privacy concerns from code leaving the machine
• Python support was especially strong, with completions that understood library-specific patterns
• Free tier covered all core features with no paywalls for individual developers
• Plugin architecture supported a wide range of editors, not just VS Code

Weaknesses:

• The product shut down in November 2022 and is no longer maintained or supported
• Language support outside Python was shallow compared to competitors like GitHub Copilot
• Completions from local models were less accurate than cloud-based alternatives that used larger models
• No community, documentation, or updates remain available after the shutdown

Pricing

• Free: All core features including line-of-code completions and Python documentation were free for individual developers
• Kite Pro: Was offered at $16.60/month (billed annually), adding longer multi-line completions and priority support
• Note: Both tiers are discontinued. Kite shut down in November 2022 and no longer accepts signups or payments.

FAQ

Is Kite still available?

No. Kite shut down in November 2022. The website, editor plugins, and backend services are all offline. Existing installations no longer receive updates or model improvements.

Was Kite free?

Yes. Kite offered a free tier that included its core line-of-code completions and Python documentation features. A paid Pro tier existed at $16.60/month (annual billing) for extended multi-line completions.

What happened to Kite?

Kite's parent company announced in November 2022 that it could not find a sustainable business model for AI code completion. The company ceased operations and the product went offline. Some of the team's work influenced later AI coding tools in the space.

How does Kite compare to GitHub Copilot?

Kite was a local-first, Python-focused tool with a free tier, while GitHub Copilot runs on cloud-based large language models and supports many more languages. Copilot produces more accurate and longer completions but requires a subscription and sends code to the cloud. Kite is no longer an option since its 2022 shutdown.

What are the best alternatives to Kite?

Since Kite shut down, developers have moved to GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Cody by Sourcegraph, and Tabnine as replacements. Each offers broader language support and more powerful models than Kite had at the time of its closure.