Discover the best AI tools for developers shaping 2026 with real-world use, pricing, and why indie hackers trust these for rapid product builds.
The game has changed for indie developers.
You no longer need a full team or months of coding to ship a functional product. With AI tools, you can accelerate development, automate tedious tasks, and focus on the core problem you want to solve.
Let's be honest, in today's fast-paced market, speed is survival. You need AI-powered tools that aren't just buzz—they must actually ship products faster and smarter.
That's exactly what we cover every week on Built This Week. We test AI tools for developers in real builds, sharing what works, what breaks, and how these tools fit into solo and indie hacker workflows.
Here's the list of the top AI tools developers are using right now to level up their builds.
What it replaces: Manual code writing and boilerplate generation
GitHub Copilot uses AI to autocomplete code, generate functions, and even suggest tests.
Why we use it: On Built This Week, Sam and Jordan demonstrated how Copilot slashed coding time by 40%, helping ship a Next.js app in days instead of weeks.
What it replaces: Basic autocomplete and repetitive coding tasks
A free AI-powered code assistant that integrates with multiple editors, Codeium helps with instant code completions in various languages.
Why we use it: It's open source, light on your system, and covers Python, JavaScript, and more—a no-brainer for rapid prototyping.
What it replaces: Manual text generation, documentation, and simple code snippets
The GPT API powers flexible AI interactions—from generating code to writing documentation and even helping with debugging.
Why we use it: We embed GPT in product builds weekly, creating smarter onboarding flows and pro-level user support in hours.
What it replaces: Traditional autocomplete and code suggestions
An AI code completion tool that learns from your codebase, offering more personalized suggestions.
Why we use it: On Built This Week, Tabnine helped reduce context switching by keeping feature development inside VS Code.
What it replaces: Initial backend setup and routine service scaffolding
Bottle is an AI backend generator that builds APIs, CRUD operations, and boilerplate so you don’t have to.
Why we use it: It speeds up MVP development drastically—the team used Bottle to scaffold a backend in under an hour.
Every week on Built This Week, Sam and Jordan dive into real builds using these AI tools and more. You get raw, unfiltered feedback on how the tools perform in the wild.
You learn practical workflows, see honest code walkthroughs, and hear what broke and how to fix it. That’s the fast-track to building smarter.
Indie hackers and solo developers aren’t just racing against competitors—they’re racing against time and resources.
AI tools let you compress development cycles, test more ideas, and ship weekly, turning your side project into a real business.
Every week on Built This Week, our builds prove that speed and smart tooling beat waiting for the perfect product.
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Because if you're solo, your speed is your edge. Ship something this week.
