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Accelerate Coding with Amazon CodeWhisperer (Now Amazon Q Developer) - AI Code Suggestions and Security Scanning

Generate real-time code suggestions within your IDE, with OWASP Top 10 security scanning and open-source license reference detection. Learn tips for effective usage. CodeWhisperer was merged into Amazon Q Developer in 2024.

About 4 min readWritten and edited by Awashiro

Overview of CodeWhisperer

CodeWhisperer is an AI coding companion that generates real-time code suggestions within your IDE. Available in VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, and AWS Cloud9, it automatically generates functions, classes, and test code from comments and existing code context. While integrated into Amazon Q Developer, CodeWhisperer's code completion features remain available.

Security Scanning and License Detection

Security scanning analyzes code files and detects vulnerability patterns included in the OWASP Top 10. Detection results include CWE numbers and remediation suggestions to help understand and fix vulnerabilities. License reference detection flags generated code that resembles open-source training data, presenting the relevant open-source project and license (MIT, Apache 2.0, etc.). This helps ensure code usage complies with organizational license policies.

Organizational Deployment and Management

For organizations (now the Q Developer Pro tier), it integrates with IAM Identity Center for organization-wide user management. Administrators can view code suggestion acceptance rates, security scan detection counts, and per-user usage statistics on the dashboard. To get suggestions aligned with organizational coding standards, use the customization feature that lets CodeWhisperer learn from code styles and patterns in your repository. The reference tracker displays license information when suggested code resembles open-source code, reducing the risk of unintentionally incorporating copyleft-licensed code such as GPL or LGPL. Individual use starts free (before the merge, the Individual edition offered unlimited code suggestions and up to 50 security scans per month).

Tips for Effective Usage and Limitations

CodeWhisperer's suggestion accuracy heavily depends on how context is provided. Writing specific documentation comments describing input/output types and processing details for functions produces more accurate code. Conversely, vague comments or insufficient context within the file result in overly generic code or incorrect logic. Generated code should always be reviewed, particularly to verify that error handling, edge case processing, and security considerations are appropriate. AWS SDK call code tends to be relatively accurate, while business logic generation tends to be less precise. It also supports test code generation, making it efficient to have it suggest corresponding unit tests from function implementations.

Pricing - Plans After the Q Developer Merge

The old CodeWhisperer-specific Individual / Professional plans were retired when the service merged into Amazon Q Developer in 2024. Today there are two options: the Q Developer Free Tier (free, with monthly usage limits) and the Pro Tier at $19 per user per month, with code suggestions and security scanning provided as Q Developer features (as of August 2026). Compared with GitHub Copilot ($10-19/month), the free tier and strong AWS SDK code suggestions remain the key differentiators.

Summary

Amazon Q Developer (formerly CodeWhisperer) is a service that provides AI-powered code suggestions and security scanning within the IDE. Today you can start with the Amazon Q Developer free tier, improving both coding productivity and code quality through automatic code completion, function generation, and security vulnerability detection.

References (Official AWS Resources)

The primary sources for this page are the official AWS website and documentation. Check the official pages below for the latest specifications and pricing.

If this page and the official documentation disagree, treat the official documentation as authoritative.

Related Services

Amazon CodeWhisperer DeprecatedAI coding companion that generated real-time code suggestions in the IDE (merged into Amazon Q Developer in 2024)Amazon CodeCatalyst DeprecatedA service that unifies project management, CI/CD, and cloud development environments for development teamsAWS CodeBuild PopularA fully managed build service that automates source code compilation and testing

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