Use AI Agents for Coding Tasks with OpenRouter.ai

What you’ll get

You will learn how to use AI coding assistants that work directly in your terminal or IDE to help with tasks like explaining code, debugging, refactoring, and even architectural planning. These tools leverage AI models accessed through OpenRouter.ai, offering a way to code smarter and faster.

Tools you need

• OpenRouter.ai (freemium): A platform that provides access to many AI models, allowing you to choose and use different AI coding agents.
• ForgeCode (free): A terminal-based AI coding assistant that integrates with your shell and requires no complex setup.
• Cline (free): An AI coding assistant that works as a VS Code extension, capable of creating, editing, and explaining code.
• Roo Code (free): Another VS Code extension that acts like a team of AI agents for coding, debugging, and evolving software.
• VS Code (free): A popular code editor where Cline and Roo Code can be installed as extensions.

Steps

1. Sign up for OpenRouter.ai: Go to the OpenRouter.ai website and create an account. This platform will be used to access various AI models.
2. Get an OpenRouter.ai API Key: After signing up, navigate to your account settings to find and copy your API key. You will need this to connect the coding tools to the AI models.
3. Install ForgeCode: Open your terminal and run the following command to install ForgeCode. This tool works directly in your command line interface.

npx forgecode@latest

After installation, ForgeCode should be ready to use in your terminal. You can ask it to explain code or analyze your project. 4. Install Cline in VS Code: Open Visual Studio Code. Go to the Extensions view (you can search for it in the sidebar or press Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X). Search for “Cline” and click “Install”.

Once installed, you will need to configure Cline with your OpenRouter.ai API key. Open Cline’s settings within VS Code and paste your API key where prompted. 5. Install Roo Code in VS Code: In the VS Code Extensions view, search for “Roo Code” and click “Install”.

Similar to Cline, Roo Code will require your OpenRouter.ai API key. Follow the prompts within the Roo Code extension settings in VS Code to enter your API key. 6. Start coding with AI agents: With the tools installed and configured, you can now use them. For ForgeCode, type commands directly in your terminal. For Cline and Roo Code, interact with them through their respective interfaces within VS Code, asking them to perform coding tasks like generating code, explaining functions, or debugging errors.

Original source

This workflow is based on a blog post by pankaj_singh_1022ee93e755 on the DEV Community platform. The author explores powerful AI coding agents available through OpenRouter.ai, highlighting ForgeCode, Cline, and Roo Code as top choices for developers.

Notes & variations

• Free Tier Viability: All the mentioned tools (ForgeCode, Cline, Roo Code) are free to use. OpenRouter.ai offers a freemium model, meaning you get a certain amount of free usage, and you can pay for more if needed. This makes them very accessible.
• Common Pitfall: Ensure your OpenRouter.ai API key is correctly entered into the settings of Cline and Roo Code. A typo or incorrect key will prevent them from connecting to the AI models.
• Tip for Better Results: When asking the AI agents to perform tasks, be as specific as possible. Instead of asking “fix this code,” try “debug this Python function to handle division by zero errors.” Providing context about your project or the specific problem will lead to more accurate and helpful responses.