Introduction to Kevin's Channel and AI - Related Topics
Hello everyone, I'm Uncle Kevin. This channel focuses on AI applications and intelligent workflows, guiding you to learn and explore the infinite possibilities of AI together. Remember to like, subscribe, and turn on the notification bell to make AI your superpower.
AI - Assisted Programming Tools
Recently, you often hear about Vibe Coding or AI - assisted programming development. The most commonly mentioned tool is Cursor. Similar products include Windsurf and Trae recently launched by ByteDance. These products share a common feature: they are all branches of VS Code.
VS Code Basics
VS Code is a long-standing open-source code editor. Its greatest feature is that it has thousands of plugins that can be installed independently. Besides the most commonly used JavaScript editing function, if you want to develop Java, Python, or Go language applications, you just need to find and install the corresponding plugins to compile or execute the program. If you're interested in learning the basic operations of VS Code, you can find many relevant videos on YouTube.
AI Plugins for VS Code
GitHub Copilot
The most downloaded AI plugin in VS Code is GitHub Copilot. It also has GitHub Copilot Chat, and currently, the two have been merged. Newly downloaded VS Code comes with GitHub Copilot pre-installed. You only need to log in, and then you will enter its official website for some GitHub-related settings. However, compared with other AI plugins, GitHub Copilot's functions are somewhat lacking. Until recently, it updated the Agent mode, which mainly allows the AI plugin to write code or generate documents. Currently, the best thing about GitHub Copilot is that it provides some free quotas. Even if you don't use it immediately, you can set it up first and use these free quotas later.
Cline
The second most downloaded AI plugin in VS Code is Cline. This AI plugin takes the Agent mode as its selling point, enabling AI to automatically write code, edit, or perform tasks like automatic debugging. What's more important is that it is an open-source plugin. Besides being free, the model can be freely matched. Before using Roo Code, Uncle Kevin mainly used this plugin.
Roo Code
Roo Code, the protagonist of today, is actually a branch of Cline. Its basic core and functions are similar to Cline. Many people may not have heard of Roo Code because it has not only changed its name (it used to be called Roo Cline) but also its icon (from a rocket to a kangaroo). Even so, it has a large number of downloads, and its popularity and star rating are even higher than Cline's.
Installation and Setup of Roo Code
Installation
All plugins in VS Code are set up in the "Extensions" module. You can press Ctrl + Shift + X to open the window and search for "ROO CODE - Roo Code". After searching, the first one that appears is it. If you enter Cline, it will also appear. Although Cline has a higher download volume, its star rating is lower than Roo Code's. To install, select the plugin and click "Install" (if you haven't installed it yet).
Startup and Window Arrangement
After installation, all plugins are preset on the left. After installation, there will be a Roo Code icon. Clicking on it will open it. However, the plugin on the left may overlap with the file browser, making it difficult to view files and interact with the plugin simultaneously. The default setting of GitHub Copilot is to display on the right, like Cursor or Windsurf. To move Roo Code to the right, simply drag it there. Then, to display Roo Code, click on "Switch to secondary sidebar" to open it on the right-hand side, providing a larger chat window for interaction with AI.
Model Settings in Roo Code
Selecting Model Suppliers
After installing Roo Code, the first thing is to set the model. The settings are under the "Setting" button. Click on it to open the relevant setting functions. First, set the model supplier. Uncle Kevin recommends Gemini 2.5 Pro, which has the largest context among current models, with one million Tokens. Another model with the same large context is GPT 4.1.
To add a model, click the plus sign, enter the model name, and then select the supplier. There are many suppliers to choose from, such as Antropic, DeepSeek, etc. There is also a VS Code LM API. In fact, it is the model of GitHub Copilot, which provides some free models for use.
Gemini 2.5 Pro Model
In Google's Gemini, in addition to Pro, there is also Flash, a relatively lower-level model but still quite powerful in thinking. For planning or architecture analysis, you can choose the reasoning model. For Pro, it is recommended to set up the Pro exp 0325 model, which is free to use. Although it has some limits, it is sufficient for general use as it resets daily. The experimental version also provides a 1 - million - context window, but it requires sharing data for analysis or learning. If you can't share confidential data, you can choose the paid version, Pro Review (currently the latest is 0506 version, with the highest code generation success rate).
Automatic Approval Settings
This is an important setting in Agent mode. You can allow AI to automatically generate code, modify programs, or perform some instruction operations. When selected (turns blue), it can automatically make changes. Uncle Kevin suggests not checking too many options at the beginning, especially when you are not familiar with the system or using a new model, to avoid unexpected actions. For example, do not check "Write", "Mode", "Sub - work", and "Execute MCP" first. Only check "Read files" or "Browse" to allow automatic execution. As you become more familiar, you can gradually check "Write", "MCP tool call", and "Execute" for automatic execution, but still do not check "Mode" and "Sub - work" to have the opportunity to choose the model when switching.
Command and Prompt Settings
Allowing Commands
You can enter commands that you want AI to automatically execute in the relevant setting area.
Prompt Modes
Prompts are important when using AI tools or asking questions. Although current models are powerful and can understand simple questions, clear prompts are still better. Roo Code has five prompt modes, while general AI plugins like GitHub Copilot only have one or two modes (such as Agent and Chat).
Code Mode
This mode helps automatically generate code, refactor, modify content, and fix simple bugs. It can also write documents and generate data. You can ask it to generate data in Markdown format or file, which is more convenient than using GPT directly.
Architect Mode
This mode is mainly used to discuss requirements and generate specifications or Todo lists. It is like an architect, helping to generate initial development documents such as specification files and flowcharts. It can also discuss which technology stack to choose. After planning, it will switch to Code mode for further development.
Ask Mode
This is a common问答模式. In addition to answering questions, it can read files. For example, when you have a new project or clone a project from GitHub and don't know its content, you can ask this mode to analyze the project's content, architecture, used packages, and technologies, and even read the Readme file.
Debug Mode
This is a new mode launched recently. When your project is in the final stage and may have hidden bugs or logical errors, you can switch to this mode. It can analyze the content, find potential bugs, and correct the code from a debugging perspective. It is mainly used in the final testing and completion stage.
Coordinator Mode
This is a newly launched mode. It can break down a large task into multiple sub-tasks, like a boomerang. It can coordinate the communication and connection between tasks. For large tasks, it can divide them into different sub-tasks, each with its own focus. After completion, it returns the results to the coordinator mode. This is very helpful for medium - and large-scale projects. Currently, Uncle Kevin mainly starts with this mode for project and requirement analysis and generating specifications.
In conclusion, Roo Code is a more suitable plugin for software engineering as it allows switching between different modes, each with its own strengths for different functions.