For programmers, Generative AI offers tangible benefits. It helps with writing and debugging code, making our busy lives a bit easier as a result. But there are now competing tools like ChatGPT and Bard, which begs the question: which one is best for me to use?

We compare these tools against each other in the ultimate battle to see which is the most feature-rich tool right now for programming purposes.

The biggest difference between ChatGPT and Bard

The biggest difference between ChatGPT and Bard is the Large Language Models (LLMs) they are powered by. ChatGPT uses the Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4), while Bard uses the Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMBDA). Also, ChatGPT is developed by OpenAI, while Bard was built by Google.

In terms of capabilities, both do very similar things. Programmers can use ChatGPT for:

• Suggestions: Both models can suggest the correct syntax and parameters for functions and other code constructs.
• Completion: It can complete code that you have started writing.
• Debugging: It can help you identify errors and problems in your code.
• Explanation: It can explain the code that it generates, or code you input.

Testing ChatGPT and Bard against each other

Let's preface this by saying this is not a rigorous scientific comparison, but rather a handful of tests mixed with our hands-on experience to date.

1. Code generation

Winner: ChatGPT 🏆

2. Problem Solving

Winner: ChatGPT 🏆

3. Refactoring Code

Winner: Bard 🏆

4. Debugging Assistance

Winner: Bard 🏆

5. Third-party plugins & UI extensions

Winner: ChatGPT 🏆

6. Ease of Use

Winner: ChatGPT 🏆

7. Cost

Winner: Bard 🏆

Conclusion: ChatGPT wins out, but both tools are useful!

At a score of four to three, ChatGPT wins overall (👑), but in practice both of these tools should be a part of your arsenal. Here are some key points to keep in mind as a developer using these tools:

• The base version of ChatGPT is a LLM only, which means the information can be out of date. Bard uses both LLM and search data. This is going to change fairly soon, with ChatGPT implementing “Search with Bing” into its free offering.
• ChatGPT is generally better for generating documentation
• Bard creates more thorough explanations of code most of the time
• Bard limits the length of the conversation, ChatGPT only limits requests over time (GPT-4)

Remember that even if you're using these tools, it's important to understand the code you're working with. Don't become too reliant on them because the results are not guaranteed to be accurate at any point. Till next time, happy coding!