> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://codinitdev-mintlify-update-changelog-codinit-dev-90028.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Model Selection
> Select the best AI coding model for your needs. Compare Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, and DeepSeek for AI-powered development and code generation.
CodinIT AI coding assistant needs an LLM (Large Language Model) to understand your requests and generate code. Think of it like choosing which AI expert to work with - different AI models have different coding strengths, performance, and costs.
## Quick start: Choose your AI coding model
The easiest way to get started with AI code generation is with **CodinIT** as your LLM provider:
1. **Open AI settings**: Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner of CodinIT's AI chat interface
2. **Select "CodinIT"** from the AI Provider dropdown for instant LLM access
3. **Choose an AI model** from the dropdown - we recommend starting with **Claude 3.5 Sonnet** or **DeepSeek V3** for code generation
**That's it!** No API keys to manage, and you'll get access to multiple AI coding models for intelligent development.
**Free AI coding models available**: CodinIT occasionally offers free LLM inferencing through partner providers. When available, you'll see these AI code generation options in your model dropdown.
## Alternative: Use your own AI model provider
If you prefer to use your own LLM API keys for AI code generation, you can select from providers like:
* **OpenRouter** - Great value, multiple AI coding models
* **Anthropic** - Direct access to Claude AI models for code generation
* **OpenAI** - Access to GPT-4 and GPT-4o for AI-powered development
* **Google Gemini** - Google's AI models for intelligent coding assistance
* **Ollama** - Run open-source LLMs locally on your computer for private AI coding
After selecting an AI provider, you'll need to:
1. Get an API key from their LLM provider website
2. Paste it into the API Key field in CodinIT AI settings
3. Choose your preferred AI coding model
Most providers require payment information before generating API keys.
## Which AI coding model should I choose?
If you're just getting started with AI code generation, we recommend:
| Your Priority | Choose This AI Model | Why |
| --------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Reliability** | Claude 3.5 Sonnet | Most reliable LLM for AI coding tasks and code generation |
| **Value** | DeepSeek V3 | Great AI performance at low cost for budget-conscious developers |
| **Speed** | Qwen3 Coder | Fast LLM responses for real-time AI code completion |
| **Privacy** | Any Ollama model | Runs locally on your computer for private AI development |
You can switch AI models anytime without losing your coding conversation or context.
## Next steps for AI-powered coding
With your AI model configured, you're all set for AI code generation! In the next section, we'll walk you through completing your first AI-powered development task with CodinIT and show you how to interact with the LLM to write, debug, and refactor code intelligently.
Want to understand LLM pricing, context windows, and advanced AI model selection strategies? Check out our comprehensive AI Providers guide for code generation.