A few years ago, I had a conversation with an AWS Solutions Architect who recommended Claude from Anthropic. Since then, Claude has been my go-to model for AI code completion. I’ve tested new offerings as they’ve been released, but I always ended up back with Claude. This time, though, things might be different. Grok Code Fast 1, recently introduced in GitHub Copilot, is designed to balance cost per token with performance.
After several days of testing, I’m impressed. It isn’t overly verbose like some other models, and it responds much faster with each request. On top of that, the quality of the output is on par with, or in some cases better than, other models I’ve used.
I tried it on a couple of projects. First, I asked it to build a Wordle clone using reserved words from several programming languages. This was a simple test, but Code Fast handled it perfectly. It quickly generated the web app, and it worked on the first try. Whether or not that seems remarkable depends on your expectations of AI, but what stood out most to me was the speed. Instead of watching the code stream line by line into the IDE, the result appeared almost instantly.
The second test was more in-depth. I asked it to analyze an in-progress Android app that had been written primarily with agentic AI. Code Fast quickly identified incomplete code paths, TODOs, and issues that needed to be fixed. I was then able to work through the list it provided. The model did a thorough job of analyzing and improving the app.
All in all, I think I’ll be using Grok Code Fast 1 for my agentic coding needs moving forward. Have you tried it yet? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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About the Author
Robby Sarvis
Senior Software Engineer
Robby is a full-stack developer at RBA with a deep passion for crafting mobile applications and enhancing user experiences. With a robust skill set that encompasses both front-end and back-end development, Robby is dedicated to leveraging technology to create solutions that exceed client expectations.
Residing in a small town in Texas, Robby enjoys a balanced life that includes his wife, children, and their charming dogs.