Tabby, my free "Copilot" by Rafik Ferroukh

Tabby is a free, open-source alternative to GitHub Copilot, created in April 2023 by Lucy Gao and Meng Zhang

Key Features:

• Works offline after initial model download
• Supports multiple IDEs including IntelliJ, VS Code, and Vim
• Can be self-hosted using Docker, Docker Compose, or Homebrew
• Allows switching between different language models (StarCoder, CodeLama, etc.)
• Free for up to 5 users

Deployment Options:

• Local installation on workstation
• On-premise server deployment
• Cloud deployment through Bento Cloud
• Requires Node.js as prerequisite

Privacy & Control Benefits:

• Data stays under user control
• No internet required after initial setup
• Can provide custom context through git repositories
• Configurable security settings

Technical Requirements:

• More powerful processors needed for larger language models
• NVIDIA T4 GPU can support about 50 developers
• Requires 5-10 minutes for initial setup
• ~39GB download for language model

Limitations:

• Some features require manual configuration
• Some languages not yet supported (e.g., Scala)
• Admin portal is optional but needed for team management
• May generate incorrect suggestions at times