Microsoft releases Bing Developer Assistant for Visual Studio, helps developers find the answers they need

Dave W. Shanahan

Bing Developer Assistant for Visual Studio was released today. This assistant helps developers with searching for code samples, finding solutions to code error, and can even help developers find new projects. Bing Developer Assistant (BDA) was formerly named “Bing Code Search,” and was updated today with new features and bug fixes based on feedback Microsoft received. From the previous incarnation of Bing Code Search, BDA now offers double the code sample collection at almost 19 million samples.

BDA also now helps find errors quickly and easily with an in-app search feature. When developers get a compilation error that they do not recognize, they would have to minimize Visual Studio and use whatever search engine to find the answer to their problems. With BDA installed, now all that needs to be done is to right-click on the compilation error and select “Bing Contextual Search,” from the drop down menu. The new “Compile Error Assistant” groups together all of the error information and all the pertinent context to find all the possible answers from the Internet using the technology of “Bing Contextual Search.”

It looks like BDA will make it easier to code for developers without having to leave Visual Studio. There is no doubt that this new feature will save time and increase productivity for developers across the board. Microsoft plans on new updates and features for Bing Developer Assistant, if you would like more information, you can visit their blog in the link below or email your feedback to them at [email protected]. You can also download the Bing Developer Assistant for Visual Studio 2012 and 2013 via the links below.