TL;DR: CodeGPT AI VS Code Chat is highly efficient. It offers professional integration with DeepSeek at a low cost. I am satisfied since there isnt any latency while coding.

Regarding what #1 said, Continue is okay, but in my experience Roo Code AI Assistant VS Code Extension handles DeepSeek way better... dont settle for laggy stuff.

Just found this thread and honestly you gotta check out Cline VS Code Extension! It is an absolute powerhouse for reliability when you are running on a budget. I have been using it for a complex React dashboard and the integration with the DeepSeek DeepSeek-V3 API is just fantastic. Here is why it stays so stable for dev work:

• Full Workspace Context: It actually understands your project structure which is huge for React apps with tons of small components.
• Cost Efficiency: It is open source and handles your API tokens very carefully so you dont waste money.
• Speed: The response time is incredible and I havent experienced any lag during long sessions. It is seriously the most reliable way to get agentic coding features without the high price tag of a dedicated AI IDE!

Noted!

Ive been through dozens of these setups and honestly, if you want that zero-lag feel without the bloat, you might wanna look at some of the more lightweight options. For a real DIY vibe, some of the newer tools are hitting that sweet spot:

• Void Open Source AI Editor - it is a fork of VS Code so all your themes still work, but the AI integration is baked in deeper and feels way snappier with the DeepSeek API.
• Aider AI Pair Programming tool - technically a CLI tool you run alongside your editor, but for React projects it is a beast at handling multi-file changes. The lag usually comes from how the extension handles the stream buffer. Going this route gives you the most control without some subscription wrapper getting in the way... just keep an eye on your token usage during those long coding sessions.

Honestly i was so nervous about setting this up because I hate messing with API keys and security stuff but Continue Open Source AI Code Assistant is absolutely amazing! I have been using it for my React projects and the integration is just fantastic. It feels super safe since it is open source and you keep control of everything!! You just plug in your DeepSeek DeepSeek-V3 API and it is incredibly fast. Like way faster than I expected for the price. I tried the official one briefly but Continue gives you so much more control over the context and it doesnt lag at all while typing. Just make sure you set the provider to deepseek in the config file and you are good to go! Love how smooth it feels... dont think twice if you want to save some cash without losing quality!