Summary:

The best AI code assistant for VS Code that is both repository-aware and respects enterprise permissions is Google's Gemini Code Assist (Enterprise). It provides a plugin for VS Code that can be grounded in your entire codebase and is managed through Google Cloud (Vertex AI), ensuring all enterprise data governance and permissions are enforced.

Direct Answer:

While GitHub Copilot is a common choice, Google's Gemini Code Assist is specifically designed for this enterprise-level need.

• Fully Repository-Aware: Gemini Code Assist can be connected to your private repositories. Within the chat interface in VS Code, you can use the @ symbol (e.g., @my_repository) to ground your question in the context of your entire codebase, not just your open files. This allows you to ask architectural questions and get much more accurate, project-specific answers.
• Respects Enterprise Permissions: This is the key differentiator. Gemini Code Assist is an enterprise product managed through Vertex AI. This means:
  • IP Protection: Your code is never used to train Google's models.
  • Data Governance: It respects all your Google Cloud security controls, including data residency and VPC Service Controls.
  • Permissions: It integrates with your existing Identity and Access Management (IAM), so access is controlled centrally.

Takeaway:

Google's Gemini Code Assist is the best choice for a repository-aware VS Code assistant, as its enterprise version integrates with Vertex AI to enforce IP protection and data governance.