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See also: ChatGPT Plugins, ChatGPT Plugin Categories and Programming
Programming ChatGPT Plugins were a category of third-party extensions that allowed ChatGPT to call external developer tools, code repositories, computational engines, and runtime environments during a conversation. The category covered plugins for code search across GitHub, live execution of Python and other scripts, repository question answering, diagram generation, and integration with notebook services. OpenAI launched the plugin beta on March 23, 2023, and shut it down on April 9, 2024, after winding the program down in favor of Custom GPTs and the GPT Actions framework.
Programming plugins were among the most actively used categories during the plugin beta. They gave ChatGPT a path out of pure text generation and into operations that required deterministic computation, file access, version-controlled code, and runtime feedback. The same use cases now drive a much larger ecosystem of AI coding tools, including GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code, and Aider.
When OpenAI introduced the ChatGPT plugin system on March 23, 2023, it described plugins as "tools designed specifically for language models with safety as a core principle" that help ChatGPT "access up-to-date information, run computations, or use third-party services."1 The launch shipped with two first-party plugins from OpenAI, a web browsing tool and a code execution sandbox, plus a starter set of third-party plugins from Expedia, FiscalNote, Instacart, Kayak, Klarna, Milo, OpenTable, Shopify, Slack, Speak, Wolfram, and Zapier.23 Access opened to all ChatGPT Plus users on May 12, 2023, and within a few months the directory grew past 1,000 plugins.4
For programming work, the category mattered because base ChatGPT had no way to read a repository, run code, query a real interpreter, or fetch a current package version. Plugins closed those gaps. The user could enable up to three plugins per conversation, and the model decided when to call each one based on the plugin's manifest description.
The table below lists widely used plugins in the programming category. All of them ceased operating inside ChatGPT when the plugin store closed on March 19, 2024 and existing plugin chats stopped on April 9, 2024.5
| Plugin | Developer | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Code Interpreter | OpenAI | First-party sandboxed Python execution environment for running code, analyzing data, and reading or writing files in a chat. |
| Wolfram | Wolfram Research | Bridge to Wolfram Alpha and the Wolfram Language for symbolic math, computation, curated data, and code generation. |
| AskTheCode | Dmytro Somok | GitHub repository analyzer that let ChatGPT read repository structure, fetch file contents, and answer questions about a project's code. |
| ChatWithGit | Surya Dantuluri | GitHub code search plugin that returned matching code snippets across public repositories using the GitHub Search API. |
| Noteable | Noteable | Created and ran Jupyter notebooks in Python, SQL, and Markdown directly from ChatGPT, with R kernel support and shareable notebook output. |
| Replit | Replit | Hosting and runtime path for ChatGPT plugins, widely used for prototyping plugins and bridging ChatGPT to projects in the Replit cloud IDE. |
| Show Me Diagrams | RedstarPlugin | Generated and edited Mermaid diagrams (flowcharts, sequence diagrams, ER diagrams, mind maps) inline in chat. |
| Zapier | Zapier | Connected ChatGPT to thousands of apps for automated workflows, frequently used by developers to chain ChatGPT to ticketing, CI, and notification systems. |
Code Interpreter was a first-party plugin built by OpenAI. It launched in alpha in March 2023 and rolled out to all ChatGPT Plus users on July 6, 2023.67 The plugin gave the model a working Python interpreter inside a sandboxed, firewalled environment with no network access. Users uploaded files up to 100 MB, and the model would write Python, run it, read errors back, and iterate. Capabilities included data analysis, chart plotting, file format conversion, and image manipulation. After the plugin beta ended, OpenAI rolled the capability into ChatGPT as Advanced Data Analysis and made it part of the default toolset for paid users.
The Wolfram plugin, announced in March 2023 by Stephen Wolfram and OpenAI, gave ChatGPT access to Wolfram Alpha for natural language computational queries and the Wolfram Language for precise programmatic computation.89 Wolfram described it as giving ChatGPT "computational superpowers," letting the model offload deterministic math, unit conversions, real-time data lookups, and Wolfram Language code execution. For programming use cases it was especially useful for converting pseudocode into Wolfram Language and running symbolic mathematics that base ChatGPT often got wrong.
AskTheCode was a third-party plugin that connected ChatGPT to public GitHub repositories.10 A user pointed it at a repository URL, and the plugin let ChatGPT walk the directory tree, retrieve file contents, and answer questions about the project's code. It was widely used to onboard onto unfamiliar codebases without cloning them locally. After the ChatGPT plugin store closed, AskTheCode continued as a Custom GPT in the GPT Store with the same core functionality.
ChatWithGit, by Surya Dantuluri, performed code search across all public GitHub repositories.11 Users typed a natural language query and the plugin returned matching code snippets with repository, file, and language metadata, using the GitHub Search API. Queries supported language:, repo:, and path: filters and required at least one keyword. The plugin was popular for finding reference implementations and example usage of libraries.
The Noteable plugin was a tight integration with the Noteable collaborative notebook platform.1213 It let ChatGPT create new notebooks, run cells in Python or R kernels, render plots inline, and share results as a link. The pitch was making notebooks accessible to non-developers: describe a workflow in natural language and let the model generate, run, and revise cells. Noteable as a company wound down in December 2023, before the broader plugin shutdown.
Replit had two roles in the plugin ecosystem. It was a popular hosting target for plugin authors, since plugins are HTTP services and Replit's free hosting and Python templates made it the path of least resistance.14 Replit also shipped its own integration that let ChatGPT reference Replit projects and run code in Replit's runtime. The relationship continued past the plugin shutdown: in 2025 Replit shipped a deeper integration that lets ChatGPT create, update, and deploy Replit Apps directly from chat using the ChatGPT Apps framework.15
Show Me Diagrams (originally branded "Show Me") rendered diagrams inline in chat.16 It used Mermaid as its preferred diagramming language and supported flowcharts, sequence diagrams, ER diagrams, Gantt charts, and mind maps. Users could revise the diagram with follow-up questions, and the plugin returned editable Mermaid source plus a rendered image. It was widely used for system design and schema visualizations.
The Zapier plugin connected ChatGPT to more than 5,000 apps. Developers used it to wire ChatGPT into engineering workflows: opening Jira tickets, posting Slack messages, triggering GitHub Actions, and dispatching emails. Zapier sunset its ChatGPT plugin alongside the broader shutdown and pointed users to Zapier Central, GPT Actions, and Model Context Protocol integrations as replacements.17
Programming plugins covered workflows that base ChatGPT could not handle on its own.
| Use case | Plugins commonly used |
|---|---|
| Run Python and analyze data | Code Interpreter, Noteable, Replit |
| Verify computations and generate plots | Wolfram, Code Interpreter |
| Search and read code in GitHub | AskTheCode, ChatWithGit |
| Generate diagrams from code or specs | Show Me Diagrams |
| Trigger external app workflows | Zapier |
| Convert between file formats | Code Interpreter |
A frequent pattern was chaining plugins. ChatWithGit could surface a function definition, and Code Interpreter could run a reproduction against sample data. Show Me Diagrams plus AskTheCode produced architecture diagrams of an unfamiliar repository without leaving chat.
OpenAI wound down the ChatGPT plugin beta in early 2024. The plugin store and new plugin conversations closed on March 19, 2024, and existing plugin chats stopped on April 9, 2024.518 OpenAI stated that it was "winding down the plugins beta on April 9, as GPTs offer a better way to reach ChatGPT users."
Several factors drove the deprecation:
The category of "AI tool that helps you code" has expanded far beyond what ChatGPT plugins offered. Most of the work that programming plugins enabled now happens in dedicated tools that run alongside or inside the developer's editor and shell.
| Tool | Vendor | Surface | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | GitHub / Microsoft | IDE extension, web chat, CLI, code review | Public preview October 2021, GA June 2022 |
| Cursor | Anysphere | Standalone AI-first code editor (originally a VS Code fork) | 2023 |
| Windsurf | Originally Codeium, now Cognition AI | Standalone agentic IDE | November 2024 |
| Claude Code | Anthropic | Terminal coding agent with IDE and browser surfaces | Research preview February 2025, GA May 2025 |
| Codex CLI | OpenAI | Open-source terminal coding agent built in Rust | April 2025 |
| Aider | Paul Gauthier and contributors | Open-source CLI for AI pair programming with git integration | 2023 |
GitHub Copilot predates the ChatGPT plugin era. It entered public preview in October 2021 and reached general availability in June 2022. Copilot started as inline autocomplete in Visual Studio Code and JetBrains IDEs, then expanded into Copilot Chat, Copilot Workspace, the Copilot CLI, and code review. By 2025 Copilot supported models from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.
Cursor is an AI-first code editor built by Anysphere. It launched in 2023 as a fork of VS Code, preserving most shortcuts, themes, and extensions while replacing the AI surface. Core features include Tab completion, multi-file Composer mode, an Agent Mode that can run terminal commands, and Background Agents on a remote VM. Cursor crossed a billion-dollar annualized revenue run rate by early 2026.
Windsurf launched in November 2024 as the first "agentic IDE," originally under Codeium. Codeium completed the rebrand to Windsurf in April 2025. The product centers on Cascade, an in-editor AI agent that reads full codebases, performs multi-file edits, and runs terminal commands. After an acquisition saga involving OpenAI, Google, and Cognition AI, the Windsurf product is now owned by Cognition AI.
Claude Code is Anthropic's agentic coding tool. It launched as a research preview in February 2025 and went generally available in May 2025. Claude Code lives in the terminal, reads the local codebase, edits files, runs commands, and manages git workflows through natural language. Anthropic reported a billion-dollar annualized run rate for Claude Code in the final months of 2025.
Codex CLI is OpenAI's open-source terminal coding agent, written in Rust. It runs in the user's local directory, can read and edit files, run shell commands, fetch web pages, accept image attachments, and connect to other tools through the Model Context Protocol. It is included with ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Edu, and Enterprise plans on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Aider is an open-source command line tool for AI pair programming on a local git repository. Created by Paul Gauthier in 2023, it is now developed under the Aider-AI organization on GitHub. Aider builds a repo map of the codebase, supports most popular programming languages, automatically commits changes with descriptive messages, and works with most major LLM providers including Anthropic, OpenAI, DeepSeek, and local models via Ollama.
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is the standard that emerged after both ChatGPT plugins and GPT Actions. Anthropic introduced MCP in November 2024, and OpenAI adopted it at DevDay in October 2025. Most programming use cases that ChatGPT plugins covered now have an MCP server equivalent: GitHub access, filesystem access, shell execution, database queries, and web browsing. MCP servers are reusable across Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, Codex CLI, and ChatGPT Apps, removing the per-vendor lock-in that ChatGPT plugins had.
Programming ChatGPT plugins were the first widely available bridge between a frontier chat model and the developer's actual stack: code, runtimes, repositories, computational engines, and notebooks. The category lasted from March 2023 to April 2024 and previewed where AI tooling for software development was heading. The plugins are gone, but the workflows they pioneered now live inside Custom GPTs, the GPT Store, and a larger ecosystem of dedicated AI coding tools led by GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code, Codex CLI, and Aider.
OpenAI. "ChatGPT plugins." March 23, 2023. https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-plugins/ ↩
TechCrunch. "OpenAI connects ChatGPT to the internet." March 23, 2023. https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/23/openai-connects-chatgpt-to-the-internet/ ↩
VentureBeat. "OpenAI turns ChatGPT into a platform overnight with addition of plugins." March 23, 2023. https://venturebeat.com/ai/openai-turns-chatgpt-into-a-platform-overnight-with-addition-of-plugins ↩
SiliconANGLE. "OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT plugins for paid subscribers." May 14, 2023. https://siliconangle.com/2023/05/14/openai-rolls-chatgpt-plugins-paid-subscribers/ ↩
OpenAI Developer Community. "Plugin Store and New Chats With Plugins - Closed March 19 2024." https://community.openai.com/t/plugin-store-and-new-chats-with-plugins-closed-march-19-2024/689877 ↩ ↩2
PC Guide. "How to use ChatGPT Code Interpreter." https://www.pcguide.com/apps/chatgpt-code-interpreter-what-is-this-plugin/ ↩
Search Engine Journal. "Code Interpreter Available For ChatGPT Plus Users After Maintenance." July 2023. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/code-interpreter-chatgpt-plus/490980/ ↩
Stephen Wolfram. "ChatGPT Gets Its 'Wolfram Superpowers'!" March 23, 2023. https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2023/03/chatgpt-gets-its-wolfram-superpowers/ ↩
The New Stack. "Wolfram ChatGPT Plugin Blends Symbolic AI with Generative AI." https://thenewstack.io/wolfram-chatgpt-plugin-blends-symbolic-ai-with-generative-ai/ ↩
AskTheCode Documentation. https://docs.askthecode.ai/ ↩
ChatWithGit Plugin. https://plugins.sdan.io/git ↩
PR Newswire. "Noteable Launches ChatGPT Plugin Revolutionizing Access to Data Analysis Regardless of Technical Ability." https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/noteable-launches-chatgpt-plugin-revolutionizing-access-to-data-analysis-regardless-of-technical-ability-301821663.html ↩
Elijah Meeks. "Notebooks for Everyone: How Noteable's ChatGPT Plugin Empowers..." Noteable on Medium. https://medium.com/noteableio/notebooks-for-everyone-af17bb548b56 ↩
Reuven Cohen. "How to Build and Deploy a ChatGPT Plugin in Python using Replit." LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tutorial-how-build-deploy-chatgpt-plugin-python-using-reuven-cohen ↩
Replit. "Now You Can Build with Replit in ChatGPT." https://blog.replit.com/replit-in-chatgpt ↩
David R. Oliver. "ChatGPT Show Me Diagrams Plugin." Medium. https://medium.com/@davidroliver/chatgpt-show-me-diagrams-plugin-2301290cc7f1 ↩
Zapier. "Sunsetting the Zapier ChatGPT plugin: what you need to know." https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/24785309335565-Sunsetting-the-Zapier-ChatGPT-plugin-what-you-need-to-know ↩
OpenAI Developer Community. "Have plugins been replaced completely?" https://community.openai.com/t/have-plugins-been-replaced-completely/475694 ↩