Beginner 15 min read

Choosing Your AI Tools

Not all AI coding tools are created equal. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of each tool type so you can pick the right one for every task.

The AI Coding Tool Landscape

The AI coding tool ecosystem has exploded. There are now dozens of tools, each with different strengths. Choosing the wrong tool leads to frustration and wasted time. Choosing the right one makes you dramatically more productive.

Let's break down the major categories and when to use each.

Tool Categories

CLI Agents (Full Project Development)

These tools run in your terminal and can read, write, and modify files across your entire project. They excel at complex, multi-file tasks.

CLI Agent

Claude Code

Anthropic's official CLI tool. Excellent at understanding large codebases and making coordinated changes across multiple files.

Best for: Full-stack development, refactoring, complex features
CLI Agent

Aider

Open-source CLI that works with multiple AI models. Great for developers who want control over which model they use.

Best for: Model flexibility, open-source workflows

When to use CLI agents: Starting new projects, implementing features that touch multiple files, large refactors, or when you want the AI to have full context of your codebase.

IDE Integrations (Daily Coding)

These tools integrate directly into your code editor, providing real-time assistance as you type.

IDE Integration

Cursor

A VS Code fork built for AI-first development. Features include inline edits, chat, and codebase-aware suggestions.

Best for: Daily coding workflow, quick edits, learning codebases
IDE Extension

GitHub Copilot

The original AI coding assistant. Excellent autocomplete and inline suggestions that work across most editors.

Best for: Autocomplete, boilerplate code, staying in flow
IDE Integration

Windsurf

Codeium's IDE with "Cascade" feature for multi-file agentic coding within your editor.

Best for: Multi-file changes, editor-based workflows

When to use IDE tools: Day-to-day coding, writing new functions, understanding unfamiliar code, or when you need quick inline assistance without context switching.

Component Generators (Rapid UI)

These tools specialize in generating UI components from descriptions or designs.

Component Generator

v0.dev

Vercel's tool for generating React components with Tailwind CSS. Produces clean, production-ready UI code.

Best for: React/Next.js UI, landing pages, component libraries
Full-Stack Generator

Lovable

Generates full applications from descriptions. Great for MVPs and prototypes.

Best for: MVPs, prototypes, non-technical founders
Full-Stack Generator

Bolt.new

StackBlitz's in-browser development environment with AI. Build and deploy without local setup.

Best for: Quick prototypes, browser-based development

When to use generators: Building UI quickly, creating prototypes, landing pages, or when you need a visual starting point to iterate on.

Chat Interfaces (Planning & Learning)

General-purpose AI chat tools that excel at planning, explaining, and problem-solving.

Chat Interface

Claude.ai

Anthropic's web interface. Best for longer conversations, code review, and architectural discussions.

Best for: Planning, code review, learning, debugging
Chat Interface

ChatGPT

OpenAI's versatile assistant. Good for quick questions and general programming help.

Best for: Quick questions, general help, multi-modal tasks

Quick Comparison

Tool Strength Weakness Cost
Claude Code Full codebase understanding Requires terminal comfort $20/mo (Pro)
Cursor Seamless IDE experience Limited to editor context $20/mo (Pro)
GitHub Copilot Best autocomplete Less capable for complex tasks $10/mo
v0.dev Beautiful UI generation React/Tailwind only Free tier available
Lovable Full app generation Less control over code Free tier available

Decision Guide

Use this quick guide to pick the right tool:

What are you trying to do?

Building a new feature (multiple files) → Claude Code or Cursor
Writing code line-by-line → GitHub Copilot or Cursor
Creating UI components → v0.dev or Lovable
Planning architecture → Claude.ai or ChatGPT
Quick prototype/MVP → Lovable or Bolt.new
Refactoring large codebase → Claude Code
Learning a new codebase → Cursor or Claude Code

If you're just starting out, here's a simple stack:

  1. Primary tool: Lovable for building full applications quickly
  2. For learning: Claude.ai for understanding code and planning
  3. For UI: v0.dev for generating React components

As you get more comfortable:

  1. Add: Cursor for daily coding (great IDE experience)
  2. Add: Claude Code for complex multi-file work

Combining Tools Effectively

The most productive developers use multiple tools together:

Example Workflow: Building a Feature

  1. Plan with Claude.ai - discuss architecture, identify edge cases
  2. Generate UI with v0.dev - create the visual components
  3. Implement logic with Claude Code - build the feature across files
  4. Polish with Cursor - make small adjustments as you test

Example Workflow: Fixing a Bug

  1. Investigate with Claude Code - ask it to analyze the codebase
  2. Understand with Claude.ai - discuss the root cause
  3. Fix with Cursor or Claude Code - implement the solution

Key Insight: There's no single "best" tool. The best developers are fluent in multiple tools and switch between them based on the task. Start with one tool, get comfortable, then expand your toolkit.

Cost Considerations

Most tools have free tiers that are sufficient for learning:

  • Free options: Lovable (limited), v0.dev (limited), Claude.ai (limited), ChatGPT (limited)
  • Best value: GitHub Copilot at $10/mo for autocomplete
  • Pro tier: Claude Pro ($20/mo) gives access to Claude Code and higher limits

Recommendation: Start with free tiers. Once you're productive, a $20/mo subscription to Claude Pro or Cursor Pro will pay for itself in hours saved.