AI for Coding
Claude Code (CLI)
Section titled “Claude Code (CLI)”Best for: complex, multi-file work; tasks that require reading and editing real code; anything where you want to stay in the terminal.
Claude Code runs in your terminal inside VS Code. It can read files, run commands, make edits, and work through multi-step tasks. It understands what you’re building because it can actually see your project — not just the snippet you paste into a chat window.
Strong at: refactoring, debugging with full context, writing tests, following a CLAUDE.md instruction set.
See the VS Code CLI guides for setup and usage.
GitHub Copilot
Section titled “GitHub Copilot”Best for: autocomplete while you type; developers who want AI that stays out of the way.
Copilot sits inside your editor and suggests completions as you write. It’s unobtrusive — you keep coding and accept or reject suggestions with Tab. Copilot Chat adds a sidebar for asking questions without leaving the editor.
Works in VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim, and others. Requires a subscription.
Cursor
Section titled “Cursor”Best for: developers who want deep AI integration without switching to the terminal.
Cursor is a VS Code fork with AI features built into the editor core. It can edit multiple files at once, understands your codebase via an index, and has a chat interface alongside the editor. Feels more like “AI in the editor” than “AI beside the editor.”
See IDE Comparison for how it stacks up against stock VS Code + Claude Code.
ChatGPT (coding use)
Section titled “ChatGPT (coding use)”Best for: one-off code questions; explaining concepts; quick snippets where you don’t need full project context.
Useful when you want to ask a question without opening a project — “how does this algorithm work”, “write me a regex for X”, “explain this error message.” Not great for multi-file work or anything that requires knowing your codebase.
Picking one
Section titled “Picking one”| Tool | Works inside editor | Sees your full codebase | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | ✅ (terminal) | ✅ | Usage-based |
| GitHub Copilot | ✅ | Partial (open files) | Limited |
| Cursor | ✅ | ✅ (indexed) | Limited |
| ChatGPT | ❌ | ❌ (paste only) | ✅ |
For most developers building real projects: Claude Code for complex work, Copilot or Cursor for autocomplete. They complement each other.