Tool category
AI coding tools.
Choose coding tools by how close you want the AI to be to your repository, editor, pull requests, and deployment checks.
Quick comparison
| Setup | Best for | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Chat assistant | Learning, examples, planning, explanation. | ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini |
| AI editor | Daily code edits near the files. | Cursor, Windsurf, or Copilot |
| Terminal agent | Repo work with commands and diffs. | Claude Code |
| Task coding agent | Implementation, review, and debugging tasks. | OpenAI Codex |
| Autonomous dev agent | Clear issue-style tasks in a controlled environment. | OpenHands |
Start with these tools
Useful comparisons
Selection checklist
- Use chat for planning and explanations.
- Use an AI editor when file-level edits matter.
- Use GitHub for version history and review.
- Use deployment checks before declaring the project done.
Rule of thumb: choose the smallest tool stack that lets you produce, review, and verify the output.