There are two broad kinds of AI coding tools, and picking the wrong one for your first project is the #1 reason beginners quit in week one.
Chat tools
Claude, ChatGPT: conversation-first tools you can use in a browser, a desktop app, or on your phone. You describe what you want, they hand back code or a working preview, and you copy it somewhere (or use a built-in preview if the tool offers one).
Best for: your very first project, quick one-off pages, anything you don't need to keep editing long-term.
Project tools
These work on real files in a folder on your computer, not just a back-and-forth in a chat window. Two common flavors:
- In-editor tools like Cursor: AI built into a code editor, working on the files you have open.
- Terminal agents like Claude Code: AI you run from the terminal that can read, change, and run things across your whole project.
Best for: anything you plan to keep building on, connect to other services, or eventually put online properly.
You don't need to pick the "best" tool. You need to pick the one that matches what you're making this week.