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Alp Yalay edited this page Aug 10, 2025 · 1 revision

AI Tools Guide

AI Platforms for Research and Planning

Research Phase AI Models

Gemini 2.5 Pro

  • Access: AI Studio (Free)
  • Context Window: 1M tokens
  • Best For: Comprehensive research with large context
  • Pricing: Free tier available
  • Advantages: Superior for processing extensive research materials

Claude 4.1 Opus / Claude 4 Sonnet

  • Access: Claude.ai
  • Best For: Technical analysis and structured documents
  • Pricing: Free tier limited, Pro $20/month
  • Advantages: Best for architecture decisions and PRD creation

GPT-5

  • Access: ChatGPT
  • Best For: Quick iterations and user story generation
  • Pricing: Free tier limited, Plus $20/month
  • Advantages: Fast response times and good general capabilities

AI Coding Agents and IDEs

Terminal-Based Agents

Claude Code

  • Type: Terminal-based autonomous agent
  • Installation: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
  • Best For: Advanced users who want full control
  • Capabilities: Complete project management, autonomous coding
  • Learning Curve: High
  • Cost: Anthropic API costs

Gemini CLI

  • Type: Open-source terminal agent
  • Installation: npx https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli
  • Best For: Cost-conscious developers
  • Capabilities: Free coding assistance with Gemini models
  • Learning Curve: Medium-High
  • Cost: Free with Gemini API

Async/Cloud Agents

Jules by Google

  • Type: Asynchronous coding agent
  • Access: Jules.google.com
  • Best For: Independent work while user focuses elsewhere
  • Capabilities: Autonomous development with progress reports
  • Features: Audio summaries, automatic PR creation
  • Learning Curve: Low-Medium

IDE-Based Tools

Cursor

  • Type: AI-powered code editor
  • Access: Cursor.sh
  • Pricing: $20/month for Pro features
  • Best For: Powerful coding with AI assistance
  • Capabilities:
    • Complete codebase understanding
    • Multi-file editing
    • Chat with codebase
    • Terminal integration
  • Learning Curve: Medium
  • Advantages: Most capable IDE-based solution

Windsurf

  • Type: Beginner-friendly AI IDE
  • Best For: New developers learning to code
  • Capabilities:
    • Cascade AI with deep codebase understanding
    • Supercomplete for multi-line suggestions
    • Intuitive interface
  • Learning Curve: Low
  • Advantages: Designed for beginners

Cline (formerly Claude Dev)

  • Type: Open-source VS Code extension
  • Installation: VS Code extension marketplace
  • Best For: Developers who want transparency and control
  • Capabilities:
    • MCP Marketplace integration
    • Full VS Code integration
    • Open-source and customizable
  • Learning Curve: Medium
  • Advantages: Free and highly customizable

GitHub Copilot

  • Type: AI pair programmer
  • Access: VS Code extension
  • Pricing: $10/month individual, $19/month business
  • Best For: Traditional developers wanting AI assistance
  • Capabilities: Code completion, chat assistance
  • Learning Curve: Low-Medium
  • Advantages: Mature ecosystem, great for beginners

No-Code Platforms

Bolt.new

  • Type: Instant web app generator
  • Access: Bolt.new
  • Pricing: Free tier, Pro $20/month
  • Best For: Rapid prototyping and simple web apps
  • Capabilities:
    • Instant deployment
    • No setup required
    • Direct from description to working app
  • Learning Curve: Minimal
  • Advantages: Fastest time to deployment

Lovable

  • Type: AI full-stack engineer
  • Access: Lovable.dev
  • Pricing: $25/month
  • Best For: Complete applications without coding
  • Capabilities:
    • Full-stack application generation
    • Database design
    • API integration
    • Professional deployment
  • Learning Curve: Minimal
  • Advantages: Most comprehensive no-code solution

v0 by Vercel

  • Type: UI component generator
  • Access: v0.dev
  • Best For: React component generation
  • Capabilities: Generate React components from descriptions
  • Learning Curve: Low
  • Integration: Works with existing React projects

Tool Selection Matrix

By Experience Level

Experience Level Recommended Primary Tool Alternative Options
Complete Beginner Windsurf or Bolt.new Lovable, v0
Learning to Code Cursor + Claude 4 Windsurf, Cline
Experienced Developer Claude Code Cursor, Jules
Budget Conscious Cline + Gemini CLI GitHub Copilot
Need Results Today Lovable or Bolt.new Windsurf

By Project Type

Project Type Best Tool Reason
Simple Web App Bolt.new Instant deployment
Complex Web App Cursor + Claude Full codebase understanding
Mobile App Cursor + Claude Best mobile framework support
Learning Project Windsurf Educational features
Enterprise App Claude Code Professional development workflow

By Budget

Budget Tools Monthly Cost
Free Only Cline + Gemini CLI, VS Code + Copilot free tier $0
Under $25 Cursor OR GitHub Copilot + Claude free tier $10-20
Under $50 Cursor + Claude Pro OR Lovable + AI platform $25-45
Flexible Claude Code + Claude Pro + Cursor $40+

Setup and Configuration

Quick Setup by Tool

Cursor Setup

  1. Download from cursor.sh
  2. Install and open project folder
  3. Configure AI model preferences
  4. Add .cursorrules file to project

Claude Code Setup

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
cd your-project
claude init
# Configure API key
claude "Read NOTES.md and start building"

Windsurf Setup

  1. Download Windsurf IDE
  2. Open project folder
  3. Add .windsurfrules file
  4. Start with simple prompt

No-Code Platform Setup

  1. Go to platform website
  2. Create account
  3. Paste PRD content
  4. Generate and deploy

Integration Capabilities

Version Control

  • All tools support Git integration
  • Claude Code and Cursor offer advanced Git workflows
  • Jules creates automatic PRs

Deployment Integration

  • Bolt.new and Lovable offer instant deployment
  • Cursor and Claude Code integrate with Vercel, Netlify
  • All tools can generate deployment scripts

Database Integration

  • All tools support popular databases
  • Lovable includes database design
  • Cursor and Claude Code handle complex schemas

Performance and Limitations

Speed Comparison

  1. Bolt.new/Lovable - Instant results
  2. Windsurf - Fast with good UI
  3. Cursor - Fast with powerful features
  4. Claude Code - Thorough but slower
  5. Cline - Speed varies by VS Code performance

Context Window Limitations

  • Claude models: 200K tokens
  • Gemini 2.5 Pro: 1M tokens
  • GPT models: 128K tokens
  • Consider context limits for large projects

Cost Considerations

  • API costs vary by usage
  • Monthly subscriptions for IDE tools
  • Free tiers available for most platforms
  • Monitor usage to avoid unexpected costs

Best Practices by Tool

Universal Best Practices

  1. Start simple - Implement MVP features first
  2. Test incrementally - Verify each feature works
  3. Version control - Commit working code regularly
  4. Read documentation - Understand tool capabilities
  5. Use specific prompts - Clear instructions get better results

Tool-Specific Tips

  • Cursor: Use chat with codebase for complex refactoring
  • Claude Code: Leverage autonomous capabilities for large tasks
  • Windsurf: Use Supercomplete for learning code patterns
  • Bolt.new: Iterate quickly with natural language descriptions
  • Cline: Customize with MCP marketplace tools
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