Claude
Built by Anthropic. The primary build tool in this workflow. Long context, structured output, and native VS Code integration via Claude Code. The closest thing to a real coding partner that exists right now.
What Is Claude?
Claude is an AI assistant built by Anthropic. It's available as a chat interface at claude.ai and as a VS Code extension called Claude Code. In this workflow, it's the primary tool that reads your CLAUDE.md file and builds your project step by step.
claude.ai
The web interface. Good for planning, conversation, and quick questions. Has daily usage limits on the free tier.
Claude Code
The VS Code extension. Reads your project files, makes multi-file edits, runs terminal commands. This is where the actual building happens.
Claude API
For developers who want to build apps on top of Claude. Not needed for this workflow — but worth knowing it exists.
What Claude Is Best At
Not every AI is good at everything. These are the areas where Claude genuinely stands out.
CLAUDE.md Workflow
Claude reads structured context files better than any other AI. Drop in a filled CLAUDE.md and it has full project understanding instantly.
Long Context
Claude can hold an enormous amount of information in context — entire codebases, long documents, multi-file projects — without losing track of what it's building.
Structured Builds
Tell it to write a numbered build plan and it will. Tell it to execute Step 3 and only Step 3, it will. It follows structure better than most AI tools.
Clean Code Output
Claude writes readable, well-organized code. It doesn't over-engineer. It comments when necessary and stays in the lanes you define.
Multi-File Edits
Via Claude Code in VS Code, it can edit multiple files at once, understand how they relate, and make changes that stay consistent across the whole project.
Honest Answers
Claude tells you when it doesn't know something rather than hallucinating a confident wrong answer. That matters when you're building real things.
How Much Does It Cost?
Claude has a free tier. Here's the honest breakdown of what you get at each level.
claude.ai Free
$0 / month
- Access to Claude on the web
- Limited daily messages
- Good enough to get started
- Hits limits fast if you're building actively
Use this for learning the workflow. Switch to Pro when you're building in earnest.
Claude Pro
$20 / month
- 5x more usage than free
- Priority access when busy
- Access to newer models
- Works with Claude Code in VS Code
- Worth it if you're building weekly
This is what Billy uses. Pair it with ChatGPT free for debugging and you've got a full build setup for $20/month.
Claude Max
$100 / month
- 20x usage of free tier
- Highest priority access
- For heavy daily builders
- Teams and professionals
Only worth it if you're building multiple projects daily and consistently hitting Pro limits.
I've used every major AI tool. ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Copilot — all of them. Claude is the one I actually build with. Not because it's perfect. It's not. But when I drop in a CLAUDE.md and tell it to build step by step, it stays on track better than anything else I've used. It reads structure. It follows instructions. It knows when to ask instead of guess. For building real software, that discipline matters more than raw capability.
Honest Limitations
This site doesn't sell you anything, so it won't sugarcoat anything either. Here's where Claude actually falls short.
Usage Limits
Even on Pro, you'll hit daily limits if you're building hard. Claude will stop mid-session and make you wait. Plan for this — don't start a big build at the end of your daily limit.
Circular Error Loops
Claude sometimes gets stuck — it tries to fix an error, creates a new one, and cycles back. This is the most frustrating part of the workflow and it happens with every AI, not just Claude.
Context Window Drift
In very long sessions, Claude can start to lose track of earlier decisions. It might re-introduce something it already removed, or forget a constraint you set at the start.
Not Good at Real-Time Data
Claude's training has a cutoff date. It doesn't know what happened last week, current API docs that changed recently, or live pricing. Don't trust it for anything time-sensitive.
How to Access Claude
Two ways. Start with the web, graduate to VS Code.
🌐 claude.ai
Go to claude.ai and create a free account. Use this for conversations, planning, and learning. It's a good way to get familiar with how Claude thinks before you move into VS Code.
🛠 Claude Code in VS Code
This is where the real building happens. Install VS Code free, then install the Claude Code extension from the VS Code Extensions panel. Sign in with your Claude account. Claude can now read and edit your actual project files.
Full VS Code setup guide coming soon.
Ready to Build with Claude?
Start with the CLAUDE.md template. Fill it out. Drop it in VS Code. Tell Claude Code to read it. That's the whole setup.