Choosing your first AI coding tool

There are more AI coding tools every month, and they blur together. It helps to sort them by how much of the work they hide from you.

Three kinds of tools

1. App builders: describe an app in a browser and get a working version. Fastest start, least control.
2. AI code editors: a code editor with AI built in. You see and own every file.
3. Coding agents: an AI that works through a whole task in your project: reading files, running commands, making changes.

What actually matters

The tool matters less than the process. Whatever you choose, you still want a PRD, a feature list, a design file, small steps and Git. Those carry over when you switch tools. And you will switch tools.

Written by

Samuel Audu

I build real products with AI and teach the process in a live class. More about me