Cursor, Claude, Codex: If you want to code with AI, look no further

Coding has crossed a point of no return, and I say this as someone who still remembers writing code alone at 2 AM, arguing with error logs like they were stubborn people. My friends in the coding industry and I have seen many shifts, from frameworks to cloud to automation, but this one feels different. AI is no longer a side tool, but it sits next to you while you write code, reads what you mean, and often finishes your thoughts as they suggest the upcoming lines of the code you initiated. If you are coding today, you are not just choosing a language or an editor. Instead, you’re choosing how much help you allow yourself. In this article we’ll explore the best tools you can use if you want to code with AI. 

Claude: The best engineer you can talk to

Claude is the very first on my list of the best tools you can use if you want to code with AI. Claude isn’t just an AI; rather, it feels like having a teammate you message when you are unsure about your thoughts or next move and need assistance rather than judgements like your seniors do. Jokes apart, I’ve had long conversations with it about the most trivial things, like the system design, edge cases, and even whether my approach makes sense at all.

How to use Claude for coding

If you’re wondering how you can also use Claude for coding, then let me just tell you the general steps for that:

1. Describe your problem in plain language, not perfect terms.
2. Paste snippets and ask what is wrong or how to improve them.
3. Ask for step-by-step explanations when learning something new.
4. Use it to design features before writing actual code.
5. Review logic by asking Claude to walk through it like a human.
6. Ask for trade-offs instead of just solutions.

Many developers I know use Claude as a thinking partner before writing code.  It doesn’t rush you, but it listens, explains, and helps you reason your way forward, which is rare and valuable in fast-moving projects.

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Cursor: The IDE that actually understands your code

If you don’t want the hassle of switching apps and are looking for an AI tool that could be integrated within your coding environment, then Cursor is for you. The reason I included Cursor in my list of the best tools you can use if you want to code with AI is that it felt like the editor knew what I was trying to build and not just what I was typing.

How to use Cursor for coding

Using Cursor for coding is easy; all you need to do is follow the easy steps below:

1. Install Cursor and open your existing project, not a demo folder.
2. Let it index your full codebase so it learns structure and patterns.
3. Use inline prompts to ask for changes directly inside files.
4. Highlight code and ask for refactors, fixes, or explanations.
5. Use chat to ask project-level questions like how parts connect.
6. Accept or reject suggestions line by line to stay in control.

My friends and I often joke that Cursor reads the room of our codebase. Aside from that, it also understands relationships between files, catches patterns we forgot existed, and suggests changes that actually fit our project instead of generic fixes.

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Codex: The engine behind autonomous coding

If you find Claude and Cursor exciting, I insist you try Codex.  The tool from our beloved AI helper ChatGPT is built differently. Much like other tools in the list, it does not want to talk much, but rather it wants to build what it’s asked to. Handing tasks to Codex feels like assigning work to a fast junior developer who never complains. It can generate large chunks of code, handle repetitive changes, and execute clear instructions at scale.

How to use Codex for coding

If you want to use Codex, then you need to have an active ChatGPT premium subscription. If you have one, then you can follow the steps below:

1. Head to ChatGPT, and in the menu on the right, find Codex and press it.
2. Define what you want to build, including the programming language, goal and constraints. 
3. Describe the task in plain English. You can also provide context or existing code.
4. Let it generate full functions or modules.
5. Review outputs carefully before merging.
6. Use it for repetitive or large-scale changes, if any.
7. Combine it with tests to validate results.

Codex is most useful when the workload is heavy, even if the work itself isn’t creative. It saves time and energy as long as you review its output carefully. When used wisely, Codex can turn long coding sessions into shorter, more focused ones.

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How developers actually combine Cursor, Claude, and Codex

While each of the above-mentioned tools is capable of handling coding requests on its own, most developers do not rely on a single tool alone. After speaking with various coders in the industry, I learnt that developers don’t pick one tool and ignore the rest; instead, they use them together in a complementary way. Typically, developers start with Claude to shape and refine ideas, then use Cursor to assist with writing code, and finally turn to Codex for large-scale bug fixing or comprehensive code review.

One developer told me, ‘I talk to Claude before I open my editor. It helps me clear my head. ‘ Once the plan feels right, you move into Cursor. You write code with AI suggestions flowing inline, adjusting and refining as you go. When a task grows large or boring, Codex steps in.

Another developer said, ‘Codex handles the heavy lifting, Cursor keeps me grounded, and Claude keeps me sane.’ That line stuck with me. These tools work best when they support different mental states. Thinking, writing, and executing no longer fight for your attention. They cooperate.

Benefits of using AI tools that coders talk about

Here are some of the benefits of using the AI tools for coding:

• You spend less time stuck and more time shipping.
• Code reviews improve because logic is clearer.
• Learning new stacks becomes faster and less stressful.
• Refactoring feels safer with AI watching patterns.
• Solo developers feel less alone in complex projects.

Bottlenecks introduced by AI coding agents

While there are several benefits, the industry experts also told me that AI also creates some challenges. Here are some of them:

• Overtrusting suggestions without understanding them can land you in problems down the line.
• If you overprompt the AI tools instead of acting on the given code, it slows your work and decisions.
• Code provided by the AI tools can be messy if you didn’t review it.
• Too many options can sometimes create unnecessary distraction, and a simple task could become complex.

If you are still coding alone, you are already behind

This is not meant as an insult, but something I had to accept myself. Coding alone once felt like freedom, but today it often makes things harder than they need to be. My friends and I still write code, debug, and think deeply; we just do it with help from AI. If you use that help, you learn faster and get more done. However, if you don’t, then the gap will eventually grow. While I strongly feel that AI won’t replace you, I also feel that the developers who use it well will. What’s your take on that? Do let me know at bhaskar.sharma@timesgroup.com.