Why Claude Code is the Best AI Coding Tool I have ever used

I was working on something for my website. I do not remember exactly what it was. What I remember is that Cursor could not get me there.

Cursor is an AI-powered IDE. A full code editor with AI built into it. It reads your files, writes code, understands your project. It is a legitimate tool and I used it for months. Most of my early issues with it have actually resolved by now. But at the time, I hit a wall. Whatever I was building, Cursor could not do it.

What Cursor did offer was the option to test different AI models. One of them was Claude.

I tried it. And something shifted.

It Hit Different

I do not say that casually.

Claude was hitting benchmarks that other models were not. At the time, it had a larger context window, which meant it could hold more of your project in its memory during a conversation. It followed coding standards and protocols more consistently. The output was cleaner. The reasoning was sharper. The capabilities were, at that point, beyond what I was getting from Cursor’s default models.

Whether that gap still exists today, I honestly do not know. The AI space moves fast. But at the time, the difference was clear enough that I made a decision.

I noticed something else, too. A lot of developers who were using Cursor were choosing to run Claude as their model inside of it. The problem was that using Claude through Cursor burned through tokens quickly. It got expensive. People were paying for Cursor and then paying again for Claude usage on top of it.

That is when I started looking into Claude Code.

I Downloaded Linux for This

Claude Code is Anthropic’s command-line tool. It does not live inside an IDE. It lives in your terminal. You talk to it in plain English and it works directly with your files, your project, your entire codebase.

When I found it, there was one problem. It was only available on Linux and macOS. Not Windows.

I have a Windows desktop and an MSI laptop. I had a MacBook, but I sold it a couple of months earlier to make rent. So the Mac route was not an option. I installed Linux on my desktop and set up Claude Code there.

That first session changed how I thought about building software.

It was not just that it worked. It was how fast I was learning. Every time Claude made a change, I could see what it did and why. Every session left me understanding more about my own projects than I did before I started. I was not just getting code written. I was getting an education.

Now Claude Code is on both machines. It has been my primary tool since.

What Claude Code Actually Does

For anyone who has never used a terminal before, let me explain what this tool is.

Your terminal is the text-based interface on your computer where developers run commands. No buttons. No menus. Just a blinking cursor waiting for instructions.

Claude Code sits inside that terminal. From there, it can:

• Read every file in your project

• Edit your code directly

• Run your tests and commands

• Search across your entire codebase

• Create pull requests on GitHub

• Connect to databases, APIs, and external services

It does not suggest changes and wait for you to copy them. It makes the changes. You review and approve.

Both Cursor and Claude Code can work with your files directly. The difference for me was not about capability alone. It was about the experience. Claude Code felt like a conversation with someone who understood the full picture of what I was building. Not just the file I had open. The whole thing.

I Do Not Just Use It for Code

This is the part that surprises people.

I run a consulting business. I manage multiple projects. I write articles. I research technologies I have never touched before. Claude is involved in almost all of it.

When I need to understand a new framework, I do not just search for tutorials. I ask Claude to research it, compare it against alternatives, and explain the trade-offs. When I receive a technical document or a PDF, I can ask Claude to break it down for me. When I need to organize a presentation, structure a proposal, or analyze data in a spreadsheet, Claude handles it.

Since around October 2025, I have learned more about software architecture, databases, deployment, APIs, and modern development practices than I did through years of formal and other types of education before that. Claude did not replace the learning. It compressed it. What used to take me weeks of reading and trial and error now happens in a focused session. I also get way more done now. Projects that would have taken me weeks move in days.

The tool does not make you smarter. It makes you faster at getting smarter.

The Setup Takes Two Minutes

If you want to try it:

1. Install Node.js (download the LTS version).

2. Open your terminal and run:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

3. Type claude and press enter.

4. Follow the authentication link to connect your Anthropic account.

5. Start talking. Plain English. Tell it what you need.

That is it.

What Makes It Stick

There are several AI coding tools available right now. I have tried most of them. What keeps me on Claude Code is not one feature. It is the combination.

Context. Claude Code reads your project structure, your config files, your dependencies. It understands what you are building, not just the file you are asking about.

Memory. Through a file called CLAUDE.md, you can tell Claude about your project once. Your tech stack. Your rules. Your preferences. Every session starts with that context already loaded.

Connections. Through MCP servers, Claude Code connects directly to GitHub, databases, Slack, and other tools. It does not just write code. It interacts with the systems your code lives in.

Safety. Anthropic builds with safety as a priority. Claude asks permission before editing files. It warns you before running anything destructive. It is designed to be careful, not just capable.

I Built a Free Cheat Sheet

Everything I have learned about Claude Code, I put into a cheat sheet and published it on GitHub. Every command. Every shortcut. Every configuration option. Written for beginners. No jargon.

Claude Code CLI Cheat Sheet

Use it. Share it. Contribute to it.

The Honest Part

I need to talk about something that does not get discussed enough.

Anthropic’s own research found that developers who used AI coding assistants scored 17 percentage points lower on skill assessments than those who coded by hand. The biggest gaps were in debugging and understanding why code fails. A Stanford study found that employment among young software developers fell nearly 20% between 2022 and 2025. And individual developers have reported that skills which used to feel instinctive became manual and cumbersome after relying on AI tools heavily.

I am not going to pretend I am immune to this.

Using Claude Code every day means I am building faster and learning architecture faster. But the raw, line-by-line coding muscle? I am honest enough to say it has probably taken a hit. When you have a tool that can write the implementation for you, the temptation to skip the fundamentals is real.

Here is the difference. I am aware of it.

I still practice. I read code. I write code by hand. I study the basics. Not every day, but intentionally and consistently. Because I know that the moment you stop understanding what the tool is doing for you, you stop being the one in control.

My trajectory is not toward being the fastest line-of-code writer. It is toward system architecture. Design. Understanding how things connect at scale. I am spending my time learning AI and machine learning, tactically, physically holding books and reading papers, writing things out, building that foundation the slow way on purpose.

AI tools are powerful. But power without awareness is how people end up dependent instead of capable.

Use the tools. But do not let the tools use you.

Who This Is Really For

I am a consultant who builds things because the work requires it and because I want to understand what I am building, not just outsource it.

Claude Code does not write code for you and call it a day. It writes code with you. And if you pay attention, you walk away knowing more than you did when you sat down.

If you are someone with ideas and the willingness to learn, the tools are here. The barrier to entry is a terminal and curiosity.

The rest is just showing up.

Forward → Upward ↑ Onward ↗︎
Mstimaj

Resources and Further Reading

• Claude Code Documentation – Official Anthropic docs
• Anthropic Research – AI safety and alignment research
• Claude Code CLI Cheat Sheet – Free beginner-friendly guide (by me)
• Model Context Protocol – How Claude connects to external tools
• Anthropic – The company behind Claude
• Node.js – Required to install Claude Code

Fatima Jalloh (Mstimaj) is a tech and AI consultant helping individuals and organizations leverage AI with intention. Connect with her at mstimaj.com.