I used ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and a few autocomplete plugins. They were clever, sometimes helpful, but always felt like assistants rather than collaborators. Do some basic edits, make some unit tests, consider CI/CD for my project.
Then I tried Claude Code.
It didn’t just help me write code. It changed how I build software.
Today, it is my AI pair programmer working directly in VS Code, and it writes about 95 percent of the code I ship.
This post breaks down how I use Claude Code every day and why I think it is the most valuable developer productivity tool available right now.
What Is Claude Code?
Claude Code is an AI coding assistant developed by Anthropic. It works inside your editor and understands your entire project structure. More than just suggesting lines, it collaborates with you across the full development process. From UX design to implementation to iteration, it supports decisions and builds alongside you.
Where most tools assist reactively, Claude Code feels like a thinking partner who is fully engaged in your work.
How I Use Claude Code in My Daily Workflow
Claude Code is now a core part of how I build software. I use it every day. My workflow typically looks like this:
I describe a product feature or UX flow.
Claude helps shape the design and component structure.
It writes most of the code, including front-end and back-end logic.
I guide and review the output, asking for refinements or iterations.
Claude updates the code or extends it based on my input.
There is no copying between tools, no bouncing between chat interfaces and editors. I stay in one environment and move from idea to working feature much faster.
Why I Use Claude Code Over Anything Else
I still use GitHub Copilot for quick suggestions or while Claude is working on a bigger change. It is great for simple in-line edits or filling in boilerplate.
But Claude Code does more than assist. It collaborates. It helps me make architectural decisions, proposes file structures, reasons about dependencies, and then implements full features in a way that matches how I think and work.
It is the only tool I have used that truly feels like pair programming.
Claude Helps Me Think, Not Just Code
One of the biggest changes I have noticed is that Claude has helped me think more clearly as an engineer. It is not just helping with code. It is helping me reason through what I am building and why.
I used to rely on separate tools for design discussions or high-level planning. Now, Claude Code helps me decide what to build and how to build it, and then actually does the implementation. It keeps me in flow, reduces context switching, and accelerates decision-making.
A Few Practical Tips
If you are trying Claude Code or curious about how to get more from it, here are a few things that work well in my day-to-day use:
Use the VS Code extension. That is where Claude really shines. It understands your whole project.
Write prompts the way you talk. Describe what you want as clearly as possible. Example: “Add a modal for editing user email with validation.”
Ask for explanations. Claude will often explain its reasoning, which helps keep you aligned.
Stay in the loop. It is powerful, but you still need to review and refine. Sometimes it touches more than it needs to.
Control the verbosity. If it talks too much, tell it. “Be concise” or “show code only” usually works.
What Could Be Better
Claude is not perfect. There are a few places where I have to stay involved.
It occasionally over-edits or makes broader changes than necessary.
Sometimes the explanations are too verbose, though they help clarify intent.
I still manually review and test everything before shipping, but Claude often gets me 90 percent of the way there.
These are minor tradeoffs compared to the speed and clarity I gain.
Real Productivity Gains
There have been moments where Claude helped me finish something in 20 minutes that would have taken several hours. Not because I could not do it, but because it handled the repetition, the structure, and the small decisions that slow things down.
It gives me time to focus on the hard parts and lets me move faster on the rest.
Final Thoughts
Claude Code is not just another dev tool. It is not just faster autocomplete. It is a shift in how development happens.
It helps me design, build, and refine software from within the editor. It collaborates with context and clarity. It feels like a teammate who works fast, reasons well, and never takes a break.
If you are building anything serious and not using an AI tool that understands your full codebase, you are missing a huge opportunity to change how you work.
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I’m Joe Dwyer, founder and CTO of LedgerView, where I'm building AI-powered tools for accountants and bookkeepers to eliminate dirty accounting data and speed up month-end close.
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