You've used both now: Claude in a web browser and Claude Code in the terminal. They're the same AI, but with very different capabilities. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right tool for each task.
🌐 Claude.ai (The Web Interface)
Claude.ai is Claude in a chat window. You type, Claude responds. It's conversational, easy to access, and great for:
- Thinking through problems — "Help me outline this project"
- Writing and editing — "Revise this email to be more concise"
- Explaining concepts — "What's the difference between REST and GraphQL?"
- Brainstorming — "Give me five ideas for a learning app"
- Reviewing code you paste in — "What does this function do?"
Key limitation: Claude.ai can only work with what you give it in the chat. It can't see your files, run code, or make changes to your computer.
💻 Claude Code (The Terminal Tool)
Claude Code is Claude with hands. It can:
- See your actual files — "What's in this folder?"
- Create and edit files — "Add a new section to index.html"
- Run commands — "Install these dependencies"
- Test and iterate — "Run this and tell me if there are errors"
- Work across multiple files — "Update all the headers to use the new style"
Key requirement: You need to run it in a terminal, in a specific folder. It works with real files on your real computer.
📊 Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Claude.ai | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Web browser | Terminal |
| Can see your files | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Can create/edit files | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Can run commands | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Best for conversation | ✅ Yes | Okay |
| Best for building | Limited | ✅ Yes |
| Requires subscription | Free tier available | Pro or API access |
Decision Flowchart: Which Tool to Use?
A simple flowchart to help you choose the right Claude tool for your task
📄 Preview PDF
🎯 When to Use Which
You're thinking, planning, writing, or discussing. When you don't need to create or modify files. When you want to have a conversation that might go in many directions. When you're on mobile or away from your computer.
You're building. When you have a project folder and want to create or modify real files. When you want Claude to see what's actually there and work with it. When you need to test, run, or iterate on actual code.
🧪 Practice: Scenario Matching
For each scenario below, which tool would you use? Think about it first, then click to reveal the answer.
🔄 Using Them Together
The tools complement each other. A typical workflow might look like:
🎯 Example Workflow: Building a Recipe App
"Help me plan out a simple recipe app. What features should it have? What files would I need?"
Have a back-and-forth conversation until you have a clear plan
"Can you write out the plan as a structured document I can reference?"
Get a concrete plan to work from
"Create the basic file structure for a recipe app based on this plan: [paste the plan]"
Claude creates the folder structure and initial files
"Add the recipe list feature" → "Now add the search functionality"
Build out features one at a time, testing as you go
You get an error you don't understand
Copy the error message...
"I'm getting this error: [paste error]. What might be causing it?"
Talk through the issue conversationally until you understand
"Fix the bug we just discussed" or apply the solution yourself
Make the fix and continue building
✨ Think → Build → Think → Build
Claude.ai is for thinking. Claude Code is for doing. Use the first to get clear on what you want, then use the second to make it real. When you get stuck, go back to Claude.ai to think through it, then return to Claude Code to implement. The best results come from alternating between the two.
💡 A Note on "Vibe-Coding"
If you've been using Claude.ai to write code, then copying it into files manually, that's what some people call "vibe-coding." It works, but it's slow and error-prone.
Claude Code streamlines this: no copying, no pasting, no manual file management. You describe what you want, Claude does it directly. The feedback loop is tighter.
⚡ Pro Tip
Claude Code doesn't replace thinking. The planning and conversation you'd do in Claude.ai is still valuable. In fact, it's more important than ever. The best results come from planning first, then building. That's what Module 2 is about.
✅ Success Check
You'll know you've got this when: you can look at a task and immediately know which Claude tool to use, and you understand how to use both tools together for complex projects.
📚 Resources & Further Reading
- Claude Documentation Complete guide to all Anthropic Claude products
- Claude Product Overview Compare features and choose the right plan
- Every's AI Column Real-world stories of building with AI tools
- Official Comparison Guide Anthropic's own breakdown of use cases for each tool
💭 Pause & Reflect
Before moving on to Module 2, take a moment to consider:
- Which tool feels more natural to you right now? Why?
- Can you think of a project where you'd use both tools together?
- What questions do you still have about when to use which?
- How has your perception of AI tools changed through Module 1?
🎉 Module 1 Complete!
You understand both tools and when to use them. Next: learning to plan before you build.
Module 1 Complete • Up Next: Module 2 – The Planning Mindset