Reference Guide

Claude AI Tools

Five tools, one AI. Know which to reach for and when.

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Claude Chat

claude.ai / app / mobile

Best for: Strategy, analysis, drafting, research.

  • Web search and Google Drive integration built in
  • Artifacts for interactive previews and documents
  • Desktop Commander extends it with local file access, but the connection can drop on tab switch
  • Great for planning before building, drafting proposals, and analyzing requirements
Planning & Research

Claude Code

Terminal CLI

Best for: Building files, running scripts, debugging autonomously.

  • Full file system access — reads and writes directly
  • Reads CLAUDE.md automatically for project context
  • Use --dangerously-skip-permissions for fully autonomous work
  • No web search, no screen vision — pure code execution
  • Best tool for multi-step autonomous coding tasks
Building & Coding

Cowork

Desktop App

Best for: Screen-aware persistent assistant.

  • Sees any open app natively — no screenshots needed
  • Stable Desktop Commander connection (doesn't drop like browser tabs)
  • Good for visual review, sustained file work, and app interaction
  • Review open Word documents, check spreadsheet layouts, interact with desktop apps
Visual & Desktop

Claude in Chrome

Chrome Extension

Best for: Browser automation.

  • Navigate, click, fill forms, read pages — all automated
  • Perfect for: Supabase dashboard setup, Vercel config, copying credentials
  • Any web UI task that would take manual clicking
  • MCP tool connected to Claude.ai
Browser Automation

Desktop Commander

MCP Extension

Best for: Bridging Chat/Cowork to local filesystem and terminal.

  • Read/write files, run commands, search code — from within Chat or Cowork
  • Fragile in Chat (drops when you switch tabs)
  • Stable in Cowork (persistent connection)
  • Not a standalone tool — it extends Chat and Cowork with local access
Bridge / Extension

CLAUDE.md — The Project Context File

What it is

A markdown file at the root of any project, read automatically by Claude Code (and any tool that touches the filesystem via Desktop Commander).

What goes in it

  • Tech stack and architecture decisions
  • Environment variables and their purposes
  • Database schema summaries
  • Coding conventions and patterns
  • Build phases and deployment steps
  • Key decisions and their rationale

Why it matters

It's the bridge between planning in Chat and building in Code. Claude Code, Cowork, and any tool that touches the filesystem picks up context from it — making every interaction more accurate and aligned with your project.

How to maintain it

  • Update at the end of each working session
  • Keep phase checklists current
  • Add new decisions and conventions as they emerge
  • Remove completed phases to keep it focused
Capability Chat + DC Claude Code Cowork Claude in Chrome
Strategy & analysis Best Possible Yes No
See your screen No No Native No (sees web pages only)
Read/write local files Via DC (unstable) Yes Stable DC No
Run terminal commands Via DC Best Via DC No
Build .docx / .pptx Via DC + node Best Via DC + node No
Autonomous multi-step Manual prompting Best Possible No
Persistent DC connection Drops on tab switch N/A Always stable N/A
Web search / Google Drive Yes No Yes No
Browser automation No No No Native
Review open apps (Word, etc.) No No Native No
Fill web forms / click buttons No No No Native
DC stability note: Desktop Commander connects through the browser extension. Switching tabs or opening a second Claude session can steal the connection. Cowork bypasses this. Claude in Chrome is separate — it automates the browser itself, not the file system.
Plan architecture or analyze requirementsChat
Build a full web applicationClaude Code
Debug a build failureClaude Code
Create a Supabase Storage bucketClaude in Chrome
Copy API keys from Vercel settingsClaude in Chrome
Create admin user in Supabase Auth dashboardClaude in Chrome
Review an open Word document visuallyCowork
Read a local file during a chat conversationChat + DC
Run long autonomous coding task unattendedClaude Code
Fill out a web form or configure SaaS settingsClaude in Chrome
Search Google Drive for a documentChat
Draft an email or proposalChat
Multi-step file work without DC droppingCowork
Build and deploy from terminalClaude Code
Configure DNS or domain settingsClaude in Chrome

Recommended Workflow

Chat (plan) → Claude in Chrome (configure services) → Claude Code (build) → Cowork (review). Each tool doing exactly what it's best at.