When to Use What
Browser chat vs CLI tools — they're complementary, not competing
Two tools, two superpowers
You’ve probably already used ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini in your browser. Those are great tools. But the CLI tools we’re teaching in this course are different tools — and understanding when to use which one is a key orchestration skill.
Browser chat (ChatGPT, Claude.ai, Gemini):
- Runs in your web browser
- You type messages, it responds
- Good for conversations, questions, brainstorming, writing
- Can’t see or modify files on your computer
CLI tools (Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Codex CLI):
- Runs in your terminal
- Has access to your project files
- Can create, edit, and delete files
- Can run commands, tests, and builds
- Designed for multi-step building tasks
The key difference: browser chat talks about things, CLI tools do things.
The decision guide
Not sure which to use? Walk through this interactive flowchart:
What are you trying to do?
The framework
Here’s a simple rule of thumb:
| If you’re… | Use |
|---|---|
| Asking a question | Browser chat |
| Having a conversation | Browser chat |
| Brainstorming ideas | Browser chat |
| Writing (emails, docs, posts) | Browser chat |
| Learning a concept | Browser chat |
| Building a project | CLI tool |
| Editing existing files | CLI tool |
| Setting up an environment | CLI tool |
| Debugging code | CLI tool |
| Multi-step tasks with files | CLI tool |
Why CLI tools are better for building
When you paste code into a browser chat, there’s a lot of friction:
- You copy code from the chat
- You paste it into a file
- You realize you need to copy it into the right file
- Something doesn’t work
- You copy the error message back into the chat
- You get new code
- You copy-paste again
- Repeat 10-50 times
With a CLI tool:
- You describe what you want
- The tool reads your project, makes the changes, and runs the code
- If something breaks, it sees the error and fixes it
- Done
The AI can see your entire project. It knows what files exist, what code is already written, what dependencies you’re using. This context makes it dramatically more effective than pasting snippets into a browser chat window.
The biggest advantage of CLI tools is context. When Claude Code reads your project, it understands your file structure, your coding style, your dependencies, and your existing code. It’s like the difference between explaining your house to a contractor over the phone vs. having them walk through it in person.
They work together
The best workflow often combines both:
- Browser chat — “I want to build a task tracker. What’s a good tech stack? What features should I prioritize?” → Get ideas, make decisions
- CLI tool — “Build me a task tracker with React, local storage, and a dark theme” → Actually build it
- Browser chat — “Here’s my code. Is there a security issue with how I’m handling user input?” → Get a review
- CLI tool — “Add input sanitization to the form component” → Fix the issue
Think of browser chat as your advisor and CLI tools as your builders.
Common misconceptions
“I should use the CLI for everything now” No! Browser chat is still the best tool for conversations, brainstorming, and quick questions. Use the right tool for the job.
“Browser chat can do the same thing if I paste my code” Technically, yes. Practically, no. The copy-paste workflow is slow and error-prone. CLI tools see your whole project, run commands, and iterate automatically. It’s a completely different experience.
“CLI tools are for developers only” They were, maybe 6 months ago. Now they’re designed for anyone who can type clear instructions. That’s literally what this course teaches.
“I need to understand the code the CLI produces” Not line by line, no. You need to understand what it did (created a form, added a route, updated a style) and whether it works (does the page load? does the form submit?). That’s verification, not code review.
When should you prefer a CLI tool over browser chat?