Step 2 of 8

Setup Your Tools

Before you can start vibe coding, you need the right tools. This guide covers the most popular AI coding assistants and how to set them up.

Choosing your tool

There are several AI coding tools available. Each has its strengths. Here is a quick comparison to help you choose:

Tool Best for Price Learning curve
Claude Code Terminal lovers, full project context $20/month (Pro) Medium
Cursor Visual learners, VS Code users $20/month (Pro) Low
GitHub Copilot Existing VS Code workflow $10/month Low
Windsurf Beginners, simple projects Free tier available Very low
Our recommendation: If you are new to coding, start with Cursor. If you are comfortable with the terminal, try Claude Code. You can always switch later.

Option 1: Claude Code (CLI)

Claude Code is a command-line tool from Anthropic. It runs in your terminal and can see your entire project. This gives it excellent context for making changes across multiple files.

Installation

First, make sure you have Node.js installed (version 18 or higher). Then run:

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

Setup

After installation, authenticate with your Anthropic account:

claude login

This will open a browser window where you can sign in.

Basic usage

Navigate to your project folder and start Claude Code:

cd your-project-folder
claude

You can now type natural language requests. Claude will read your files, suggest changes, and execute commands.

Example session
You: Create a new React component called Button with primary and secondary variants

Claude: I'll create a Button component for you...
[Creates src/components/Button.jsx]
[Creates src/components/Button.css]

You: Add a loading state to the button

Claude: I'll add a loading state with a spinner...
[Updates Button.jsx with isLoading prop]

Option 2: Cursor

Cursor is a code editor built specifically for AI-assisted development. It is based on VS Code, so it will feel familiar if you have used VS Code before.

Installation

  1. Go to cursor.com
  2. Download the installer for your operating system
  3. Run the installer and follow the prompts
  4. Sign up for an account when prompted

Key features

  • Cmd+K (Ctrl+K on Windows): Edit selected code with AI
  • Cmd+L: Open the AI chat panel
  • Tab: Accept AI suggestions as you type
  • @file: Reference specific files in your prompts

Recommended settings

Open Settings (Cmd+,) and enable these options:

  • Enable "Cursor Tab" for inline completions
  • Set your preferred AI model (Claude or GPT-4)
  • Enable "Codebase indexing" for better context

Option 3: GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is an AI extension for VS Code (and other editors). It excels at autocomplete and writing code based on comments.

Installation

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Go to Extensions (Cmd+Shift+X)
  3. Search for "GitHub Copilot"
  4. Click Install
  5. Sign in with your GitHub account

How to use it

Copilot works automatically as you type. Write a comment describing what you want, and Copilot will suggest code:

// Function to validate email address
// Returns true if valid, false otherwise
function validateEmail(email) {
  // Copilot will suggest the implementation here
}

Press Tab to accept a suggestion, or Esc to dismiss it.

Copilot Chat: GitHub also offers Copilot Chat, which adds a chat panel similar to Cursor. You can install it as a separate extension.

Option 4: Other tools

The AI coding space is evolving fast. Here are some other tools worth knowing about:

Windsurf

A newer IDE with AI built in. Has a generous free tier and is very beginner-friendly. Good for learning.

Bolt (bolt.new)

A browser-based tool that can scaffold entire projects. Great for quick prototypes. You describe what you want and it generates a working app.

Replit Agent

An AI assistant built into Replit. Can create and deploy apps entirely in the browser. Good if you do not want to install anything locally.

v0 by Vercel

Specialized in generating UI components. Describe a component and it creates it with React and Tailwind CSS. Excellent for frontend work.

Essential prerequisites

Regardless of which AI tool you choose, you will need these basics installed:

Node.js

Required for most JavaScript projects. Download from nodejs.org (LTS version recommended).

node --version # Should show v18 or higher

Git

Version control is essential. Download from git-scm.com or install via your package manager.

git --version # Should show git version 2.x

A code editor

If not using Cursor, install VS Code. It is free and works on all platforms.

Checklist: Ready to code?