Claude Code just destroyed all coding apps… it’s insane
By David Ondrej
AITechnologyStartup
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Key Concepts
- Claude Code: An AI coding agent by Anthropic that runs locally in the terminal.
- Vibe Coding: Using AI tools to enhance coding productivity.
- Auto Accept Mode: A Claude Code mode where commands are automatically approved.
- Plan Mode: A Claude Code mode for designing plans and outlines.
- MVP (Minimum Viable Product): A product with just enough features to satisfy early customers.
- Anthropic API: An interface for accessing Anthropic's AI models.
- Pandoc: A command-line tool for converting documents between formats.
- Cursor: A code editor with AI integration.
- Gemini 2.5 Pro: A powerful reasoning model by Google.
- Deep Work: Focused, uninterrupted work on a single task.
- Vibe Learning: Learning while using AI tools to code.
Installation and Setup of Claude Code
- Node.js Requirement: Claude Code requires Node.js version 18 or higher. A link to download Node.js is provided.
- Global Installation: The command
npm install -g @anthropic/claude-code
is used to install Claude Code globally on the computer. This command is executed in the terminal. - Cursor Integration: Claude Code is used within the Cursor code editor. An empty folder is opened in Cursor.
- Terminal Activation: A terminal is opened in Cursor using
command J
(orcontrol J
on Windows) or via the "Terminal" menu. - Claude Activation: The command
claude
is typed in the terminal to activate Claude Code. - Permissions: Claude Code requests permission to read files and folders, which must be granted.
- Theme Selection: The user is prompted to select a theme (e.g., dark mode).
- Prompting: After setup, the user can type prompts to instruct Claude Code.
Building a Slides Generator MVP
- Project Goal: To build an MVP of an app that generates presentation slides from plain English input, inspired by a tweet from Andrej Karpathy.
- Initial Prompt: The user provides a prompt based on Karpathy's tweet, specifying the need for an MVP that converts plain English to presentation slides. The prompt includes
clo pendoc syntax into pendoc Google slides
. - Mode Switching: The user switches to "plan mode" using
shift tab
to design a concise plan and codebase outline. - Plan Generation: Claude Code generates an initial plan, including web search and a summary of the MVP's core value proposition and technical stack (NodeJS, CLI, Anthropic API, Pandoc, Google Drive API).
- Feedback and Refinement: The user provides feedback to simplify the MVP, focusing on using the Anthropic API to generate Pandoc, with the user manually importing it into Google Slides.
- Revised Plan: Claude Code provides a revised plan with a minimal codebase, including
cursor-slides
,package.json
,.env
, and code files. - Codebase Outline Generation: The user switches to "auto accept mode" and instructs Claude Code to create the codebase outline.
- Detailed Code Architecture: Claude Code designs a detailed code architecture, including folders like
src
with services for API integration, Pandoc execution, prompts, and utilities. - File Creation: The user refines the prompt to instruct Claude Code to actually create the files in the outline.
- File Creation Process: Claude Code creates files like
package.json
,.env
, and files within thesrc
folder, following the designed architecture. - Command Approval: The user approves commands (e.g.,
mkDir
) and can set them to be auto-accepted for the project. - Settings.json: Claude Code saves approved commands in the
settings.json
file within the.claude
folder.
Daily Use and Productivity Tips
- Combining Tools: The speaker emphasizes the power of combining Claude Code with other AI tools like Cursor's Gemini 2.5 Pro preview and GPT-4.
- Prompt Refinement: The speaker demonstrates how to refine previous prompts by pressing
escape
twice and using arrow keys to select and edit previous messages. - MVP Roadmap: The user instructs Claude Code to design a five-stage plan for building the MVP.
- Model Selection: The user discusses the
/model
command to switch between different Claude models (Opus, Sonnet, Haiku), noting the trade-offs between speed and cost. - Cost Management: The speaker discusses the cost of using Opus and suggests using Sonnet for most tasks to manage expenses.
- Login Options: The speaker explains the login options for Claude Code, including using a Claude subscription or API key.
- Claude Max Subscription: The speaker recommends the Claude Max subscription for heavy users due to its increased usage limits.
- Markdown Formatting: The speaker recommends formatting prompts in Markdown for better AI model adherence.
- /init Command: The speaker highlights the
/init
command, which initializes acloud.md
file with codebase documentation. - Focus and Productivity: The speaker emphasizes that Claude Code encourages focus on a single task, contrasting it with asynchronous agents that promote multitasking.
- Vibe Learning: The speaker encourages "vibe learning" by using Cursor's ask mode to learn about concepts while Claude Code is running.
Building the MVP Stages
- Stage 1: Command-Line Interface (CLI): Claude Code sets up the CLI, including argument parsing and environment variable loading.
- Stage 2: Anthropic API Integration: Claude Code implements the Anthropic API client and designs a prompt template for Pandoc Markdown.
- Stage 3: Pandoc Execution: Claude Code creates a Pandoc execution function and handles Markdown to PPTX conversion.
- Stage 4: Component Connection: Claude Code connects all components in the main CLI workflow, adds error handling, and implements file cleanup.
- Stage 5: Testing and Polish: Claude Code tests the tool, improves error handling, and validates the output.
Testing and Results
- Google Slides Import: The speaker tests the generated PPTX file by importing it into Google Slides.
- Successful Presentation: The presentation is successfully imported, with editable text and a title.
- Content Quality: The generated slides contain real information about Bitcoin, demonstrating the quality of the output.
Key Takeaways
- Claude Code is a powerful AI coding agent that can significantly enhance coding productivity.
- Combining Claude Code with other AI tools and adopting a "vibe learning" approach can further boost productivity.
- Careful prompt engineering, cost management, and a focus on deep work are essential for effective use of Claude Code.
- The speaker's experience building a successful AI startup, Vectal, provides valuable insights into using AI for coding and productivity.
- The MVP built in the video demonstrates the potential of Claude Code for automating tasks like generating presentations.
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