Understand the real difference between Claude Chat and Claude Code — and decide which one is right for your work.
Claude Code and Claude Chat both use the same underlying AI model. The difference is what they can do.
| Claude Chat | Claude Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | claude.ai in your browser | Terminal, VS Code, or desktop app |
| Can edit files on your computer | No | Yes |
| Can run commands | No | Yes |
| Can commit to GitHub | No | Yes |
| Can automate tasks | No | Yes |
| Remembers your project | Only with Projects (Pro) | Yes — reads CLAUDE.md always |
| Supports skills / slash commands | No | Yes |
| Supports hooks (auto-actions) | No | Yes |
| Can use MCP servers | Limited | Full support |
| Needs installation | No | Yes (5 min) |
| Good for writing, research, ideas | Yes | Yes |
| Good for building and automating | No | Yes |
Use Claude Chat when you want to think and write.
- Draft content, emails, plans
- Research topics
- Brainstorm ideas
- Summarize documents
- Answer questions
Use Claude Code when you want to build and automate.
- Edit files on your computer
- Build scripts that do things automatically
- Manage code and git repositories
- Create automations that run while you sleep
- Connect Claude to other tools (Notion, Slack, GitHub)
You'll get real value from Claude Code if any of these are true:
You don't need to be a developer. Claude Code is designed to help people who aren't programmers build things that work.
That's completely fine. Modules 1 and 2 alone will dramatically improve your AI output. Come back to Module 3 when you're ready to go further.
Here's what changes when you switch to Claude Code:
CLAUDE.md — A file you write once that Claude reads automatically. Your clients, your preferences, your rules. Loaded every session. No pasting.
Skills — Slash commands you invoke in one line. /insync-social Write a post about X — done.
Hooks — Automatic actions that happen without you asking. Format a file every time Claude edits it. Run a test every time code changes. Notify you when Claude finishes.
MCP servers — Connect Claude to Notion, Slack, GitHub, databases. Claude can read your Notion tasks, post to Slack, create GitHub issues — all from one conversation.
Subagents — Spawn specialized AI assistants for research, code review, security — each with their own focus, running in parallel.
Next lesson: Installing Claude Code and your first real session — step by step.
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