3 Ways to Vibe Code with Claude Code - Which One Should You Use?

You've probably tried asking "explain this code," "add this feature," or "find this bug" on Claude.ai or ChatGPT before. But when it comes to actually modifying files, committing, and pushing? Copy-paste hell begins.

That's why Claude Code exists. But now there are 3 versions...

• Claude.ai web + GitHub integration
• Claude Code CLI (terminal)
• Claude Code VSCode extension

I was confused at first too. Aren't they all the same thing? But after using them, they turned out to be completely different tools.

Bottom line:

• Web = for reading and reviewing code
• CLI/VSCode = for actually coding

Here's what makes each one different, and how I actually combine them in my workflow.

3 Tools -- What's the Difference?

1. Claude.ai Web + GitHub Integration

This is the browser-based approach where you connect your GitHub repo.

• Can read code
• Can create PRs
• Directly edit files? Nope
• Commit/push? Nope

When to use: Code review requests, understanding repo structure, "what does this code do?" questions

2. Claude Code CLI

Run it from the terminal with the claude command.

• Can directly edit files
• Can git commit/push
• Can run terminal commands
• Can connect to Chrome browser (-chrome flag)

When to use: Server work, browser automation, when you're not using VSCode

3. Claude Code VSCode Extension

Runs as a sidebar inside VSCode.

• Can directly edit files
• Can git commit/push
• Select code and ask questions right away
• Click file links to jump straight there

When to use: General development work (this is the one I use the most)

Side-by-Side Comparison

My Actual Workflow

Day-to-day development: VSCode Extension

• Super convenient to chat while looking at code
• Click a file link and jump right to it
• Selecting code and asking questions is genuinely great

When I need browser testing: CLI

• When building a web app and telling it to actually test it
• Reading console logs for debugging

Quick checks on mobile: Web

• When all I need is a code review
• When an idea suddenly pops into my head
• Can't edit anything anyway, so it's purely for review/analysis

Getting Started

1. If you use VSCode → Install the Claude Code extension (my top recommendation)
2. If you love the terminal → npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
3. Just want to try it out → Connect GitHub on claude.ai

Personally, I'd recommend starting with the VSCode extension. The barrier to entry is the lowest, and you'll immediately get that vibe coding feeling.

Wrapping Up

I built tudy.club with the VSCode extension too. Back when I was using Sanity, it took weeks just to set up schemas, but with Claude Code, you can have a working blog in a single weekend day.

The tool itself is simple. What matters is the experience of coding without copy-paste. Once you try it, there's no going back.