A developer's honest take on AI coding tools - and why the command line won

The AI Coding Revolution is Here

AI pair-programming tools are everywhere these days, but two have completely transformed how I write code: Claude CLI (Anthropic's command-line coding assistant) and Cursor (an AI-enhanced VS Code fork with GitHub Copilot integration).

After months of using both, I've reached a controversial conclusion: Claude CLI is the superior tool for serious development work. Here's why.

Claude CLI in action - notice how natural the conversation feels

The Fundamental Difference

Claude CLI runs in your terminal and acts like a supercharged Unix utility for coding. Launch it at your project root, describe what you want in plain English, and watch it autonomously plan and execute multiple steps to accomplish your goal.

Cursor is a full IDE experience - a VS Code fork with AI smarts built in. It provides inline code completions and has an Agent mode for more complex tasks.

The difference in approach is everything.

Why Claude CLI Dominates

1. True Agentic Workflow

Working with Claude CLI feels like having an AI teammate who actually gets things done. I can queue up multiple tasks with quick typing, give Claude permission to execute them, and come back to review the results. It's batch execution at its finest.

2. Seamless Context Integration

Claude automatically pulls in relevant parts of your codebase without manual file tagging. Its massive context window means it understands your entire project structure and can make intelligent decisions about where to make changes.

3. Minimal Interface, Maximum Focus

The terminal interface eliminates the cognitive overhead of managing IDE panels and buttons. As one developer noted: when an AI agent is doing the work, you don't need "2/3 of the screen" filled with editor chrome.

4. Iterative Permission Model

Claude asks for confirmation at each step, building trust over time. You can gradually grant more autonomy as you see it making good decisions. This feels much safer than Cursor's "apply all changes" approach.

The iterative permission model builds trust over time

What the Community Says

I'm not alone in this assessment. The developer community has been vocal about their experiences:

"After just five days of using Claude's CLI, going back to Cursor feels like using an obsolete tool" - Reddit user

The pattern is clear: developers try Claude CLI and realize they no longer need a specialized AI editor.

Bottom Line

This isn't about AI replacing developers - it's about finding workflows that let us build great software faster. For me, Claude CLI is that workflow.

Try it. You won't look back.