Quickstart
Get AI-assisted coding working in your environment. Pick the guide that matches your stack; each one covers IDE setup, Claude Code, project context configuration, and relevant subagents.
Pick your persona
| Persona | Stack | Setup guide |
|---|---|---|
| Web & backend developer | React, TypeScript, JavaScript, Angular, Go | Web & backend setup |
| .NET developer | C#, ASP.NET, WinForms, WPF, MAUI (Visual Studio) | .NET developer setup |
| Firmware / embedded developer | C, C++, RTOS, microcontrollers | Firmware developer setup |
What everyone needs first
You need either a Claude subscription or an Anthropic API key:
Claude Pro or Max (recommended for individuals): sign up at claude.ai. Claude Code uses this automatically, no extra configuration needed.
Anthropic API key (teams, CI, automation): create one at console.anthropic.com and export it:
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
Add that line to your ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc to persist it across sessions.
The two types of AI tools
In-editor: completions and chat inside your IDE, no terminal required
- GitHub Copilot: VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Neovim
- Cursor: a full IDE built around AI; deeper codebase context
Agentic: multi-file tasks, full codebase access, autonomous execution
- Claude Code: reads files, runs commands, iterates until a task is done
Most developers use both: an in-editor tool for moment-to-moment completions, and Claude Code for larger tasks like refactoring, writing a feature end-to-end, or running a review pass. See the full tools overview for a side-by-side comparison.