Use this, not that

Short comparisons for the jobs people actually have. Each page names a first pick and says when to use a different tool instead. Reasoning is tied to official product positioning and public pricing, not invented benchmarks.

Reviewed 14 Nov 2026 · Pair-program in an AI editor

Use this, not that: AI editors and assistants

If you want an editor that completes and edits with you, start here. Picks are about fit and official pricing, not invented benchmarks.

First pick: Cursor

Reviewed 14 Nov 2026 · Run a coding agent in the terminal

Use this, not that: terminal coding agents

These agents edit a repo from the terminal. The practical pick is usually the model family you already pay for — plus whether the project is still shipping.

First pick: Claude Code

Reviewed 14 Nov 2026 · Generate a UI or app from a prompt

Use this, not that: prompt-to-UI and in-browser apps

These tools turn a prompt into a previewable UI or a hosted app. Prefer vendors with a clear official rate card when you are comparing cost.

First pick: Bolt

Reviewed 14 Nov 2026 · Review a pull request with AI

Use this, not that: AI pull-request review

An AI reviewer is a second reader, not a substitute for a human. These products differ in whether review is the whole product or a feature of a broader Git or GitHub plan.

First pick: CodeRabbit

Reviewed 14 Nov 2026 · Run models locally

Use this, not that: running models locally

All three can run open models on your machine. The choice is mostly about interface: a simple daemon, a desktop GUI, or the raw engine.

First pick: Ollama

Reviewed 14 Nov 2026 · Connect tools via MCP

Use this, not that: MCP servers for docs, GitHub, and browsers

MCP servers are not interchangeable. Pick the official server for the system you actually need to touch.

First pick: Context7