The AI Coding Tools Tools I Actually Use (Not Just Recommend)

The Setup

I spent the last few weeks going deep on ai coding tools tools. Not just reading docs or watching demos — actually using them on real projects. Here's what I found.

First Impressions

Cursor immediately stood out for onboarding. Github Copilot had a steeper learning curve but more power under the hood. Cody surprised me the most.

What I Actually Ended Up Using

After testing everything, my daily driver ended up being a combination. For most tasks I stuck with Cursor, but for specific workflows Github Copilot was unbeatable.

The Honest Verdict

If you're looking for ai coding tools tools in 2026, don't just follow the hype. Test at least 3 options yourself. What works for my workflow might not work for yours — and that's fine.

Tools Mentioned