getting-started
8 questions
- AI
What is Claude Code Desktop and how is it different from the CLI?
Claude Code Desktop is a native macOS and Windows app with three tabs: Chat, Cowork, and Code. Each Code session gets its own git worktree. The desktop handles push notifications without a phone and persists sessions across app restarts.
- AI
Codex CLI is free with my ChatGPT plan. Why pay for Claude Code?
Both tools run in your terminal and write code. Claude Code's edge is depth: hooks, MCP, plugins, sandboxing, agent teams, and scheduled tasks have no equivalent in Codex CLI. Codex wins on bundled pricing and a simpler surface. Use both as separate tools.
- AI
How do I make our incident runbook open Claude Code in the right repo with the right prompt?
The claude-cli://open URI scheme pre-fills a prompt and working directory without auto-sending anything. Register it once, embed it in runbooks, alerts, or onboarding wikis, and one click drops an engineer into a configured Claude Code session.
- AI
How do I control how much Claude thinks before it answers?
Effort levels and extended thinking are two separate controls on top of model selection. Opus 4.7 adds xhigh and adaptive reasoning; /effort sets the default for a session; Option+T shows thinking in real time. The ultrathink keyword triggers one-off max thinking.
- AI
When does fast mode pay back the higher per-token cost?
Fast mode runs the same Opus 4.6 model at 2.5x the speed for 5x the token price. It pays off for interactive debugging and tight deadlines, and it burns money on long autonomous tasks. The mid-conversation switching footgun is the main trap.
- Finance
How do I invest in the stock market for beginners?
Open a brokerage or retirement account, deposit money, and buy a low-cost total market index fund. That's the full strategy for most beginners — everything else is noise.
- Finance
How do I open a Roth IRA?
Opening a Roth IRA takes about 15 minutes online — choose a brokerage (Fidelity, Vanguard, or Schwab are the top picks), complete the application, fund the account, and buy index funds. The main requirement is having earned income and falling below the Roth IRA income limits.
- Finance
How do I start investing with little money?
You can start investing with as little as $1 — most major brokerages have eliminated minimums and offer fractional shares. The single most important move is to start early, even small amounts, because time in the market matters more than amount.