Claude Reference Guide
AI

Your personal reference for Claude Code, Codex Desktop, Claude Design, AI Agent setups, and other AI research tools — comparisons, workflows, and positioning in one place.

Claude Code Codex Desktop Claude Design AI Agents Other AI Tools Cowork
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Claude Code personal setup v3 — with Google APIs and Notion

Memory & instructions
CLAUDE.md
Stores your SOP, naming rules, data source preferences, and output formats. Loads automatically every session without you repeating yourself.
Committed to GitHub for backup and team sharing. Supports importing other files with @path syntax.
GitHub backedRepo-native
Memory function
Claude stores and recalls project context, preferences, and recurring instructions across sessions. Works alongside CLAUDE.md to build a persistent profile of how you work.
CLAUDE.md = explicit written rules. Memory = things Claude learns and saves automatically during sessions.
PersistentCross-session
Web research & data extraction
Firecrawl
Converts web pages into clean Markdown or structured data. Best for extracting precise numbers, tables, and citations when you already have the URLs.
If a site blocks Firecrawl's crawler, fall back to Playwright — it runs a real browser and is harder to block.
Clean extractionBatch URLs
Playwright
Full browser automation — clicks, logins, filter dropdowns, scrolls, downloads. Use when the page is dynamic and content only appears after interaction.
Primary tool for social media and competitor sites. Also acts as Firecrawl fallback when a site blocks crawlers.
Dynamic pagesSocial media
Direct website APIs
Connect official APIs for maximum accuracy — CRM, ecommerce, finance, academic sources. Structured JSON responses eliminate messy HTML parsing.
Most accurate option when available. Every response is dated, structured, and auditable.
High accuracyVerifiable
Google workspace & Notion New
Google Sheets API
Claude Code writes research results, price data, and reports directly into a Google Sheet. The sheet updates live — anyone with the link sees fresh data and you can view it on iPhone instantly.
Use alongside Excel output. Google Sheets = live sharing with team. Excel = offline archive or formatted report for sending.
NewLive sharingMobile view
Notion API
Claude Code reads specs and tasks from Notion, then writes research results, reports, and summaries back into the right Notion page or database automatically — no copy-paste.
Connect via Notion MCP in Claude Code. Best for knowledge base updates, weekly summaries, and keeping Notion as the single source of truth.
NewAuto-updateKnowledge base
Google Drive API
Claude Code reads files from Drive (PDFs, Docs, Sheets, Slides), processes them, and saves outputs back — Excel reports, Word docs, or summaries — directly into the right Drive folder.
Useful for reading source documents without downloading them first, and for delivering final outputs to a shared Drive folder the team can access.
NewRead + writeTeam folders
Automation & integrations
Zapier
Bridges Claude Code to apps without MCP — Gemini API, image generation, Todoist, and others. Claude Code calls a Zapier webhook when a task finishes to trigger the next step.
Bidirectional — Zapier can also trigger Claude Code via webhook if an external app needs to kick off a workflow.
App bridgeBoth directions
Gmail API
Claude Code sends formatted email reports when a workflow finishes — HTML body, subject line, and attached Excel or PDF. Better than Telegram for longer reports or sharing with people outside your chat.
Use Telegram for quick personal mobile alerts. Use Gmail for full reports with attachments sent to colleagues or clients.
NewFormatted reportsAttachments
Telegram
Claude Code calls the Telegram Bot API to push messages to your personal chat or a group after any workflow completes. Review results on iPhone without opening a laptop.
Async delivery — not a live chat with Claude. Claude pushes results; it doesn't listen for replies unless you build a two-way bot separately.
Async deliveryMobile review
Apple Reminders & Calendar
Uses shortcuts run CLI or AppleScript on macOS to create reminders and calendar events at the end of a workflow.
Mac-only — won't work on a Linux server. Requires macOS with Shortcuts or AppleScript enabled.
macOS onlyShortcuts / AppleScript
Build & deploy
HTML & vibe coding
Create, edit, preview, and debug HTML/CSS/JS files directly. Iterate with natural language — Claude manages all files, fixes console errors, and adjusts layout across the whole project.
Multi-filePreview & debug
Cloudflare deployment
Deploy via Cloudflare Pages using Wrangler CLI. Claude handles the build, deploy command, and any errors. End result is a public .pages.dev link you can open anywhere.
"Upload HTML via link" = Cloudflare Pages giving you a shareable public URL — no manual dashboard steps needed.
Public .pages.dev linkWrangler CLI
GitHub backup
CLAUDE.md, skills, scripts, and HTML projects are all version-controlled. Push directly from Claude Code. Supports rollback, team sharing, and Cowork plugin marketplace sync.
Version controlTeam sharing
Data output workflows
Competitive price research → Google Sheets + ExcelUpdated
Playwright or Firecrawl visits competitor pages, extracts prices, validates source URLs and dates, then writes to both a local Excel file and a live Google Sheet the team can view instantly.
Playwright / Firecrawl→ Extract + verify→ Write .xlsx→ Google Sheets→ Telegram alert
Market research → Notion + Gmail reportUpdated
APIs, Google Drive source files, and web pages feed into a structured report. Claude writes the summary into Notion and sends a formatted email with the full document attached.
Google Drive (source)→ API / Firecrawl→ Validate→ Notion update→ Gmail report

Your Stack — Claude Code vs Cowork

Your Claude Code stack compared to Cowork

Your tools — which handles it better
Your tool
Claude Code
Cowork
CLAUDE.md + Memory
Claude Code
Native to repo — rules are committed to GitHub, versioned, and load automatically on every run.
Has project memory but it's local/desktop only. Not GitHub-native, harder to share with others.
Firecrawl
Claude Code
Runs as a script — batch URLs, error handling, fallback to Playwright, saves raw source files for audit.
Can use via MCP connector if configured. No fallback logic, no raw source saving.
Playwright
Claude Code
Writes and runs full automation scripts — login, click, filter, download. Can screenshot for verification.
Cowork uses Chrome extension for browsing but can't script interactions the way Playwright can.
Direct website APIs
Claude Code
Writes custom API calls with auth, pagination, rate limiting, error handling, and JSON parsing.
Can use APIs via built-in connectors only. No custom auth logic or multi-API combination.
Google Sheets API
Claude Code
Writes, reads, formats, and appends rows programmatically. Can update multiple sheets in one workflow run.
Cowork has a Google Sheets connector but it's basic read/write — no complex formatting or batch logic.
Notion API
Claude Code
Full MCP integration — read specs, update databases, create pages, append blocks with structured formatting.
Cowork also has a Notion connector. For simple read/write tasks, both work. Code wins for complex pipelines.
Google Drive API
Claude Code
Read any file type from Drive, process it (PDF/Sheet/Doc), write outputs back to a shared folder automatically.
Cowork has Drive connector for reading files. Writing back and processing in a pipeline is less capable.
Gmail API
Claude Code
Send formatted emails with HTML body, attachments (Excel, PDF), multiple recipients, triggered by workflow events.
Cowork has Gmail connector for reading/drafting. Sending with attachments as part of a pipeline is weaker.
Zapier
Claude Code
Calls any Zapier webhook as part of a script. Also receives webhooks — full bidirectional control.
Cowork can trigger Zapier via connectors but it's less flexible in complex multi-step sequences.
Telegram
Claude Code
Builds and calls the Telegram Bot API directly — sends text, files, formatted messages at workflow end.
Cowork has no native Telegram support. Would require a custom MCP or Zapier bridge.
Apple Reminders & Calendar
Claude Code
Calls Shortcuts CLI or AppleScript at end of any workflow to create events or reminders programmatically.
Cowork can also use Apple Calendar via macOS integrations — roughly equal for this use case.
HTML & vibe coding
Claude Code
Multi-file editing, local preview, debug console errors, commit to GitHub, deploy to Cloudflare — full cycle.
Cowork can produce a single HTML file as a deliverable but can't preview, debug, or deploy it.
Cloudflare deploy
Claude Code
Wrangler CLI — build, deploy, debug errors, get public link. Repeatable every time code changes.
Cowork could guide you through the Cloudflare dashboard manually but cannot run the CLI.
GitHub backup
Claude Code
Native — commit, push, branch, PR, version history all managed directly from Claude Code.
Cowork can sync plugins to GitHub but is not designed for general repo management.
Excel / Word output
Can generate .xlsx and .docx files programmatically from collected data. Best for data-heavy outputs.
Cowork
Better for polished, presentation-ready Word docs and Excel reports. Cleaner formatting and layout.
PowerPoint / slides
Can generate .pptx programmatically but layout control is limited.
Cowork
Designed for polished slide deck creation from existing content. Much better visual output.
Summary
Claude Code dominates 13 of your 15 tools
Your stack is almost entirely built on technical automation — APIs, scraping, pipelines, deployment, and delivery. This is Claude Code's native territory. It can script, version, repeat, and connect every tool you use into one workflow.
Cowork is useful for the final presentation layer
Once Claude Code has collected and structured data, Cowork is better at turning that into polished Word documents, formatted Excel reports, and slide decks that are ready to present or send to clients.
Best combined workflow
Claude Code collects data (Firecrawl, Playwright, APIs), processes it (Google Sheets, Notion, Drive), delivers alerts (Telegram, Gmail), builds and deploys HTML tools (Cloudflare, GitHub). Then Cowork takes that structured data and produces polished Word reports, Excel summaries, and PowerPoint decks for meetings or clients.
Video refs Claude Code Claude Code 零基礎入門（上） · 柚智夫妻 X 雷蒙三十 Claude Code 零基礎入門（下） · 柚智夫妻 X 雷蒙三十 Master 95% of Claude Code Skills in 28 Minutes · Nate Herk Turn Claude Code Into Your Executive Assistant in 27 Mins · Nate Herk Cowork How I Use Claude Cowork to Automate 99% Of My Life · Paul J Lipsky 5 Mind Blowing Claude Cowork Use Cases · Paul J Lipsky

Claude Design app description card with feature summary

Claude Design

AI-assisted presentation design · personal / internal

Planned

An AI-assisted application designed to help users upload PowerPoint files, create reusable templates, generate and edit slides, add business data, and produce professional visual reports such as sales dashboards or dynamic report-style presentations.

Template engine

Upload existing .pptx as base template
Generate new slides from template
Edit text, layout, visual hierarchy
Apply consistent fonts, colors, branding

Data reporting

Add sales data and convert to charts
Highlight key metrics and trends
Validate data consistency
Create executive summary slides

Dynamic visuals

Video-ready animated report slides
Reference videos guide style & pacing
Match transitions from reference clips

Designed for

Non-designers needing polished decks
Sales & business reporting teams
Internal / personal use workflows
Features described as planned. If publishing publicly, consider whether the name "Claude Design" requires Anthropic's permission, since "Claude" is an Anthropic brand name.
Video refs Claude Design Claude Design Just Became Unstoppable · Nate Herk Building Beautiful Websites with Claude Code Is Too Easy · Nate Herk Master 80% of Claude Design In Just 15 Minutes · Paul J Lipsky

Codex Desktop Usage Positioning

Personal Reference · Codex Desktop
Codex Desktop — Usage Positioning
I use Codex Desktop as a flexible research and execution workspace. It helps me search information, verify sources, analyze data, create outputs, automate workflows, generate visuals, manage project instructions, and turn ideas into working artifacts.
Research Agent Execution Agent Business + Technical Plan-first Workflow Plugin-extensible

Codex sits between a coding agent and a business work agent. It is not only a coding assistant — it can handle technical work like code, websites, data pipelines, debugging, and automation, but also business tasks such as research reports, spreadsheets, presentations, HTML dashboards, and image assets. The biggest advantage is that Codex can move from thinking to doing: search for information, compare sources, analyze files, create structured outputs, and continue improving the result until a finished artifact is delivered.

What Codex Can Do
Technical Work
⚡Code & Automation
Codex can write, debug, and refactor code, build websites, design data pipelines, set up automations, and run technical checks. It can also delegate work to parallel subagents — one to research, one to build, one to verify — making it feel like a small work team.
Code & DebugWebsitesData PipelinesAutomationSubagentsMCP Servers
Business Work
📊Outputs & Deliverables
Beyond code, Codex produces finished business deliverables. The output is not just a summary — it is a working artifact: a polished document, a styled spreadsheet, an HTML dashboard, or a visual asset ready to use or present.
Research ReportsSpreadsheetsPresentationsHTML DashboardsDocumentsImage Assets
Research Capability
🔭Comprehensive & Source-based
Research in Codex feels more comprehensive and accurate because it can combine web search, local files, project context, connected tools, code repositories, and structured data — all in one session. Results are traceable and connected to action.
Web Search + Source verification95%
Combines multiple sources and cross-checks findings
Local Files + Project context88%
Reads and reasons over uploaded or project files
Structured data analysis85%
Processes spreadsheets, CSVs, logs programmatically
Source-linked actionable output90%
Research connects directly into deliverables
Customization & Memory
🧠Project-level Control
Codex supports project instruction files like AGENTS.md and memory features. This means I can shape how it works over time — preferred writing style, project rules, research method, design expectations, coding standards, and recurring workflows — without repeating instructions each session.
AGENTS.md instructionsProject memoryWriting style rulesCoding standardsDesign preferencesRecurring workflows
Plugins & Connectors
🔌Extensible by Design
Codex can be extended with plugins, skills, MCP servers, and connectors. Firecrawl via MCP is particularly useful for web scraping, crawling websites, and extracting structured data to improve research workflows.
Google Drive
GitHub
Slack
Linear
Notion
Gmail
Browser Tools
Firecrawl / MCP
Image Generation
Skills & Subagents
Codex vs Cowork
Cowork is strong for non-technical office tasks — organizing files, preparing documents, making spreadsheets, and synthesizing research for business users who want finished deliverables without managing technical details. Codex is better when the work requires deeper research, technical execution, customization, automation, project memory, or repeatable workflows.
CapabilityCodex DesktopClaude Cowork
Research & source-checkable info
Web search, file reading, cross-referencing
✓ Strong◐ Moderate
Technical execution
Code, pipelines, automation, debugging
✓ Strong— Limited
Office deliverables
Docs, slides, spreadsheets, formatted outputs
◐ Good✓ Strong
Plan-first, multi-step projects
Analyze goal → break into steps → execute
✓ Strong◐ Moderate
Plugin / MCP / connector ecosystem
Third-party service integrations
✓ Rich◐ Growing
Project memory & AGENTS.md
Persistent instructions across sessions
✓ Yes— No
Parallel subagents
Multiple agents working simultaneously
✓ Yes— No
Non-technical user accessibility
Easy for business users without technical setup
◐ Moderate✓ Strong
Default visual polish
Output design quality without extra direction
◐ Needs direction◐ Good
Improvement Wishlist
💡Design & Output Quality
More beautiful default outputsPowerPoint, Excel, HTML, dashboards, and documents should look polished out of the box — not just functional.
Better built-in design tasteCodex should apply sensible defaults for typography, color, layout, and chart styling without requiring detailed design briefs.
Visual preview before deliveryAllow review and approval of a rendered preview before the final file is saved or exported.
🎛️Workflow & Agent Control
Customizable agent-status panelA live status view showing whether Codex is researching, planning, reading files, writing, testing, or waiting — essential for supervising long-running work.
More control over subagentsAbility to define, configure, and monitor small specialized agents within a project.
Easier plugin managementSimpler installation, activation, and configuration of plugins and MCP connectors within the UI.
Video refs Codex OpenAI Codex Explained for Normal People · Paul J Lipsky OpenAI Codex Now Works from Anywhere · Paul J Lipsky Master 97% of Codex in 1 Hour · Nate Herk Codex Just 10x'd Claude Code Projects · Nate Herk

Three AI agent setup options

Option 1 · Local machine

Mac mini / MacBook + Claude Code or Codex CLI

Runs the agent directly on your Mac. A Telegram, Discord, or iMessage bridge lets you send tasks from your phone into the agent running on the machine.

Specs

Always online?Only if Mac stays awake
Agent toolsClaude Code, Codex CLI, local scripts, MCP tools
Phone controlTelegram bot, Discord bot, iMessage, Slack bot
Can message back?Yes, through the bridge you set up
DifficultyMedium
CostLow — use hardware you already own

Best for

Local company filesMac appsiMessageLocal documentsIn-office coding

Business uses

Local document & report generationInternal file cleanupCoding assistant for company projectsDaily summaries from local dataWebsite / app updatesAdmin file preparationLight automation on the company machine

Functions

  • Write and fix code
  • Create and edit files
  • Generate reports from local files
  • Read CSV / Excel exports
  • Work with local folders
  • Run tests and scripts
  • Send progress updates to Telegram / Discord
  • Ask for approval before risky actions
  • Use local MCP tools
  • Use Mac-specific workflows including iMessage

Limitations

  • Mac must not sleep
  • Power or internet outage stops the agent
  • Remote access must be secured
  • Not ideal for 24/7 cloud automation
  • iMessage control is possible but more fragile than Telegram / Discord

Good setup additions

  • Mac mini instead of MacBook
  • Sleep disabled
  • UPS backup power
  • Tailscale / VPN
  • Git backup
  • Telegram or Discord bot
  • Auto-restart service
  • Log file
  • Human approval before deploy / database / customer-message actions
Option 2 · Cloud server

VPS + Claude Code CLI or Codex CLI + Telegram / Discord bot

A VPS acts as your always-online agent computer. You message it from Telegram or Discord, and it runs Claude Code CLI or Codex CLI on your behalf around the clock.

Specs

Always online?Yes, if VPS is healthy
Agent toolsClaude Code CLI, Codex CLI, scripts, MCP tools
Phone controlTelegram bot or Discord bot
Can message back?Yes
DifficultyMedium
CostVPS cost + LLM / API / subscription cost

Best for

24/7 codingReportsMonitoringAPI workServer automation

Business uses

Daily sales reportsServer error summariesGitHub progress reportsCustomer support summariesWebsite uptime monitoringDeployment assistantDatabase backup checksCRM / export analysisMarketing performance reportsInternal automation tasks

Functions

  • Receive work from Telegram / Discord
  • Send progress updates back to your phone
  • Write code and fix bugs
  • Pull / push GitHub or GitLab repos
  • Run tests
  • Generate reports
  • Monitor server logs
  • Check database / API data
  • Create CSV, Excel, Markdown, or PDF reports
  • Deploy websites / apps
  • Restart services
  • Create GitHub issues / PRs
  • Use MCP tools
  • Run scheduled jobs

Limitations

  • Cannot access local Mac files unless synced or uploaded
  • Needs secure server setup
  • API keys must be protected
  • Needs monitoring and restart logic
  • Needs approval rules for sensitive tasks

Good setup additions

  • Docker or isolated project folders
  • systemd / PM2 auto-restart
  • Firewall
  • SSH key only, no password login
  • GitHub / GitLab deploy keys
  • Secrets manager or encrypted env files
  • Task queue
  • Audit logs
  • Health-check ping
  • Approval buttons in Telegram / Discord
Option 3 · Advanced

VPS + LLM API + Hermes / Custom Agent

Instead of mainly using Claude Code or Codex CLI, you build or run a custom agent framework that connects to LLM APIs, tools, memory, business systems, and messaging platforms.

Specs

Always online?Yes
Agent toolsHermes, custom agent, OpenAI / Anthropic API, MCP, business APIs
Phone controlTelegram, Discord, Slack, web dashboard
Can message back?Yes
DifficultyHigh
CostVPS + API usage + ongoing maintenance

Best for

Repeated business workflowsAdmin automationSemi-autonomous operationsBusiness API integrations

Business uses

Customer support triageLead qualificationCRM updatesInvoice processingOrder-status checksInventory monitoringDaily BI summariesDrafting replies / proposalsInternal knowledge assistantRepetitive admin automation

Functions

  • Receive tasks from Telegram / Discord
  • Remember repeated workflows
  • Use business APIs
  • Create tasks / tickets
  • Generate reports
  • Update CRM
  • Summarize emails and messages
  • Monitor systems
  • Retry failed jobs
  • Ask for approval
  • Run minor tasks while you are away
  • Build reusable workflows and skills over time

Limitations

  • More complex to build safely
  • Higher chance of mistakes if too autonomous
  • Needs strong permission controls
  • Needs audit logs
  • Needs cost limits
  • Needs human approval for all external actions

Good setup additions

  • Read-only mode by default
  • Approval before sending customer messages
  • Approval before database writes
  • Spending limits
  • Tool allowlist
  • Logs for every action
  • Sandbox environment
  • Manual override command
  • Daily summary of what it did
Video refs AI Agent How I'd Teach a 10 Year Old to Build Agentic Workflows · Nate Herk Agentic Workflows Just Changed AI Automation Forever · Nate Herk

Other AI tools for research and workflow support

Personal Reference · Other AI Tools
Other AI Tools

A supporting tool stack for research, browser tasks, and office-native work. Use these tools around Claude Code, Codex Desktop, and agent workflows when they fit the job better.

Other AI Research Tools

Perplexity

Useful for source-based research and fact-checking. Research mode can search many sources, summarize findings, and create a structured report with citations.

Best for validating claims with web sources, academic references, forums, and public information. Free access is limited, and important citations should still be opened and checked manually.

Citation backed Research mode

Grok

Useful for fast, updated information, especially current news, trends, product updates, public reactions, and market sentiment.

Strong for quick first-pass research because it can use real-time web search and public X posts. It may still miss context, so final claims should be verified elsewhere.

Real-time search X trends
Research Workflow

Combined research flow

Use Grok first to identify the newest updates quickly, then use Perplexity to organize, compare, and validate the information with citations.

This pairing works well when you need both speed and source checking. For high-stakes work, confirm key points with primary sources.

Fast discovery Verified sources

Claude in Chrome

Claude's Chrome extension can read webpages, click buttons, type into forms, navigate websites, and work across browser tabs.

Useful for browser automation, repetitive website tasks, online research, and webpage testing. Use carefully on banking, legal, medical, or confidential work systems.

Browser control Automation

Microsoft 365 Copilot

Works inside Word, Excel, and PowerPoint depending on subscription and organization settings. It helps where the work already happens.

Word: draft, rewrite, summarize. Excel: formulas, insights, charts. PowerPoint: create slides, summarize decks, improve structure, and adjust formatting.

Office native Documents & slides