Read time: 3 minutes

tl;dr: The right tool depends entirely on your intent. Here are the only three you need to know:

For a Proof of Concept: Google AI Studio
For a Simple App: Lovable.dev
For a Serious Business: Claude Code

The agony of choice

People keep asking me the same question of "Which platform should I start building with" or "Have you tested this platform yet? Do you think I should switch?".

This tool problem is oftentimes one of the first things people want to solve.

And I understand where you're coming from. First, it can feel like a daunting question that determines the outcome of your journey. Second, in today's pace in this area it feels like there are an infinite amount of tools out there (last week, I read an article of someone who tested 74 Coding Agents / IDEs!). But...

It's the wrong question to begin with

It's like asking what clothes to wear, not knowing whether you are going to a black tie event or the gym. The clothes are the vibe coding tools.; they are the means to an end. The black tie event or the gym are your intent.

So before asking which tool to pick, ask yourself "What is my intent?". Then, depending on your answer, there is only one tool you need to know about.

The right platform for your idea

There are three main use cases for when you want to use vibe coding to turn your idea into something you can share. Each use case suggests a different platform.

Proof of Concept

If you want to turn your idea into a POC fast, in particular if it involves AI features like image generation, Google AI Studio is undeniably the best way to start. Use the Chat tab to play around with models and prompts. Use the Build tab to turn your prompt into a prototype or something you can use for yourself. And you also have full control over model parameters if you so wish.

Simple Application

If you want to build something for yourself, friends and family or even an internal application for work, go for Lovable.dev (if your company policies allow!). It's the platform with the lowest friction to start and the one that generates the best looking output without additional guidance. There also easy options to add authentication, databases and storage.

Production-Ready Business

However, if you want to get serious about your business, you will sooner or later face the limitations that come with Lovable. There is no way around getting to know the handles of Coding agents like Claude Code. With a proper process, you can build almost anything with Claude Code. Your imagination is the limit.

But how do I know it's the best tool?

You don't. And that's okay because it doesn't matter. The ones I recommended above are definitely category leaders today. But even if that might change in the future. Picking between the first or the second best tool won't be the deciding factor for whether or not you'll be able to turn your idea into a digital product first, and profitable business later. But that's for another post.

The bottom line

Don't let the tools question be the one to keep you up at night. Try to change your mindset towards what you want to achieve. And then based on that, simply pick one of the three recommended tools above.

And most importantly: Just start.

It's the biggest differentiator between the successful solopreneur and the regular "idea person".

See you next Friday

P.S.: If you have a question or want me to consider a specific topic, don't hesitate to simply respond to this email.

You're asking the wrong question