Developer Stack
Plan, write, review and ship code across a multi-file project.
- Built for:
- Developers working on real codebases, not just snippets
- Outcome:
- A feature shipped end to end, with the AI doing the mechanical work.
Aira: This is the Developer Stack. Follow it from the first step, and only add the next tool when you actually need it.
All stacksEstimated costs
The workflow
- 1~$20/mo
Claude Code
Agentic coding on the repo
Works directly in the project: reads many files, edits across them, runs tests and reads the output.
- 2~$20/mo
Cursor
In-editor iteration
Fast inline edits and autocomplete while you're actually reading the code.
- 3~$20/mo
ChatGPT
Rubber-ducking & unfamiliar territory
Second opinion on design decisions and for stacks you don't know well.
Cheaper or different swaps
CursorVS Code + Copilotsaves ~$10/mo
Cheaper, and enough if you mostly want autocomplete rather than editor-wide AI edits.
ChatGPTDrop itsaves ~$20/mo
If you already run Claude Code and Cursor, a third general assistant is often redundant.
Where this stack falls short
- Agentic coding tools can burn through usage limits quickly on large repos — check quotas before committing to a workflow.
- All of them still need a developer who can review the diff; none are safe to merge unread.