The AI landscape for developers is shifting so fast that what was best practice last month is obsolete today. Let's talk about the specific AI stack we use to build complex web apps and automation systems.
The Planning Phase: Sonnet and ChatGPT
Before writing a single line of code, you need a bulletproof architecture. For this, we lean heavily on Claude Sonnet and ChatGPT.
Sonnet is incredibly fast and possesses a massive context window, making it perfect for ingesting entire codebases or API documentations and summarizing the best approach. ChatGPT (specifically GPT-4o) excels at logical reasoning and pointing out edge cases in your database schemas or user flows.
We use them as our sounding boards. "Here is what we want to build. What are the potential pitfalls?"
The Execution Phase: Why Opus 4.6 Wins
When it's time to actually write the code, we switch to Claude Opus. But versioning matters.
While Opus 4.7 introduced new capabilities, we've found it to be slightly less reliable for maintaining strict adherence to complex design systems and existing architectural patterns compared to 4.6.
Opus 4.6 is the undisputed champion of context retention. It doesn't just write a function; it writes a function that perfectly matches the styling conventions, variable naming, and error handling of the 50 files you uploaded to its context.
The Workflow
- Ideation: ChatGPT for brainstorming and edge-case detection.
- Architecture: Claude Sonnet for fast, broad-strokes system design.
- Execution: Claude Opus 4.6 for writing the actual, production-ready code.
Stop trying to use one model for everything. Build a multi-model workflow and watch your productivity skyrocket.
