Collection

The AI Coding Stack

30 free tools, rules, and resources for building with AI

30 resourcesSix coding stagesLast reviewed 2026-10-25

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Cursor

ToolCoding assistantsBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Developers extending an existing codebase with contextual AI assistance.

Why explore: AI-powered development environment for multi-file edits and agents.

Open resource

GitHub Copilot

GitHub

ToolCoding assistantsBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Teams that want AI inside familiar GitHub-centric tooling.

Why explore: AI coding assistant across editors and GitHub workflows.

Open resource

Windsurf

ToolCoding assistantsBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Builders who want integrated agent editing in an AI-native IDE.

Why explore: Agent-assisted IDE for multi-step implementation.

Open resource

Cline

ToolCoding assistantsBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Developers who need transparent agent actions and provider choice.

Why explore: Open-source coding agent with model and execution control.

Open resource

Continue

ToolCoding assistantsBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Teams standardizing models and review rules across repositories.

Why explore: Customizable open-source AI coding workflows and integrations.

Open resource

Aider

ToolAgents & local AIBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Engineers delegating scoped changes from the command line.

Why explore: Terminal pair programming with git-aware edits.

Open resource

OpenCode

ToolAgents & local AIBeginnerFree

For: Developers avoiding single-vendor agent lock-in.

Why explore: Flexible, model-independent coding agents.

Open resource

Codex CLI

OpenAI

ToolAgents & local AIBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Operators running agentic coding from a shell session.

Why explore: Terminal agent for delegating coding tasks.

Open resource

goose

Block

ToolAgents & local AIBeginnerFree

For: Builders experimenting with local agent recipes and automation.

Why explore: Extensible local AI agents and multi-step automation.

Open resource

Ollama

ToolAgents & local AIBeginnerFree

For: Teams running local models before cloud agent workflows.

Why explore: Run open models locally for private inference.

Open resource

Bolt.new

StackBlitz

ToolBuild & prototypeBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Founders prototyping UI and app flows quickly.

Why explore: Generate web applications from natural language prompts.

Open resource

Lovable

ToolBuild & prototypeBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Product thinkers turning specs into working frontends.

Why explore: Build and iterate on web applications with AI.

Open resource

v0 by Vercel

Vercel

ToolBuild & prototypeBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Designers and PMs shipping UI prototypes fast.

Why explore: Generate interfaces and web application components.

Open resource

Replit

ToolBuild & prototypeBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Teams building and sharing prototypes without local setup.

Why explore: Browser-based development, AI assistance, and collaboration.

Open resource

StackBlitz

ToolBuild & prototypeBeginnerFree

For: Developers spinning up instant web project sandboxes.

Why explore: Fast in-browser dev environments and starter projects.

Open resource

AGENTS.md

GuideRules & contextBeginner

For: Repos that need consistent agent behavior across tools.

Why explore: Portable repository instructions for AI coding agents.

Open resource

Cursor Rules

Cursor

GuideRules & contextBeginner

For: Cursor users encoding architecture and style constraints.

Why explore: Persistent, scoped project instructions in Cursor.

Open resource

GitHub Copilot Instructions

GitHub

GuideRules & contextBeginner

For: Teams aligning Copilot output with repo standards.

Why explore: Repository-level conventions for GitHub Copilot.

Open resource

Model Context Protocol

Anthropic

GuideRules & contextBeginner

For: Builders wiring agents to databases, APIs, and internal tools.

Why explore: Open standard to connect AI systems to tools and data.

Open resource

OWASP GenAI Security Project

OWASP

GuideRules & contextBeginner

For: Teams reviewing GenAI risk before production rollout.

Why explore: Security guidance for AI-powered applications.

Open resource

Vitest

ToolTest & secureBeginnerFree

For: Frontend and full-stack projects needing automated tests.

Why explore: Fast unit and component testing for modern JavaScript.

Open resource

Playwright

Microsoft

ToolTest & secureBeginnerFree

For: Teams validating critical user flows before release.

Why explore: End-to-end browser testing across engines.

Open resource

ESLint

OpenJS Foundation

ToolTest & secureBeginnerFree

For: Any JavaScript/TypeScript codebase enforcing consistency.

Why explore: Linting to catch problems and enforce code standards.

Open resource

Semgrep

ToolTest & secureBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Repos needing automated security and quality scans.

Why explore: Static analysis with security-oriented rules.

Open resource

Gitleaks

ToolTest & secureBeginnerFree

For: Teams preventing credential leaks in AI-generated commits.

Why explore: Detect hardcoded secrets in repositories.

Open resource

MDN Web Docs

Mozilla

GuideLearn & shipBeginner

For: Builders verifying browser APIs and web fundamentals.

Why explore: Authoritative documentation for web platform APIs.

Open resource

freeCodeCamp

CourseLearn & shipBeginnerFree

For: Professionals beginning or strengthening AI literacy

Why explore: Structured programming courses and certifications.

Open resource

GitHub Skills

GitHub

CourseLearn & shipBeginnerFree

For: Professionals beginning or strengthening AI literacy

Why explore: Hands-on courses for GitHub workflows in repos.

Open resource

Vercel

ToolLearn & shipBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Shipping prototypes and production frontends quickly.

Why explore: Deploy and host modern web applications.

Open resource

Supabase

ToolLearn & shipBeginnerFree core · paid extras

For: Apps needing a managed database and auth without heavy ops.

Why explore: Postgres backend with auth, APIs, and storage.

Open resource

About this collection

This is the searchable companion to The Strategy Stack's AI Coding Stack on Substack. Use it when you need a credible tool, rule set, or learning path for a specific build stage—not another undifferentiated list. Filter by coding stage, cost, and format. Each entry includes an original summary and a direct link to the provider. Start with AI coding assistants when working inside a repo. Move toward agents, prototyping, rules, testing, and shipping as your project matures. For narrative context, workflows, and the six-stage development loop, read the full editorial guide on Substack (linked on this page).

Read the full editorial guide on Substack ↗