# Claude vs Cowork vs Claude Code: cheat sheet

Source: my video "Claude vs Cowork vs Claude Code Explained (2026)"

## At a glance

| | Claude (chat) | Claude Cowork | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writes text (poems, drafts) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Saves files on your computer | No (you save them yourself) | Yes, inside the one folder you select | Yes, and can read other files on your computer |
| Connects to online services | Yes, through connectors (for example Google Drive) | Yes (Google, Microsoft, others you connect) | Yes |
| Custom instructions | - | Instructions file (language, business details) | - |
| Runs daily tasks | - | Yes | Yes (everything Cowork does) |
| Runs terminal commands | No | No | Yes |
| Deploys a page to the web | No | No (no developer tools) | Yes, once set up (for example with Vercel) |
| Skill needed | Lowest | Low | A step up |

All three live in the Claude desktop app, so you do not need a terminal or code editor to use Claude Code.

## When to use which

- **Claude:** a ChatGPT alternative with strong reasoning and connections. Use it for writing and thinking.
- **Cowork:** start building files locally and use AI as an agent or assistant. A simplified version of Claude Code, limited to the folder you pick.
- **Claude Code:** everything Cowork does, and more. Build minimum viable products, clean up files on your computer, help with social media, and put things online.

## Rerun the test yourself

### 1. Claude chat

```
Hey, Claude, can you write a love poem for me, please?
```

```
Can you save that as a local file, as a text file right here on my computer, please?
```

Expected: it writes the poem but says it cannot save to your local files.

### 2. Cowork (select a folder first)

```
Hey, Claude, can you please write a beautiful poem about love for me? Thanks.
```

```
Can you please create a beautiful HTML file and then save it into this folder? I want the poem to be contained inside of that file.
```

Expected: an HTML file saved in your folder. Click "view my poem" to open it.

### 3. Claude Code (select the same folder)

```
Can you give me a list of all of the files in this folder, please?
```

```
I would really love to deploy the love poem HTML as a webpage to Vercel. Can you please help me out? Remember that you might need to change the name of that file.
```

Expected: Claude Code asks for permission (you can pick "always allow for this session"), deploys, and returns a live URL.

## Before you deploy

- [ ] Create the accounts you need (for example a Vercel account at https://vercel.com). It takes a couple of minutes.
- [ ] Connect them to Claude Code. If unsure, ask Claude Code to guide you through every step.
- [ ] To change the live page later, ask Claude Code to edit it and redeploy.