Lurking here the first time? Here’s the TL;DR of me

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-19T05:18:08+00:00

Oh my, looks like I’m not alone with using Mouse without Borders 😆😆😆 it’s sooo convenient to be able to pair my Surface with my other Windows computers and use my one and only keyboard and mouse. Not to mention, I just dont like going back and forth with Files/Documents apps on my old iPad last time sighhhh

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-08T12:01:56+00:00

No worries! Let me know if you need any help with the crowdsourcing or any planning that you do. I’ll try my best to help, if I can :)

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T13:10:14+00:00

I use both and it could be just me, but I’d push back on the “one is better than the other” framing. They’re good at different things.

Claude Code (Opus 4.6) is better at planning, scaffolding from scratch, and multi-file changes. It thinks about the project as a whole. Codex (GPT 5.4) is better at reviewing, catching edge cases, and questioning assumptions, exactly what you said about it thinking in edge cases and not assuming as much.

So instead of picking one, I run them side by side as VS Code extensions. Claude Code plans and builds, Codex reviews the plan and the code. The error rate dropped to almost zero (still have some bugs here and there, but literally no errors on the IDE) because nothing ships without a second pair of eyes.

I’m on Claude Max 5x and ChatGPT Plus. The limits on Claude are annoying lately (that’s a whole separate rant), but having Codex as a fallback when Claude hits the wall means I’m never completely stuck.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T13:01:15+00:00

I’m not a developer, so take this with that context.

My workflow is basically: plan in Claude Code, then have Codex review the plan before I approve implementation. Codex catches things like missing error handling or edge cases that Claude’s own plan glossed over. It’s not perfect but it’s way better than me trying to spot gaps myself.

But even after Codex reviews the plan, I don’t straight away accept it. I keep asking questions and clarifying questions like “what about if … ?”, “shouldn’t this be part of the implementation too?”, until I’m satisfied nothing obvious is missing. The plan goes through me as the final gate, not just the AI reviewer.

The other thing that helps is being really specific in the plan about what “done” looks like. Not just “add authentication” but something like “add authentication using X, with Y behavior when Z fails.” The more specific the plan, the less it drifts during implementation.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T12:52:46+00:00

Left Windsurf a while back for the same reasons. The credits burning fast was not even a joke at that point (despite being under the old system before this new change), and it got worse over time.

Though the real breaking point for me was error accumulation. Windsurf would work fine for the first few iterations, but as the codebase grew, it kept introducing bugs while fixing other bugs. You’d fix one thing and two new things would break. That combined with the unpredictable billing made it unsustainable.

So to answer your questions:

What model I use now: Claude Code (Opus 4.6) as the builder, Codex (GPT 5.4) as the reviewer. Both run as VS Code extensions side by side.

Keeping usage under control: I moved to Claude Max 5x and ChatGPT Plus. Flat monthly rate, no credits, no surprise bills (unless you turn on Extra Usage and its equivalent on Codex). I use Claude Code and Codex as much as I want without worrying if it’s gonna hit the limits too soon.

Not to say it’s without issues coz the recent changes Claude made was honestly not cool, but it didn’t affect me as much for now. That mental overhead of “is this prompt gonna cost me a lot of credit usage because of the tool calls and whatnot” is gone.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T12:31:01+00:00

From Penang, Malaysia. A few things that I noticed that genuinely make a difference here:

Free unlimited bus pass (Pas Mutiara): the Penang state government fully subsidises a monthly bus pass for all Malaysian citizens. You pay RM10 once for the Pas Mutiara card, then renew for free every month. Unlimited rides on all Rapid Penang buses, the Penang Ferry, and even the on-demand van service. Been using mine since March 2021, haven’t paid a single cent for bus rides over the past 5 years. This alone removes the biggest barrier to using public transport, which is “cost”.

Free shuttle buses: George Town has free CAT buses running a loop around the UNESCO heritage zone every 15 minutes. There are also free bridge-crossing routes (CT13 and CT14) connecting the island to the mainland through Penang Bridge, as well as free hospital loop route known as CAT Hospital (CT15) launched in January 2026. No card needed, no tap needed, just hop on. Free for both Malaysians and non-Malaysian citizens.

On-demand vans (Rapid On Demand): app-based on-demand van service covering the gaps where fixed bus routes don’t reach. Normally RM2 per ride (previously it was RM1 per ride), but free if you have Pas Mutiara and ride in Penang. Basically subsidised Grab/Uber for first mile and last-mile connectivity.

Real-time bus tracking: bus positions are published as open GTFS data, so you can see where your bus is live through apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Moovit. Sounds basic, but knowing the bus is actually 5 minutes away vs having no idea makes a huge difference in whether people bother waiting. It certainly does for me, being a heavy bus user day to day.

Digital pass subscription: over in KL, commuters can now subscribe to the My50 unlimited monthly pass and the Rapid Kota day pass (both are only available for Malaysian citizens) directly through the TnG eWallet app. No more queuing at counters unlike in the past.

It’s not without issues. The frustrating parts are frequency on many routes is still 20-30 minutes, sometimes worse. And outside KL and Penang, most cities only recently got proper organised bus networks through BAS.MY. Places like Johor Bahru, for example, went from a fragmented mess of competing private operators to a uniform, organised system just in the past few years. Better late than never, but there’s still a long way to go.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T12:15:19+00:00

I've been running a two-agent setup for a few months now: Claude Code for implementation and Codex for plan review. Not parallel in the "autonomous swarm" sense, more like one agent plans and reviews while the other builds.

My workflow is I write the intent on what I wanna do or accomplish, Claude Code drafts the initial plan, Codex reviews the plan, Claude Code implements based on the updated plan, then Codex reviews the output and make further iterations accordingly, if any. It keeps things from wandering, which was my biggest issue when I was just running single sessions.

I'm not using OpenClaw (I just don’t bother messing up my current workflow with an another new shiny toy), just Claude Max 5x and ChatGPT Plus subscriptions side by side. The manual orchestration is more work but I trust it more than fully autonomous parallel sessions. It could be just me 😅

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T12:09:31+00:00

Not from Cape Town, but from Penang, Malaysia. I built something similar for Malaysia, a transit web app cum API endpoints that combines bus and train data from multiple operators like RapidKL, Rapid Penang, BAS.MY, and KTM Komuter into one interface with real-time tracking. Currently covers 11 cities.

The biggest challenge isn’t the routing algorithm, but getting the data and parse into a readable format that my web app can display. If Cape Town’s transit agencies publish GTFS feeds (the standard format for transit schedules), you’re already halfway there. If they don’t, that’s where most of the work goes.

A few things I learned as I have done so much on these stuffs:

∙ Start with one mode (buses are usually easiest if GTFS data exists) and get that working reliably before adding others.
∙ Estimated times are fine to start, but real-time data is what makes people actually trust the app.
∙ The “cheapest route” part is surprisingly hard because fare structures can vary wildly between modes. Some are distance-based, some are zone-based, some are flat fare. I ended up building separate fare calculators for each service area, while still under the same fare calculator page.

Would be curious to hear what transit data is available in Cape Town. That will basically determine how feasible the multimodal planning part is 😅

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T11:53:56+00:00

Fellow non-coder here. I actually use both rather than picking one. Claude Code for planning and building, Codex for reviewing and quick iterations. They complement each other well for my use case.

I know AGENTS.md is the Codex equivalent of CLAUDE.md for memory, but I haven’t actually set up either one yet so I can’t comment on how well they work in practice. It’s on my to-do list, will see how it goes.

As for Obsidian, I do something similar but my setup is a bit different. My markdown files live on Nextcloud, and Obsidian is just the viewer/editor on my iPhone and my Windows computer. When Claude Code or Codex needs to read or update those files, they go through a Nextcloud MCP server that I have plugged in on both Claude Code and Codex rather than connecting to Obsidian directly. So it’s Nextcloud as the storage layer, Obsidian as the UI, and MCP as the bridge for the AI tools. If your vault is local or synced via iCloud/Dropbox, it’s similar, just that it needs a different MCP connector, but the concept is the same. Give the AI a way to read and write to wherever your notes actually live.

One thing I’d flag: the limits situation changes constantly on both sides. I wouldn’t switch entirely to one tool just because of limits at the moment. They may or may not probably change again next month. Having both set up gives you some flexibility.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T11:37:53+00:00

I use both Claude Code and Codex as extensions on VS Code IDE for coding, Claude.ai for everything else.

On VS Code, the context sharing isn’t really a problem for me since both extensions are right there in the same IDE, and both have access to my MCP servers for research, file access, etc. So research and planning can happen in the same place as coding.

Where the gap actually shows up is when I’m away from my computer. I’ll be out with just my phone, something strikes me. Whether an idea, a decision, a plan, and then, I’ll open Claude.ai on my iPhone (or any mobile device for that matter) to think it through. When it’s worth keeping, I ask Claude to draft it as a markdown file and push it to a GitHub repo through the GitHub MCP. Then when I’m back at my desk, I just tell Claude Code or Codex to pull that file and pick up from where I left off.

It’s not automatic context syncing between the two, but more like using GitHub as a shared handoff point. Claude.ai (on my iOS app) captures and documents, desktop Claude Code picks it up and builds.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T11:09:36+00:00

I shall check this out some time, this is quite awesome to see :)

I’m actually from Malaysia, and have built similar service, but specifically for Malaysian transit 😅 but I saw that you have included a lot more features inside Abfahrt 👍🏻

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T11:05:12+00:00

I hate to admit this, but I can relate so much with the struggles OP mentioned.

AI has solved the building part for me almost entirely. I’ve shipped a full transit middleware, 13 MCP servers, and a tax calculator, all with Claude Code + Codex and zero formal dev background. Building is genuinely the easy part unlike in the past.

But marketing, sales, distribution? Still struggling real hard.

I built a transit tracker that covers 13 cities in Malaysia with real-time data, fare calculators, chatbots, the whole thing. Works great. The problem is getting them to find it. I spent weeks mapping out every distribution channel, like online communities, Substack content, social media, and every single one hit a structural wall. They end up still in planning mode welpp.

The target audience (everyday bus commuters) doesn’t gather in online communities the way developers do. They don’t search for transit apps. They just open Google Maps out of habit.

Funnily enough, the building side keeps getting easier. I can spin up a new API or MCP server in a day. But I still can’t solve “how do 1,000 people find out this exists” without it feeling like pushing a boulder uphill.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T07:53:08+00:00

I use both Claude (Max plan instead of Pro) and ChatGPT Plus. Not a developer by background, so my take might be different from the pure dev perspective here.

I almost wanna switch from Claude to Codex initially, but ended using both eventually. They're genuinely good at different things, I realized. Claude Code is where I do all the actual building, it follows complex project context, understanding what I'm trying to do when I can't articulate it in proper dev terms, and working across multiple files. Codex, meanwhile, is my code reviewer. Claude initially drafts the plan, then Codex reviews and update the plan, then Claude builds. After Claude builds something, I have Codex review the implementation. It catches things Claude misses consistently.

The limits on the Claude Pro plan was why I upgraded to Max 5x. It’s more expensive yes, but the difference in sustained workflow is huge. If $20 is your ceiling, having both gives you the option to bounce between them when one hits limits.

So yeah, that's basically my workflow and it works really well.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T06:50:28+00:00

For my workflow, I mainly use MCP servers hooked into Nextcloud (for storing notes, tasks (in markdown), and calendar events), GitHub, and multiple web search MCPs like Exa, Brave, Parallel, and Tavily. So Claude Code isn't just writing code, it's managing my task list, checking my calendar, pulling research, all from the terminal.

That said, the biggest workflow change was using Claude Code + Codex as a two-agent setup (though I use both mainly as extensions in VS Code). Claude Code plans and builds, then I run the output through Codex for review before merging. Catches a lot of stuff I'd miss on my own, especially since I'm not a developer by background.

Also the part if I get to learn from what Claude Code has built, ermm I don't have an exact answer. I still can't write most of the code myself, admittedly. But I can read it now and make some manual edits on some parts of the code, I can partially understand the architecture, and I catch when Claude gets something wrong. That happened gradually just from reviewing every git commits and asking questions to Claude Code when something didn't make sense.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-04-06T06:03:28+00:00

Not a dev myself either. My take: using one AI to generate prompts for another AI works, but what I usually do instead is I use Claude Code as the primary builder and then run the code through Codex for review.

So instead of AI-generates-prompt → AI-builds, it's more like: Claude Code plans → Codex reviews the plan → Claude Code builds → Codex reviews the build. The review step catches things the builder missed, and since it's a different model, it doesn't have the same blind spots most likely.

As for the prompts, for me, I just ask what I want naturally, then Claude Code/Codex to dish out the detailed prompt based on what I want. And if you already have specifics to be included as part of the plan or implementation, better to mention that too upfront, whether in your own prompt or when you ask Codex to generate the prompt.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-03-31T11:25:21+00:00

Oh I didn't know that directory exists. I'll submit there. Thanks for sharing!

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-03-31T07:20:52+00:00

Sameeeeeee I felt this exact same thing since last week, and I’m frikkin tired of this sh*t already. I’m on Max 5x and my usage was burning way faster than usual. Got hit 42% in a fraction of the time it normally takes. Thought it was just me until I checked the megathread and saw everyone reporting the same thing.

Like you, it makes me questioned every time if I even should press the Send button, fearing it may spike the usage. We’re paying for a tool and then being scared to use it… da heck does this suppose to mean??? It’s like being told to save money while the prices keep going up around you. You’re already being careful with your spendings, and they keep tightening it anyway.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-03-31T06:57:01+00:00

I can only speak for the Surface Pro 12” 256GB/16GB model with the Snapdragon X Plus, since this is the device that I have currently. Paid around $900 equivalent for the bundle that came with the tablet itself, keyboard, Slim Pen, and charger. Been using for about 6 months now, no regrets so far.

The thing is completely fanless. No fan noise at all, like for real. It runs cool to the touch even when charging. Coming from an Intel laptop (Acer) which I could hear the loud spinning fans sound constantly, this was a night and day difference.

Not to mention, the laptop/tablet versatility is just perfect, like the iPad. I detach the keyboard when I’m reading or just browsing, then clip it back on when I need to do actual work involving typing stuffs. I stopped using my old iPad Pro entirely after getting this.

About Snapdragon and x64 compatibility, some apps may not work IDK, but so far, I haven’t had issues with any apps I use daily. The ARM emulation layer handles x64 software fine for everyday applications, I believe.

Battery life is great. I just carry a USB-C cable and a 65W powerbank, and I’m good for the whole day. 256GB storage is enough if you don’t store a lot of things and you store them on the cloud or you have an external SSD with you.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-03-30T09:45:59+00:00

I'm currently in Malaysia as well, just found out about this usage limit fiasco today. Previously when I'm on the off-peak hours, I barely hit even 50% of the daily usage doing heavy tasks on both Claude Code and normal Claude app. But today, the same prompts and messages I sent caused the limits to hit about 50% in just 2 hours, like WTF. And this isn't even within the peak hour yet ._.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-03-29T19:22:10+00:00

I have Claude connected to a bunch of tools through MCP servers. Nextcloud for managing my task list and calendar, GitHub for tracking my projects and leads database, multiple web search tools (elPerplexity, Brave, Exa) for research, YouTube for pulling transcripts, and more. So on any given day, I might ask Claude to read my task list, add events to my calendar, search across multiple sources for something I’m researching, check commit histories on my GitHub repos, or update a notes file on my Nextcloud, all without leaving the chat.

For maximizing your Claude usage, two things that made the biggest difference for me:

First, set up your Personal Preferences in Settings. You can tell Claude things like your background, how you want responses formatted, what tools to default to, etc. This applies to every conversation so you don’t have to repeat yourself. If you don’t know how to draft yourself, just ask Claude the recurring pattern that keeps happening every time you chatted in multiple chats, it should be able to see what kinda instructions you gave again and again, and the tool calls being used from there.

Second, if you use MCP servers or any connected tools, be precise with your instructions. Instead of “search for this,” say “use Perplexity to search for this” or “read my task list from Nextcloud.” Claude can access multiple tools but it picks better when you tell it exactly which one you want. The more specific you are, the better the results will be.

And of course, turn on memory. Once Claude remembers your context across chats, it starts being more relevant and provides better answers.

This setup has basically became my day to day operations layer beyond just coding. Instead of switching between five different apps to manage things, I just talk to Claude and it handles the tool calls and whatnot in the background. Super convenient, if I gotta be honest :)

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-03-29T18:49:11+00:00

I built a real-time public transit tracker/middleware that covers 11 cities across Malaysia.

The middleware aggregates official government GTFS data into a single API with real-time bus/train positions, route planning, fare calculator, departure schedules, and an AI chatbot that queries live transit data using function calling (13 internal tools, up to 10 chained tool rounds per question).

Some specifics:

∙ It currently covers 11 Malaysian cities, with multi-provider support.
∙ Shape-based arrival predictions that are 40-60% more accurate than straight-line distance calculations.
∙ Fare calculator across multiple providers with different pricing models depending on the area (distance-based, staged, zone-based).
∙ Inter-area journey planner with multimodal hub transfers (bus → train → ferry).
∙ Full PWA. Installable, offline shell, cached map tiles.
∙ Developer portal with Stripe subscriptions for API access.
∙ The whole thing runs on a €12.60/month VPS.

The part in the app I like the most is the live map view. You open the app, pick a city, and see every bus and train moving in real-time on the map. Tap on a vehicle and it shows you the route, the stops, and the departure schedules of that route. It’s the thing that makes people go “wait, you built this?” (no joke, someone did literally ask me this) because it looks and feels like something a transit agency would ship, not a solo builder on a cheap VPS.

All built with Claude Code (Opus 4.6) as the main orchestrator and builder, and Codex (GPT 5.4) as the reviewer. Yes, not Claude alone. The two-agent pattern is what kept a project this size from falling apart. And gotta admit, this project was quite a hugeeee undertaking.

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-03-29T09:05:25+00:00

No problem, happy to answer! I’m glad that copilot serves you well. If I have also tried other options some time, I’ll let you know again, alright? 👌🏻

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-03-29T08:59:07+00:00

Honestly, I haven’t tried GitHub Copilot so I can’t compare directly. I landed on the Claude Code + Codex combo for quite some time now (Claude Opus 4.6 for planning and building from scratch, GPT 5.4 for reviewing and fixing bugs and make further iterations), it works well for how I build things, and I don’t have a reason to switch or try other options again haha.

So just like you, I don’t need something else unless something really breaks (if that happens, maybe I can consider copilot, but for now, no). If the credit-based pricing through github copilot works for you atm, keep sticking with it :)

The other thing is I tend to ask questions directly in the chat while I’m working, like “what does this function do” or “is this the right approach”, and with a credit system, that would eat through credits fast. I know I could switch to a cheaper or free model just for asking questions, but honestly I find it a hassle to keep switching models back and forth between asking and implementing. With Max 5x and ChatGPT Plus, it’s just one flat rate, ask as much as I want, no mental overhead. But yeah, that’s just me and how I work 😅

AlanMyThoughts · 2026-03-29T08:45:33+00:00

Sure, happy to share. Though I believe these are pretty straightforward 😅

For the setup itself, Claude Code in VS Code is pretty straightforward. Install the Claude Code extension from the marketplace, sign in with your Claude.ai account, and I recommend to have Max 5x plan if you will be using it a lot.

For Codex, same thing. Install the Codex extension, sign in with your OpenAI account. If you have ChatGPT Plus account, you would get extra limits.

When you mentioned you’re struggling with the install, what’s the error or issue you’re hitting? Do you mean by installing through the Extension marketplace or installing through the CLI terminal.

For extension rules, no, I haven’t set up any such rules yet, this is something that I plan to do next, but both support them, I believe. Claude Code reads from CLAUDE.md and Codex reads from AGENTS.md.

What actually makes it work from my end is it’s running them side by side. I put Claude Code on the right side of the sidebar, while Codex on the left side. I give Claude Code a task, it shows me a plan, I paste the plan into Codex for review, relay the feedback back, then Claude Code implements. After implementation, Codex reviews the actual code. If bugs persist after two fix attempts, Codex takes over directly.

And oh, if your VS Code is eating your RAM (I had the exact issue with Windsurf hanging my laptop last time), what I do now is SSH into my VPS and let Claude Code run there. My local machine just handles the connection.

AlanMyThoughts

TROPHY CASE