# Code with AI

> “Connect Claude to GitHub and Linear”. Ranked by expert consensus and what people use now; affiliate links never change the order.

Coding with AI works best when the assistant sees the ticket, the code and the review in one loop. GitHub holds your repositories and pull requests, free for public and private repos. Linear tracks the work as issues and cycles, and its GitHub integration updates each issue as code ships. Claude connects to both through MCP, and Cursor, an editor built on VS Code, plans and makes changes across many files from one request.

Last checked: 2026-10-12

## Ranking

1. **[GitHub](https://suiteintent.com/t/github?m=GB)**: Code hosting, issues and pull requests. · Where your code and issues live · Free plan · 10000 ([Deals](https://suiteintent.com/deals/github))
2. **[Claude](https://suiteintent.com/t/claude?m=GB)**: Anthropic's AI assistant, with MCP connections. · Best for: Connecting AI to your own tools with MCP · Free plan
3. **[Linear](https://suiteintent.com/t/linear?m=GB)**: Fast, keyboard-first issue tracker. · Fast issue tracking with an official MCP server · Free plan · Free for startups ([Deals](https://suiteintent.com/deals/linear))
4. **[Cursor](https://suiteintent.com/t/cursor?m=GB)**: AI code editor built on VS Code, with MCP. · Best AI editor to connect them to · Free plan

## Side by side

| Tool | Price | Ease of use (1-5) | Team size |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| GitHub | Free plan, $10,000 in GitHub credits for startups | 4 | solo, small team, growing team, large team |
| Claude | Free plan | 5 | solo, small team, growing team, large team |
| Linear | Free plan, Business plan free for startups | 5 | small team, growing team, large team |
| Cursor | Free plan | 4 | solo, small team, growing team, large team |

## Why these picks

- Independent reviews: [G2](https://learn.g2.com/best-bug-tracking-software) (Last checked: 2026-10-02)
- Prices last checked: 2026-10-12
- Ranked by expert consensus and what people use now; affiliate links never change the order.

## Head to head

- [ChatGPT vs Claude: which helps you prep interviews](https://suiteintent.com/compare/chatgpt-vs-claude)
- [Claude Code vs Cursor: writing tests with AI](https://suiteintent.com/compare/claude-code-vs-cursor)
- [Claude vs Gemini: careful reader or Google helper](https://suiteintent.com/compare/claude-vs-gemini)
- [Claude vs Perplexity: deep thinker or fast answers](https://suiteintent.com/compare/claude-vs-perplexity)
- [Cursor vs Windsurf: the AI code editor to pick](https://suiteintent.com/compare/cursor-vs-windsurf)
- [GitHub Copilot vs Cursor: coding with AI help](https://suiteintent.com/compare/github-copilot-vs-cursor)

## MCP setups

- [Let Claude review your pull requests](https://suiteintent.com/mcp/claude-review-pull-requests)
- [Connect Claude to GitHub and Linear](https://suiteintent.com/mcp/claude-triage-github-into-linear)
- [Give Cursor access to Linear](https://suiteintent.com/mcp/cursor-linear-context)
- [Triage Sentry errors into Linear issues](https://suiteintent.com/mcp/sentry-errors-to-linear)
- [Stop AI from using outdated APIs](https://suiteintent.com/mcp/cursor-current-docs)
- [Test your web app in a real browser](https://suiteintent.com/mcp/test-web-app-playwright)

## Questions

### Do I need Cursor if I already use Claude?

Claude can read issues, write code and work through MCP connections, and Claude Code runs in your terminal. Cursor puts an agent inside the editor, so your VS Code extensions and shortcuts carry over. Many developers use Cursor while editing and Claude for planning, reviews or longer tasks. Try each on the same ticket at no cost before you pay.

### Can a small team set this up without paying?

GitHub is free for public and private repositories, and Linear has a free plan for small teams. Claude and Cursor both offer free plans to start. That covers a full loop from issue to pull request at no cost while you test it. Paid tiers add usage and admin features once the whole team relies on the setup.

### We track work in Jira. Is it worth moving to Linear?

GitHub connects to Jira as well as Linear, so you can keep Jira and still link code to tickets. Linear suits startups that plan in cycles and want a fast, keyboard-first tracker. Its GitHub integration moves issues forward as pull requests merge, which cuts manual status updates. Move when the team finds the current tracker slows planning, and not only for the AI hook.

### How do I give Claude access to a private repository safely?

Create a token or app connection limited to the repositories Claude needs, with read access to start. Let it open pull requests on a separate branch instead of pushing to main, so every change goes through review. GitHub Actions can run your tests on each pull request before anyone merges. Rotate tokens when a team member leaves or a project ends.

### Should a solo developer use Linear at all?

Our data lists Linear for small, medium and large teams, so it pays off most once two or more people share the backlog. On your own, GitHub issues and Projects may cover planning without another tool. Linear's appeal for solo work is speed: you capture and triage issues from the keyboard. If your AI assistant already reads GitHub issues, start there and add Linear when the team grows.