AI Tools Field Guide · 2026 ·

A beginner's guide to using AI tools that actually work.

Practical, no-jargon tutorials on Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Copilot, and the rest of the modern AI tooling stack. Written by Dan Byers.

Latest dispatches

New this week.

A fresh tutorial Monday, Wednesday and Thursday — plus one hands-on project every Friday. Subscribe to RSS to never miss one.

The taxonomy

What's in here.

Six chapters covering the modern AI tooling landscape — from your first conversation with Claude to wiring up MCP servers in production.

Editor's picks

Where to begin.

If you've got an hour, these are the three pieces that most readers say changed how they use AI day-to-day.

Hands-on

Build with AI.

Numbered project briefs — each is a step-by-step prompt sequence you can run with Claude or ChatGPT to build a real tool. See all projects.

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