Guides & fixes

Practical, no-fluff guides for people building with AI dev tools — fixing broken installs, working around lock-outs, and picking tools you can actually own.

Use Kimi or a local Ollama model in a coding agent

Want your coding agent to run on Kimi (Moonshot) or a local Ollama model instead of one fixed provider? Here's how each connects and what to check — plus an agent that makes switching a one-click setting.

What is an agent router?

An agent router lets a coding agent switch between models/providers instead of being locked to one. Here's what it is, why people want it (cost, limits, outages), and how a built-in router beats bolting one on.

How much does Claude Code cost — and how to spend less

Claude Code pricing explained: subscription vs API credits, why costs spike on big codebases, and concrete ways to spend less — including bringing your own cheaper model or running one locally for free.

The best free, open-source Claude Code alternative

Looking for a free, open-source coding agent instead of Claude Code — one that runs locally, brings your own model, and doesn't lock you to one provider? Here's what to compare and a straight answer.

Is Claude Code free?

Is Claude Code free? Short answer: no, it's tied to a paid plan or API usage. Here's what it really costs, whether there's a free tier, and a genuinely free, open-source alternative that runs locally.

Claude Desktop connector says "connected" but files aren't showing?

Added a GitHub repo or folder to Claude Desktop, it says connected, but the file tree is empty and prompts can't read anything? Here's what's actually happening and how a local agent avoids the whole problem.

OpenCode GUI alternative: a local coding agent with an actual interface

Love OpenCode's terminal agent but want a real GUI? Here's what a graphical, local coding agent gives you over a TUI — and a free, open-source option that brings your own model with a proper interface.

Can you use other models with Claude Code?

Short answer: yes, but it depends on how you set the endpoint. Here's how to point Claude Code at GLM, DeepSeek, or a local model — and the cleaner option when you just want an agent that swaps models natively.

What is OpenClaw? The self-hosted personal AI assistant, explained

OpenClaw is an open-source, self-hosted personal AI assistant that runs on your own devices and meets you inside the chat apps you already use. Here's what it is, how it works, who it's for — and when you actually want a coding agent instead.

Fix Claude Desktop "This app can't open" on Windows — the fix that actually sticks

Claude Desktop keeps breaking on Windows — "This app can't open", and Repair only holds for minutes? Here's the real root cause (a blocked DLL / NeedsRemediation) and the one fix that finally makes it launch every time.

Why desktop AI apps keep breaking — and what a local agent does differently

Self-corrupting installs, integrations that connect but do nothing, sessions that vanish — these aren't bugs in one app, they're what a hosted desktop AI app tends to become. Here's the pattern and how a local agent sidesteps it.

How to use other models (GLM, DeepSeek, local) in a coding agent

Want to run a coding agent on GLM, DeepSeek, an OpenAI-compatible endpoint, or a local model instead of one fixed provider? Here's how model routing works and what to look for.

Claude Code hit the rate limit or quota? Here's how to keep working

Claude Code says you've hit your usage limit or rate limit and stopped mid-task? Here's why it happens, how to keep working now, and how to stop it interrupting you again.

Claude Code won't install or run on Windows? Here's how to fix it

Claude Code failing to install, 'command not found' after install, or crashing on start in Windows? Here are the usual causes — Node/npm, PATH, WSL, permissions — and how to get it running.

Cursor won't open or stuck in a login loop? Here's how to actually fix it

Cursor won't launch, hangs on a white screen, or keeps kicking you back to the sign-in page? Here are the real causes and the fixes that hold — plus what to do when it keeps happening.

Codex desktop won't open on Windows? It's the same bug that breaks Claude Desktop

OpenAI's Codex desktop app keeps dying on Windows — won't launch, crashes on start, or breaks after an update? It's the same MSIX packaging bug that hits Claude Desktop. Here's the root cause and the fix that actually holds.