
AppStories A Very ‘Just Build It’ Holiday
22 snips
Jan 18, 2026 Discover how AI tools like Claude Code and Codex have transformed the coding landscape. Federico shares his journey from novice to builder, detailing innovative HTML projects and customized utilities. John reveals his development of podcast production tools and Obsidian plugins, enhancing workflow efficiency. The duo discusses the merits of custom MCP connectors over traditional APIs and explores clever integrations with Notion. Plus, hear about unique home automation projects and how to streamline coding with remote workflows!
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Comparing Cloud Code And Codex
- Federico tried both Cloud Code (Opus) and OpenAI's Codex and found distinct strengths.
- Codex (5.2) solved harder problems by spending more time reading docs and reasoning deeply.
Use MCP For Reliable Integrations
- Prefer MCP connectors when you need reliable, repeatable access to services from AI agents.
- Avoid relying solely on ad-hoc skills when scripts must run deterministically for integrations.
Built 12 Lightweight HTML Web Apps
- Federico built 12 HTML-based web apps as lightweight PWAs without React or build steps.
- He used Pyodide for in-browser Python and created progressive web apps for many utilities.

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