{"slug":"tooling-decisions","title":"Tooling Decisions — Coding Harnesses, Local Models, MCPs","tags":["tooling","claude-code","codex","local-models","mcp","browser-automation"],"agent_summary":"Iron Automations tooling stack decisions: Claude Code vs Codex harness tradeoffs, Gemma 4 local model setup, Pinch Tab vs Playwright for browser automation, and active MCP integrations.","trigger_phrases":["tooling decisions","claude code vs codex","local model setup","pinch tab playwright","mcp integrations","browser automation tool","vaultwarden","coding harness"],"runnable":false,"markdown":"\n# Tooling Decisions\n\n## Coding Harnesses\n- **Codex (GPT-5)** — more creative, finds bugs others miss (discovered the GHL private API). Use for reverse-engineering and greenfield spikes.\n- **Claude Code (Opus 4.6)** — more consistent, better instruction-following, superior for multi-file refactors and sustained sessions. Default choice.\n- Migration away from **OpenClaw** forced after Anthropic removed third-party OAuth for harnesses.\n\n## Local Models\n- **Gemma 4 (26B)** — runs on 3090 Ti, 24GB VRAM, ~40 tok/s, intelligence score ~39. Good for ICP filtering, batch classification, anything privacy-sensitive.\n- Cloud fallback: **Gemini 2.5 Flash** for cheap/fast, **Claude Sonnet 4.6** for quality.\n\n## Browser Automation\n- **Pinch Tab** — ~5x token savings vs Playwright MCP for snapshot-heavy workflows. Use for repetitive UI tasks.\n- **Playwright MCP** — when you need full scripting, storage state export, or network interception.\n- **Chrome DevTools MCP** — pixel/form/API reverse engineering on live sites.\n\n## MCPs in Active Use\n- **Stripe MCP** — automated invoicing, usage-based billing\n- **Plaid MCP** — bank + CC feed for Claude-driven finance decisions\n- **Chrome DevTools MCP** — API discovery\n- **Context7** — library docs\n\n## Password Management\n- **Vault Warden** — self-hosted Bitwarden-compatible. Chrome extension works unchanged. One less SaaS bill, zero trust in a third party for credentials.\n\n## Visualization\n- **Mermaid** — inline in markdown, LLM-friendly\n- **Excalidraw** — whiteboard sketches, LLM can export/import\n- **Obsidian** — personal knowledge base with Mermaid + dataview\n- **NOT Miro** — not LLM-friendly, can't be version-controlled\n\n## The Rule\nPrefer tools LLMs can read, write, and diff. Visual-only tools (Miro, Figma-only flows) become black boxes.\n","html":"<h1>Tooling Decisions</h1>\n<h2>Coding Harnesses</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Codex (GPT-5)</strong> — more creative, finds bugs others miss (discovered the GHL private API). Use for reverse-engineering and greenfield spikes.</li>\n<li><strong>Claude Code (Opus 4.6)</strong> — more consistent, better instruction-following, superior for multi-file refactors and sustained sessions. Default choice.</li>\n<li>Migration away from <strong>OpenClaw</strong> forced after Anthropic removed third-party OAuth for harnesses.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Local Models</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Gemma 4 (26B)</strong> — runs on 3090 Ti, 24GB VRAM, ~40 tok/s, intelligence score ~39. Good for ICP filtering, batch classification, anything privacy-sensitive.</li>\n<li>Cloud fallback: <strong>Gemini 2.5 Flash</strong> for cheap/fast, <strong>Claude Sonnet 4.6</strong> for quality.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Browser Automation</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Pinch Tab</strong> — ~5x token savings vs Playwright MCP for snapshot-heavy workflows. Use for repetitive UI tasks.</li>\n<li><strong>Playwright MCP</strong> — when you need full scripting, storage state export, or network interception.</li>\n<li><strong>Chrome DevTools MCP</strong> — pixel/form/API reverse engineering on live sites.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>MCPs in Active Use</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Stripe MCP</strong> — automated invoicing, usage-based billing</li>\n<li><strong>Plaid MCP</strong> — bank + CC feed for Claude-driven finance decisions</li>\n<li><strong>Chrome DevTools MCP</strong> — API discovery</li>\n<li><strong>Context7</strong> — library docs</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Password Management</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Vault Warden</strong> — self-hosted Bitwarden-compatible. Chrome extension works unchanged. One less SaaS bill, zero trust in a third party for credentials.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Visualization</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mermaid</strong> — inline in markdown, LLM-friendly</li>\n<li><strong>Excalidraw</strong> — whiteboard sketches, LLM can export/import</li>\n<li><strong>Obsidian</strong> — personal knowledge base with Mermaid + dataview</li>\n<li><strong>NOT Miro</strong> — not LLM-friendly, can't be version-controlled</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>The Rule</h2>\n<p>Prefer tools LLMs can read, write, and diff. Visual-only tools (Miro, Figma-only flows) become black boxes.</p>\n"}