External AI Tools

Third-party AI tools and products Matthew uses, written up from real-world usage. For tools he’s built himself, see Projects Built with AI.

Search & Research

Perplexity AI

An AI-powered conversational search engine that synthesizes information from multiple sources with citations. Perfect for research, fact-checking, and quick learning.

Key Features:

  • Conversational search with natural language
  • Source citations for transparency
  • Multiple focus modes (Academic, Writing, YouTube, Reddit)
  • Real-time web access

Best For: Research, learning, content creation, fact-checking

Development Tools

Cursor

An AI-native code editor that integrates powerful AI capabilities directly into the development workflow. Built on VS Code, it offers superior AI-assisted coding.

Key Features:

  • AI-powered code completion and generation
  • Multi-file editing with Composer mode
  • Codebase understanding and indexing
  • Chat interface for code questions
  • Multiple AI model support

Best For: Software development, code refactoring, learning codebases, debugging

About This Directory

This directory is continuously updated as new tools emerge and existing tools evolve. Each tool documentation includes:

  • Comprehensive feature overview
  • Practical use cases
  • Getting started guides
  • Best practices
  • Privacy and security considerations
  • Comparisons with similar tools

Contributing

Have experience with these tools or want to suggest new ones? This is a living document that grows with the AI ecosystem.

Last updated: October 08, 2026