We just crossed the 500-member mark here at AI Bits & Pieces. Wow! When I started this community, I simply felt that AI was becoming something bigger than tools or trends. It felt like true a shift in the way we would interact with technology — and I wanted to create a place where people could learn, explore, and apply it in a thoughtful way. What makes this milestone meaningful isn’t just the number. It’s the people. We have members who are: - Just beginning their AI journey - Deepening their prompting fluency - Building real systems and automations - Applying AI inside established businesses That range matters. It creates perspective. It creates better conversations. It creates learning in both directions. To everyone who has contributed, asked questions, shared insight, encouraged others, or quietly followed along — thank you. Your presence shapes this space. We’re going to continue refining the classroom, adding live sessions, and building clearer paths for each stage of the AI journey. I’m grateful you’re here. Thank you, @Michael Wacht

Hey builders! 👋 I've been deep in the weeds figuring out how to organize my dev environment while working across Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, and Google Antigravity — all on the same machine, often on the same projects. This was spurred by my upcoming switch from a Windows to Mac (arrives tomorrow 💻🤩) and a desire to have a clean dev environment before just dumping all of my project files onto it. The problem? Each IDE has its own config system, and without a clear folder structure, you end up with: - Project context bleeding between unrelated projects - AI assistants mixing up client/project information - Branding files scattered everywhere - No idea which version of a project is "current" The key insight is understanding how Claude Code loads CLAUDE.md files — it walks UP the directory tree. So if you accidentally put a CLAUDE.md in a parent folder, ALL child projects inherit it. Context leakage nightmare. I worked with Claude to design a folder structure that keeps everything isolated while still allowing shared global commands/skills across all projects. I attached a link to a full visual guide showing: - Exactly where each IDE stores global vs project config - The recommended folder hierarchy - The 5 critical rules to prevent context leakage - What each IDE actually "sees" when you open a project Multi-folder guide I put together with Claude 👉 https://admirable-centaur-607433.netlify.app/ 👈 Would love to hear how others are handling multi-IDE setups, and also get a sanity check on this one. Do you use a similar structure? Something totally different? Looking forward to hearing how you guys are doing this - thanks in advance for any insights! 🚀

There is a new addition to Daily Dose cycle of terms and posts. I'm intentionally stepping outside my comfort zone and learning Claude Code. Not with the goal of becoming an expert overnight, but as a practitioner in progress. Instead of waiting until I've "mastered" it, I'll be sharing the terms, concepts, and mental models I'm learning along the way — in real time. Why? Because for AI enthusiasts who are curious about becoming builders (or even just to explore making workflows, automations and more sophisticated websites), I think it's valuable to take those first steps together, as a shared experience. This is how most of us actually learn: • By trying • By getting things wrong • By refining our understanding one concept at a time • By relying on the team and community to help each other As I work through Claude Code, I'll be publishing beginner-to-intermediate terms that I'm learning along the way. This isn't about perfection on my part. If a term isn't quite right, that's okay — we have plenty of experienced builders and developers in this community, and I encourage you to jump in, correct, clarify, or guide us. That's part of the process. This series is about: • Taking the first step • Making progress while learning in public • And doing it together Let's see where this goes. 🚀 📚 NEW: Centralized Claude Code Learning Hub All AI Terms Daily Dose: Claude Code Addition terms and posts are now organized in one searchable location — no more scrolling through the feed to find what you need. 👉 Find it Here: AI Terms & Posts: Claude Code Edition Everything I am learning and sharing organized and ready to reference whenever you need it. This gives it its own section, highlights the value, and makes it feel like a significant resource.

AI Bits & Pieces is here to guide you with bite-sized learning, real-world context, and a supportive community that helps AI make sense. As we step into the new year, I want to start with a sincere thank you. AI Bits & Pieces was created to make AI feel approachable, practical, and human. ✨ Our Theme for the Year This year, everything we build is guided by one clear theme: Helping everyone develop AI as a life skill. That means: - Continuing to provide plenty of free, fresh content for newcomers - Delivering everything in the same friendly, bite-sized pieces that make learning manageable and that compounds over time - Adding high-value premium content for members ready to go deeper What’s Ahead for 2026: 🔄 A Smarter Daily Dose Daily Dose now flows is designed to build fluency and awareness without overload. Each day we will publish a new Daily Learning Post rotating around the following themes: - The Quick Quip - AI Terms - AI Quirks - On Trend - AI in Real Life - Out of the Box And we will sprinkle in throughout the week: - Classroom Highlights - Announcements - Community Spotlights - Community Gems Same daily rhythm. More intention. More Variety. 🎓 Weekly Classroom Commitment We’re making a simple, public promise. At least one new Classroom course or Classroom step-up will be added every week. Small releases. Clear next steps. Real momentum. 🎥 Live Sessions Built Around Member Preferences We’re launching live sessions designed around how you want to learn and apply AI—not a one-size-fits-all approach. AI Curious - AI basics without jargon - How to get started with AI apps - Simple ways to incorporate AI into everyday life AI Enthusiast - Deeper dives into AI technology - Understanding when to build vs. when to use tools - Exploring no-code / low-code options for advanced use Business Members (Premium) - Applying AI to businesses of any size - Identifying high-impact AI opportunities - Turning AI into practical, operational advantage

So everyone's doing their 2026 goal-setting thing, right? I went a different route. I asked Claude: "What am I going to regret 12 months from now?" Here's the exact prompt I used: "It's December 2026. I'm looking back at this year. Analyze all our chats. Based on my current trajectory, what will I regret NOT doing? What will I wish I'd said no to? Be specific and brutally honest." And honestly? The feedback was... uncomfortable. 70% was spot-on enough that I had to sit with it 20% made me want to argue (which probably means it's hitting a nerve) 10% was off because Claude was missing some context The parts that really got me: "You're building everyone else's systems. When do you build the thing that's unmistakably YOURS?" "You're too available. That doesn't build wealth or freedom." "Stop saying yes to generic AI training workshops. You're positioning yourself as a commodity." Ouch. But also... true. Why I think this beats regular goal-setting Goals ask: "What do I want?" Regret asks: "What will I actually wish I'd done?" That second question? It cuts straight through all the BS we tell ourselves. It shows you what you're REALLY doing vs. what you think you're working toward. Try it yourself? → Use whatever AI you chat with most (Claude, ChatGPT, whatever) → If it has memory turned on, just paste the prompt → If not, give it some context first (screenshots of your calendar, recent project notes, whatever shows what you're actually up to) Not everything it says will be right. But the stuff that makes you defensive? That's the good stuff. Anyone else brave enough to try this? What did your AI roast you about? 👇