Introduction
Picture this: you’re stuck on a tricky coding project, or maybe you’re just curious about a new topic. Instead of scrolling through endless forums, you ask an AI that not only answers but thinks like a pro, even writing code for hours! That’s Claude 4, Anthropic’s latest AI family, launched May 22, 2025, per Anthropic. With Claude Opus 4 and Sonnet 4, it’s a game-changer for coding, research, and more.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What is Claude 4?
- My Coding Adventure with Claude 4
- How to Use Claude 4
- Why Claude 4 Stands Out
- More Tech to Explore
- Conclusion
- FAQs
What is Claude 4?
Claude 4 is Anthropic’s newest AI model family, featuring two stars: Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4. These “hybrid” models can answer instantly or think deeply, like a friend puzzling through a problem, per TechCrunch. They’re built for safety, with enterprise-grade security, and shine in coding, writing, and data analysis. Think of them as smarter cousins to Claude 3.5 or rivals to Google’s Gemini.
- Claude Opus 4: The powerhouse. It’s the “best coding model” on SWE-bench (72.5%), handling complex tasks like refactoring code for hours, per CNET. Costs $15/$75 per million tokens (input/output).
- Claude Sonnet 4: The all-rounder. Fast and free on Claude.ai, it’s great for writing or research, with a 64K output token limit. Costs $3/$15 per million tokens, per Anthropic.
- Features: Both models use tools like web search, store “memory” for long tasks, and offer “thinking summaries” to show their logic, per The Verge.
How to Use Claude 4
Getting started with Claude 4 is a breeze, whether you’re a casual user or a developer, per Anthropic. Here’s the user flow:
For Everyday Users
- What it is: Chat with Claude Sonnet 4 for free or upgrade for Opus 4, per CNET.
- Steps:
- Visit Claude.ai and sign up with your email.
- Type questions or upload files (e.g., PDFs) for Claude to analyze.
- Toggle “Show reasoning” for step-by-step answers.
- Upgrade to Pro ($20/month) or Max ($100–$200/month) for Opus 4 and higher limits.
- Try Also: Google Maps AI for AI navigation.
For Developers
- What it is: Build apps with Claude 4 via API, Amazon Bedrock, or Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, per AWS.
- Steps:
- Access the Anthropic API with your account.
- Use tools like Claude Code for coding or Files API for data tasks.
- Set “extended thinking” for complex tasks or cache prompts to save costs.
- Integrate with Canva Coding for creative projects.
- Try Also: OpenAI Codex for coding agents.
Why Claude 4 Stands Out
Claude 4 isn’t just another AI—it’s a leap forward, per The Verge. It’s 65% less likely to take shortcuts, making it reliable for tasks like coding or research. Its 200K token context window handles huge datasets, and its safety features (SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA compliance) make it enterprise-ready. X users like @AnthropicAI call it “state-of-the-art” for coding, though some note Opus 4’s higher cost, per X posts. It rivals Amazon’s AI voiceovers and Microsoft’s AI security.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Claude Opus 4 | Claude Sonnet 4 | Google Gemini 2.5 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Complex coding, research | Everyday tasks, writing | Multimodal tasks |
| Pricing | $15/$75 per million tokens | $3/$15 per million tokens | Varies by plan |
| Access | Paid plans, API, Bedrock | Free & paid, API, Bedrock | Google Cloud, API |
| Key Strength | Best on SWE-bench (72.5%) | Fast, 64K output tokens | Image analysis |
| Example Link | Claude 3.5 | AI Chatbots | Gemini AI |
Conclusion
Claude 4 is your new AI sidekick, whether you’re coding, researching, or just curious. With Opus 4’s power and Sonnet 4’s speed, it’s ready to tackle 2025’s challenges. Try it at Claude.ai and share on X with #Claude4AI, and check out more tech at usashorts.com!
