---
title: "Which AI Coder should you use for xlwings Lite (Python in Excel)?"
slug: which-ai-coder-should-you-use-for-xlwings-lite-python-in-excel
date_published: 2025-10-07T03:17:16.862Z
original_url: https://www.tigzig.com/post/which-ai-coder-should-you-use-for-xlwings-lite-python-in-excel
source: migrated
processed_at: 2025-12-03T13:00:00.000Z
---

# Which AI Coder should you use for xlwings Lite (Python in Excel)?

**Beginners:** Gemini 2.5 Pro on aistudio.google.com. Free, simple, 1M context. Covered in my guides at [xlwings-lite.tigzig.com](http://xlwings-lite.tigzig.com/)

**Heavy iterative work:** Use proper AI coders that handle large codebases with incremental edits - Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code with Copilot, Gemini CLI.

**My default for xlwings Lite:** Gemini CLI. Nearly all my xlwings Lite work runs here. Simple setup. Strong free tier, 1M context.

**Help your AI Coder:** upload the AI Coder Instruction File I share in my xlwings guides. It is designed to make AI Coder's job easier and output reliable.

## Why not ChatGPT?

It works fine for quick iterations, but on longer codes it forgets to check the instruction file consistently and the context window fills up too fast.

## Claude?

Best AI coder by a wide margin. I use both Claude Code as well as Cursor. But both have been clamping down on message limits - so I toggle between AI Coders depending upon task and messaging quota remaining and typically keep them for more complex pieces.

## Gemini CLI?

Not Claude-level, but excellent for xlwings Lite, Python FastAPI backends, simpler HTML-JS UI's. With the Instruction File it works out superbly well for xlwings Lite. And the free tier makes it practical. This is my current setup too.

## Resources

* [Gemini CLI - How to Install, Setup and Use Tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPReHLqmQPs) (YouTube)
* [xlwings Practice Lab](http://xlwings-lite.tigzig.com) - AI Coder Instructions File, hands-on guides, resources and live xlwings Lite apps
* [xlwings lite Official site and docs](http://lite.xlwings.org)

![AI Coder for xlwings](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ef0c19_009b173e541b4012bd70eb5114227975~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_740,h_437,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/ef0c19_009b173e541b4012bd70eb5114227975~mv2.png)


xlwings Lite official site: [lite.xlwings.org](https://lite.xlwings.org)