October 28, 2026

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Let's start by connecting Claude Code to the folder where we'll build our tools. Claude Code is an AI coding agent built into the Claude desktop app. You describe what you want to build in plain English, and Claude Code helps you write the code and create the necessary files.

Open the Code tab in the Claude desktop app. Click Choose below the message box, select Open folder, and choose the Swipe File project folder you created earlier. This is where Claude Code will save the files for your tools.

If Claude Code asks Trust this workspace?, click Trust workspace, since this is a folder you created yourself.

First we are going to build a Chrome extension, which is a small add-on we can use directly in our browser to streamline our work.

Click the mode button under the message box and switch to Plan mode. In Plan mode, Claude Code outlines what it intends to build without immediately making changes to your files. This gives you a chance to review the approach and make adjustments before the coding begins.

Paste the prompt below and send it. We're asking Claude Code to name every file in a similar way, so the second tool we are going to build can organize and filter the screenshots later. We're also telling Claude that we'll test the extension ourselves, so it doesn't need to open a browser and run its own tests.

Once Claude Code presents its plan, review it carefully. Does it include the correct competitors, screenshot categories, filenames, and destination folder? If something isn't right, click Revise to request changes. When you're happy with the plan, click Accept and auto mode to start building. In auto mode, Claude Code can make certain permission decisions automatically, so make sure you've reviewed the plan before continuing.

Now let's add your new extension to Chrome to test it out! Normally, you'd install extensions from the Chrome Web Store, but in Developer mode you can install one directly from a folder on your computer.

Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions. Turn on Developer mode in the top-right corner, then click Load unpacked in the top left. Select the extension folder that Claude Code created (you can find its name in Claude's last message). Once installed, click the puzzle-piece icon in Chrome's toolbar and pin your extension so it's easy to access.

Using another Chromium-based browser, like Microsoft Edge or Brave? Open its extensions page and look for the option to enable Developer mode and load an unpacked extension. The exact names may differ slightly.

Open a competitor's page in your browser, like Mailchimp, Kit or Beehiiv. Click your extension's button, select the right competitor, select the landing page type, and click Save to capture a screenshot. It captures what's on screen, so scroll to the part worth keeping first. Save an ad and a social post too.

Then open Downloads › Swipe File. Check if every screenshot is named in a similar way, like we described in the prompt. A custom tool like this works like a shortcut: you design the process once, and it runs the same way every time.

Save a few more image until the next problem shows up: A folder full of files is hard to browse! This is what we’re going to fix with the second tool that we are going to build.

Back in Claude Code, change the mode to Plan mode again and send the prompt below.

The prompt focuses on what we want to build, rather than how to build it. We're describing the result we want and letting Claude Code figure out the technical details. For example, we're asking for an app that works without unnecessary permission pop-ups, leaving Claude Code to find an appropriate solution.

Check the plan to make sure that the app will identify the competitor and screenshot type from the filenames. If everything looks right, click Accept and auto mode to start building. Claude Code will open the app when it's ready.

The screenshots you saved with your Chrome extension should now appear as cards in your desktop app. Try selecting Kit and Landing pages to test the filters, then click a card to view the screenshot in full size.

Save a new image with the extension from your browser and check if it appears correctly in your app.

If something doesn't work as expected, describe the problem to Claude Code and ask it to fix it. Remember, if Claude Code makes changes to your Chrome extension, you'll need to reload it by clicking the reload icon on its card at chrome://extensions.

And that's it! You now have your own swipe file app and extension, making it easy to save inspiring examples and find them whenever you need them. You can also ask Claude Code to move your desktop app into your Applications folder, so you can open it like any other Mac app.

Neither tool needs AI to run. Claude Code helped you build them, but the finished tools work independently, keeping them fast and predictable. And remember, this approach isn't just for marketers! You could build similar tools for all kinds of everyday tasks, like collecting prospect websites before sales calls.