Different Ways to use Claude to Write ColdFusion

Why ColdFusion Developers Should Care About Claude

If you're a ColdFusion developer, you've probably noticed that most AI coding tools focus on JavaScript, Python, and the other "cool kids" of the programming world. ColdFusion rarely gets top billing. The good news is that Claude, built by Anthropic, handles CFML remarkably well — understanding ColdFusion tags, CFScript, Application.cfc patterns, cfqueryparam syntax, and the quirks of the Adobe ColdFusion engine that only seasoned CF developers know about.

But here's the thing most people miss: there isn't just one way to use Claude. Anthropic offers several different interfaces, and each one brings something different to the table depending on how you work. Let's walk through them.

1. Claude.ai — The Web Interface

The most straightforward way to start is at claude.ai in your browser. No installation, no configuration — just open a tab and start talking about ColdFusion.

This is where I do most of my initial design work. When I'm planning a new feature — say, a user registration system with SHA-512 password hashing and email verification — I'll describe what I need and Claude will generate the full CFC component, the SQL Server schema, and the CFM pages to wire it all together.

What makes it great for CF development:

• Paste in an existing CFC or CFM file and ask Claude to modernize it (swap cfchart for Chart.js, convert HTML tables to Bootstrap, etc.)
• Upload your SQL schema and have Claude generate stored procedures and matching ColdFusion data access components
• Ask Claude to create complete file sets — it can generate an Application.cfc, service components, pages, and CSS in a single conversation
• Web search is built in, so Claude can look up the latest ColdFusion documentation or check Adobe's security bulletins while helping you code

The catch: You're copying and pasting code between the browser and your editor. For a single file fix, that's fine. For a 20-file project, it gets tedious. That's where the other options come in.

2. Claude Desktop App — Your Always-On Coding Partner

The Claude desktop app (available for Windows and Mac) gives you the same conversation experience as the web interface, but with some important extras that matter for ColdFusion development.

Quick access from anywhere: The desktop app sits in your system tray with a global keyboard shortcut. When you hit a confusing ColdFusion error in your browser — like the classic [Macromedia][SQLServer JDBC Driver] Incorrect syntax near '@P1' — you can snap a screenshot and drop it directly into Claude. No need to type out the error message or switch to a browser tab.

Drag and drop files: Working on a legacy ColdFusion application? Drag your .cfc or .cfm files straight into the conversation. Claude will read them and can suggest modernization strategies, find bugs, or rewrite them using current best practices like explicit query.column syntax that Adobe CF2023 Update 7 requires.

Desktop Extensions (MCP): This is where things get really interesting for ColdFusion shops. Desktop Extensions use the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to connect Claude to local tools. There's even an open-source project called MCPCFC that creates a bridge between Claude Desktop and your ColdFusion server — letting Claude execute queries against your datasource, generate PDFs with CF's built-in tools, and interact with your existing ColdFusion components directly.

Best for: Day-to-day ColdFusion development where you want to quickly ask questions, debug errors, or generate individual components without leaving your desktop workflow.

3. Claude Code — Terminal-Based Agent on Your Server

Claude Code is a command-line tool that runs directly in your terminal. Unlike the chat interfaces, Claude Code can actually see your project files, edit them, and run commands. It's an agent, not just a chatbot.

For ColdFusion developers working on Windows Server environments, this is a different way to think about AI-assisted development. Install Claude Code, point it at your ColdFusion webroot, and it can:

• Read your entire project structure — Application.cfc, all your CFCs, CFM pages, SQL scripts
• Edit files directly based on your instructions ("Add CSRF token validation to every form in the admin folder")
• Run database scripts against your SQL Server instance
• Search across your codebase for patterns ("Find every place I used cfchart and show me what needs to be replaced")
• Create new files in the right directories with the right naming conventions

A real example: Let's say you need to update 14 createObject() calls across 10 files because you changed a CFC mapping path. In the chat interface, you'd need to update each file manually. With Claude Code, you say "Update all createObject references from components.BlogService to blogcfc.BlogService across the entire project" and it edits every file in seconds.

Important note for Windows: Claude Code currently requires WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) to run on Windows machines. If your ColdFusion server is Windows-based (as most are), you'll need WSL installed, or you can run Claude Code from a development machine and connect to your server's file system.

Best for: Large refactoring tasks, codebase-wide updates, and developers comfortable with the command line who want Claude to work directly with their files.

4. Claude Code in the Desktop App — The Best of Both Worlds

The newest option combines Claude Code's agentic file-editing power with the desktop app's graphical interface. Look for the Code tab in the Claude desktop app.

This gives you everything Claude Code can do on the terminal, but with a visual interface that ColdFusion developers will appreciate:

• Visual diff review: When Claude modifies your Application.cfc or a service component, you see a side-by-side diff of exactly what changed. You can click on specific lines to leave comments like "Don't use cfqueryparam inside TOP clauses" and Claude will revise its approach.
• Permission modes: Start in "Ask" mode where Claude shows you what it wants to do before doing it. Once you trust the workflow, switch to "Code" mode where it edits files on its own. Perfect for when you're learning what works with ColdFusion's quirks.
• Parallel sessions with Git isolation: Refactoring your admin panel on one branch while building a new comment system on another? Each session gets its own Git worktree, so the work stays separate.
• Remote sessions: Start a big task — like modernizing an entire legacy ColdFusion application from table-based layouts to Bootstrap — and let it run in the cloud. Close your laptop, come back later, and check the progress.

Best for: Developers who want the power of Claude Code but prefer a GUI over the terminal. This is particularly good for larger ColdFusion projects where you need to review changes carefully before they hit your server.

Which One Should You Use?

My Workflow

For what it's worth, here's how I use them together: I start in Claude.ai for the planning and initial code generation — describing what I need, iterating on the database schema, and getting complete file sets generated. Then I move to the Claude Desktop App for day-to-day development — quick fixes, debugging ColdFusion errors, and generating individual components. When I need to make sweeping changes across a project, I fire up Claude Code.

The bottom line: ColdFusion may not be the trendiest language, but Claude handles it well across every interface Anthropic offers. Pick the one that fits how you work, or use them all — they share your conversation history and preferences, so switching between them is seamless.