Claude Sonnet 4.6 for coding and fast daily iteration
If Opus is the deeper-reasoning model, Sonnet 4.6 is often the better daily driver. Developers typically use Sonnet when they want quick iteration, fast code generation, routine edits, and a strong balance between speed and quality.
When Sonnet is the best fit
- Routine implementation tasks
- Fast debugging and smaller fixes
- Code generation and iteration loops
- Test writing, cleanup, and polishing work
When to switch to Opus
- Large refactors across many files
- Architectural trade-offs
- Deeper technical reasoning
- Hard debugging sessions with more ambiguity