My New Unreal Engine Setup: JetBrains Rider + Claude Code

I’ve rebuilt my Unreal Engine setup, using JetBrains Rider as my IDE, and Claude Code as my AI co-pilot.

TL;DR

1. Open Rider

• write and debug C++ without worrying about setup.
• launch the editor in debug mode from Rider.

2. Use Live Coding

• recompile when I make changes without restarting the Unreal Engine process.

3. claude code in a Terminal

• when I need scaffolding, pattern matching, or quick iterations.

It feels smoother than any setup I’ve had before. I’m spending less time wrestling with tools and more time actually building.

Why Rider

Rider just works with Unreal. I can open my .uproject file and everything is there. No hunting down configs or setting up weird paths. It knows about Unreal’s build system, it knows about reflection macros, and it plays nice with Live Coding. Recompiling C++ while the editor is running in debug mode has been a game-changer.

Before, I was always second-guessing my build process, worrying about whether I’d broken something. I used to accidently brick the build when making interface changes to header files. Now, it manages the entire pipeline so I can stay focused on actually writing code.

Autocompletion is another big one for me. Because Rider is Unreal-aware, it actually understands UPROPERTY, UFUNCTION, and all those engine-specific things. I can expose properties and functions to Blueprints and it just works.

Why Claude Code

I suck at C++. I’m not a C++ wizard. My background is in javascript, and while I can get things done in C++, it never feels effortless. That’s where Claude Code has slotted into my workflow.

Because Unreal is open source, I feel like Claude has a complete understanding of the engine. I can describe the task I want in plain English, and it scaffolds out a solution that’s usually pretty close.

I’m not a complete vibe coder… yet. I’ve found that Claude Code works best when the prompt is well defined, with an extremely clear objective. Things can go off the rails quickly if you’re not specific enough. I still shape and refine the code (with and without Claude) but it cuts down the mental load of figuring out what keys to press.

Conclusion

I wouldn’t call Rider or Claude magic bullets, but together they’ve seriously leveled up my Unreal workflow. Rider gives me a stable, Unreal-native environment, and Claude helps me bridge the gap in areas where I’d otherwise get bogged down.

This combo feels like my new baseline, it’s the setup I wish I’d had when I first started building in Unreal.