In this article, Lead Web Developer and Designer Isaac Esterline demonstrates 4 new tools for websites he’s developed using Claude code, and how they are delivering UX functionality without code bloat or high costs.

Custom Image Carousel Slider Made Using AI

This first example is for a landscaping website we developed in 2025. The client required a slider featuring images — in this case, concrete stamps — with accompanying text. It sounds simple enough, but we ran into a gap with our standard development toolset. 

  • We typically design and develop websites using Avada as the theme and Fusion Builder as the page builder
  • In this instance, Avada didn’t offer exactly what was needed, which was a clean, simple carousel of images with text that could be dropped into place
  • Rather than compromise on the design or functionality, we used Claude to build a custom WordPress plugin from the ground up
  • The plugin has its own dedicated backend, complete with individual slide management and slider settings
  • Through multiple iterations and back-and-forth with AI, we were able to fine-tune the plugin until it worked exactly as needed
  • Because it’s our own plugin, we can now upload and reuse it across other client sites in the future, and maintain it themselves going forward
  • This approach is significantly easier than searching the WordPress plugin repository for a freemium solution — those typically come with limited features and are designed to push users toward paid upgrades

Custom Tag Display Element Made Using AI

The second tool came out of a design need that didn’t fit neatly into anything Avada offers out of the box.

  • Our design team needed something resembling a tag cloud, but not quite — more specifically, a list of tags displayed in a very particular way
  • There are various ways to approach something like this in WordPress, with or without a builder like Avada, but none of them produced the exact look and behavior we wanted
  • Rather than cobbling together a workaround, we used AI to build another lightweight custom plugin
  • This plugin generates the exact design we had in mind and gives Digital Dynamo – and the client –  control over the appearance through its own settings panel
  • The settings are intentionally minimal — this is a focused, purpose-built tool rather than a complex one
  • This is a good example of what AI makes easy: when you have a simple, specific need, you can quickly spin up a lightweight plugin that does exactly that one thing well, without any bloat

AI-Powered Chatbot Created with AI

We’re also using AI to build tools for our own website. 

  • We created an AI chatbot powered by Claude that visitors can interact with directly on the Digital Dynamo website
  • It functions somewhat like a live chat tool, but with an important distinction: it’s a much more simplified version designed for a specific purpose
  • The goal wasn’t to create a platform where the Digital Dynamo team could personally interface with visitors in real time — it was simply to give visitors a place to ask questions and get answers
  • Rather than integrate a full live chat solution that would require staff monitoring and response management, we built exactly what we needed.
  • We are actively testing it out, and continuing to refine the experience.

CRM-Connected SingleOps Contact Form Coded with AI

The final example addresses a real-world integration challenge that many web developers encounter: connecting a contact form to a CRM that doesn’t offer a native embeddable solution.

  • A client was using SingleOps CRM, which as of this writing, had no built-in embeddable form that could be placed on a WordPress website
  • The typical workaround for this kind of integration would involve a third-party automation tool like Zapier to bridge the gap between the form and the CRM
  • Instead, we fed the CRM’s API documentation directly to Claude and asked it to figure out the integration
  • Because the CRM did support API access, Claude was able to work through the documentation and help build the connection correctly
  • The result was a custom plugin — or function, depending on how you look at it — that generates the form on the WordPress site and connects it directly to the CRM
  • Form submissions now flow cleanly into the CRM without any third-party service sitting in the middle
  • This eliminates the cost, complexity, and potential points of failure that come with tools like Zapier
  • This as a particularly strong use case for AI: rather than trying to manually interpret dense API documentation yourself, you can hand it to Claude and let it do the heavy lifting

The Bigger Picture: We’re Using AI to take Websites to New Levels

These four tools are just a sample of what Digital Dynamo has been building. AI and Claude have become a part of my everyday workflow — not just for occasional projects, but as a consistent resource the team turns to regularly. For anyone with questions about our approach or how we might be able to help with your web design and development challenges, please contact us or schedule a consultation.

And to learn more about how Digital Dynamo uses AI, check out the article: How Digital Dynamo Will Use – and Not Use – AI