Chili Is Flavor, Not Just Heat
Same family. Completely different kitchens.
If chili only means "make it spicy," you miss most of what chili can do.
Fresh chilies bring snap and vegetal brightness. Dried chilies bring depth, fruit, and sometimes smoke. Powders and flakes are convenient, but they are already a processed version of a specific chili, not a universal heat button.
Start by asking what kind of heat the dish wants: sharp and fresh, slow and toasted, or warm and rounded. Then pick the form that matches.