Claude Code Best Practices: A Developer's Action Guide

🎯 What is Claude Code?

Claude Code is Anthropic's command-line tool for agentic coding - a powerful, low-level assistant that gives you close-to-raw model access without forcing specific workflows. Think of it as your AI pair programmer that can read your codebase, make changes, and execute commands.

Key advantage: Unlike other AI coding tools, Claude Code is intentionally unopinionated, giving you maximum flexibility to customize your workflow.

1. Optimize Your Setup (5 Minutes to Better Results)

Create CLAUDE.md Files

The most impactful first step is creating CLAUDE.md files. These are automatically pulled into context, making them perfect for documenting your project's specifics.

📝 What to Include in CLAUDE.md

• Common commands: npm run build, npm run test
• Code style guidelines: ES modules vs CommonJS, naming conventions
• Testing instructions: How to run tests, what to test
• Repository etiquette: Branch naming, merge vs rebase preferences
• Environment setup: Python versions, compiler requirements
• Project quirks: Unexpected behaviors, known issues

Example CLAUDE.md

# Bash commands
- npm run build: Build the project
- npm run typecheck: Run the typechecker

# Code style
- Use ES modules (import/export) syntax, not CommonJS (require)
- Destructure imports when possible (eg. import { foo } from 'bar')

# Workflow
- Be sure to typecheck when you're done making changes
- Prefer running single tests, not the whole suite, for performance

Strategic File Placement

• Root directory: CLAUDE.md (shared with team) or CLAUDE.local.md (personal only)
• Home folder: ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md (applies to all projects)
• Monorepos: Multiple CLAUDE.md files at different levels

Curate Your Tool Allowlist

Claude Code is conservative by default, asking permission for potentially risky actions. Use the /permissions command to customize what's always allowed:

• Edit - Always allow file edits
• Bash(git commit:*) - Allow git commits
• mcp__puppeteer__puppeteer_navigate - Allow web navigation

2. Expand Claude's Capabilities

Leverage Your Bash Environment

Claude inherits your shell environment, so document your custom tools in CLAUDE.md:

1. Tell Claude the tool name with usage examples
2. Have Claude run --help to see documentation
3. Document frequently used tools in your CLAUDE.md

Use MCP (Model Context Protocol)

Connect Claude to external tools through MCP servers. Configure in three ways:

• Project config: Available when running Claude in that directory
• Global config: Available in all projects
• Checked-in .mcp.json: Shared with your team

Create Custom Slash Commands

Store prompt templates in .claude/commands/ for repeated workflows:

Example: Fix GitHub Issue Command

Please analyze and fix the GitHub issue: $ARGUMENTS.

Follow these steps:
1. Use `gh issue view` to get the issue details
2. Understand the problem described in the issue
3. Search the codebase for relevant files
4. Implement the necessary changes to fix the issue
5. Write and run tests to verify the fix
6. Ensure code passes linting and type checking
7. Create a descriptive commit message
8. Push and create a PR

Save as .claude/commands/fix-github-issue.mdto use as /fix-github-issue

3. Master Context Management

Use the /clear Command Frequently

Context windows fill up quickly. Use /clear between tasks to reset and maintain focus. This is especially important when switching between different types of work.

Leverage Checklists and Scratchpads

For complex, multi-step tasks, have Claude use a Markdown file as a working checklist:

1. Generate task list: Have Claude run a command and write all results to a checklist
2. Work systematically: Address each item, fix, verify, and check it off
3. Track progress: Use the same file as both checklist and scratchpad

4. Advanced Workflow Techniques

Multi-Claude Workflows

Sometimes one Claude isn't enough. Use multiple instances for better results:

🔄 Code Review Workflow

1. Claude #1: Writes the code
2. Claude #2: Reviews the code (use /clear or new terminal)
3. Claude #3: Reads both code and review, then makes improvements

This separation often yields better results than having one Claude handle everything.

Git Worktrees for Parallel Development

For multiple independent tasks, use git worktrees to run Claude sessions simultaneously:

Git Worktree Setup

# Create worktrees for different features
git worktree add ../project-feature-a feature-a
git worktree add ../project-feature-b feature-b

# Launch Claude in each worktree
cd ../project-feature-a && claude
cd ../project-feature-b && claude

# Clean up when finished
git worktree remove ../project-feature-a
git worktree remove ../project-feature-b

Headless Mode for Automation

Use claude -p for non-interactive automation:

• CI/CD integration: Automated code reviews, linting
• Issue triage: Auto-label GitHub issues
• Batch processing: Migrate hundreds of files
• Pipeline integration: claude -p "prompt" --json | your_command

5. Pro Tips for Maximum Efficiency

⚡ Quick Wins

• Use # to auto-update CLAUDE.md
• Install gh CLI for GitHub integration
• Use --mcp-debug for troubleshooting
• Pipe data: cat logs.txt | claude

🚨 Common Pitfalls

• Don't let context windows get too full
• Avoid overly verbose CLAUDE.md files
• Don't forget to use /clear between tasks
• Test your custom commands before relying on them

Getting Started: Your 15-Minute Setup

🎯 Action Plan

1. Create your first CLAUDE.md (5 min)
- • Document your most common commands
- • Add your code style preferences
- • Include testing instructions
2. Set up permissions (3 min)
- • Run /permissions
- • Allow file editing and git commits
3. Create one custom command (5 min)
- • Pick a repetitive task you do often
- • Create a slash command for it
4. Test the workflow (2 min)
- • Try a simple coding task
- • Use /clear between steps

Conclusion

Claude Code represents a new paradigm in AI-assisted development. By following these best practices, you'll transform from a casual user to a power user who can leverage AI for complex, multi-step development tasks.

The key is to start simple with CLAUDE.md files and gradually add more sophisticated workflows as you become comfortable with the tool.

Remember: Claude Code is intentionally flexible. These practices are starting points - experiment and find what works best for your specific development style and project needs.

📝 Source Attribution

This blog post is based on the comprehensive best practices guide from Anthropic's engineering team.

Original source:Claude Code: Best practices for agentic coding

This post distills the original content into actionable steps and practical examples for developers looking to master Claude Code in their daily workflow.