Mastering Claude Code: Pro Tips from a Developer’s Experience

Hey there! I’m Greg, a developer who’s recently made Claude Code my go-to tool for writing code. Over the past few months, I’ve gathered some valuable insights and pro tips that can help you get the most out of Claude Code. These tips are mainly based on a fantastic post by Boris Churnney, the creator of Claude Code at Anthropic. Let’s dive into some of the best practices and features that will supercharge your coding workflow with Claude Code.

What is Claude Code?

Claude Code is a powerful command-line interface (CLI) tool that leverages AI to assist you in coding. It’s flexible, integrates well with other tools, and supports advanced workflows, making it a game-changer for developers.

Claude Code Pro Tips

1. Leveraging the CLI Nature of Claude Code

Claude Code operates like any other bash-based CLI, which means:

• You can pass command-line arguments to customize behavior on startup.
• Run it in headless mode using the -p flag.
• Chain Claude Code with other command-line tools and pipe data in and out.
• Run multiple instances simultaneously — even having Claude Code launch sub-agents for complex or parallel tasks.

This flexibility lets you build sophisticated automation and multi-agent workflows easily.

2. Using Images in Claude Code

Images are a powerful input method in Claude Code:

• On macOS, you can drag and drop an image directly into the terminal.
• Alternatively, use Shift + Command + Control + 4 to take a screenshot and then paste it with Control + V (not Command + V).

Two main use cases for images:
- Mockups: Paste UI mockups and have Claude Code build the interface based on the design.
- Feedback loop: Take screenshots of what Claude Code generates, feed them back in, and ask for iterations. This manual feedback cycle can be automated using Puppeteer MCP servers to capture screenshots programmatically.

3. MCP Servers and Clients

Claude Code supports MCP (Multi-Channel Protocol) servers and clients, allowing it to:

• Act as an MCP server for other agents.
• Connect to various MCP servers, such as:
• Postgres server to interact directly with your database.
• API wrappers from dev tool companies like Cloudflare, providing up-to-date documentation.

You can also fetch URLs for real-time knowledge. For example, I built a game for my daughter by feeding Claude Code the official Uno rules from a website, ensuring accurate gameplay logic rather than relying on generic training data.

4. The Power of claude.md

The claude.md file is a prompt loaded with every request to Claude Code and can include:

• Project instructions.
• Common bash commands.
• Style and linting guidelines.
• Testing instructions.
• Repository etiquette.

Create it easily with the /init command, which scans your directory and summarizes its structure. You can also maintain:

• A global claude.md in your home directory for universal instructions.
• Subdirectory-specific claude.md files for finer control.

Keep these files concise and specific for better performance. Use Anthropic’s prompt optimizer tool to refine your prompts.

5. Slash Commands

Slash commands are customizable prompt templates stored in the cloud/commands folder. Examples include commands for:

• Refactoring code.
• Running lint checks.
• Reviewing pull requests.

You can pass command-line arguments to these templates for dynamic and reusable workflows.

6. UI Tips for Efficient Interactions

• Use Tab to autocomplete files and directories.
• Be specific about files and directories to improve results.
• Don’t hesitate to hit Escape to stop Claude Code if it goes off-track.
• Use Escape to undo the last action and revert conversation turns.

7. Version Control Integration

One of the biggest pitfalls is letting Claude Code make breaking changes without proper tracking. To avoid headaches:

• Use version control diligently.
• Have Claude Code commit after every major change with well-written commit messages (likely better than most commit messages you’ve seen).
• Revert changes often and clear conversation history to keep things clean.
• Install the GitHub CLI for seamless GitHub interactions, or use the GitHub MCP server as an alternative.
• Claude Code can file PRs and perform code reviews for you.

8. Managing Context and Cost

Managing context windows is crucial because Claude Code auto-compacts conversations to stay within token limits:

• Monitor the auto-compact indicator carefully.
• Compact conversations at natural breakpoints (e.g., after commits).
• Consider clearing conversations periodically to start fresh.
• Use scratchpads or GitHub issues to plan and organize work externally.

If you pay per token, monitoring usage is essential. For teams, you can track costs robustly using Cloud Code’s open telemetry support, integrating with tools like DataDog for dashboards.

9. Upgrading and Pricing

Claude Code can be expensive, but upgrading to Claude Max plans ($100 or $200) significantly improves value. I personally spent around $150 over three days on the $100 plan, which felt reasonable for the productivity gains.

Final Thoughts

Claude Code is a versatile and powerful tool that can revolutionize how you write and manage code. The tips above only scratch the surface of what’s possible. For a deeper dive, check out Boris Churnney’s original post and other linked resources.

Happy coding with Claude Code!

Resources:

• Boris Churnney’s Post on Claude Code Pro Tips
• Anthropic Prompt Optimizer Tool
• Martin AMP’s Blog on Open Telemetry with Claude Code
• Puppeteer MCP Server Setup Guide

Feel free to share your own tips or questions in the comments!