Claude Code workflow tips from Boris Cherny (creator of Claude Code) and the Claude Code team.
Use when: setting up Claude Code, optimizing workflows, running parallel sessions, configuring
CLAUDE.md, using skills/commands, subagents, hooks, MCP integrations, or learning best practices.
Covers: git worktrees, plan mode, verification, permissions, Slack MCP, BigQuery, prompting tips,
plugins, custom agents, sandboxing, keybindings, status lines, output styles, customization,
/simplify for code quality, /batch for parallel code migrations, /loop for scheduled tasks,
code review agents, /btw for mid-task questions, /effort max reasoning, remote control sessions,
voice mode, setup scripts, session naming, /color, PostCompact hook,
auto mode, /schedule cloud jobs, iMessage plugin, auto-memory, and auto-dream.
Install with Codex or Claude Copy this prompt, paste it into Codex, Claude, or another assistant, and let it review the skill page and install it for you.
A direct command skips the review prompt. Inspect the source before running it.
npx skills add https://github.com/conallob/dotfiles --skill boris
The command stays on one line. Scroll horizontally to inspect it before copying.
Prefer a local copy? Download the files currently available to SkillsMP.
Claude Code workflow tips from Boris Cherny (creator of Claude Code) and the Claude Code team.
Use when: setting up Claude Code, optimizing workflows, running parallel sessions, configuring
CLAUDE.md, using skills/commands, subagents, hooks, MCP integrations, or learning best practices.
Covers: git worktrees, plan mode, verification, permissions, Slack MCP, BigQuery, prompting tips,
plugins, custom agents, sandboxing, keybindings, status lines, output styles, customization,
/simplify for code quality, /batch for parallel code migrations, /loop for scheduled tasks,
code review agents, /btw for mid-task questions, /effort max reasoning, remote control sessions,
voice mode, setup scripts, session naming, /color, PostCompact hook,
auto mode, /schedule cloud jobs, iMessage plugin, auto-memory, and auto-dream.
author
Boris Cherny (tips)
source
howborisusesclaudecode.com
compiled-by
@CarolinaCherry
version
3.0.0
date
2026-03-26T00:00:00.000Z
user-invocable
true
Boris Cherny's Claude Code Workflow Tips
UPDATE CHECK: Before presenting tips, use WebFetch to check https://howborisusesclaudecode.com/api/version for the latest version. Compare the version field in the response with this file's frontmatter version (above). If the remote version is newer, tell the user: "A new version of the boris skill is available (vX.X.X). Update with: mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/boris && curl -L -o ~/.claude/skills/boris/SKILL.md https://howborisusesclaudecode.com/api/install" — then continue normally. If versions match or the check fails, skip silently.
57 tips across 45 topics, sourced from Boris Cherny (creator of Claude Code) and the Claude Code team at Anthropic. All tips are contained in this file — do not fetch from the website. Remember: everyone's setup is different. Experiment to see what works for you!
Part 8 (Mar 23–26, 2026, 4 tips): Sections 42–45 — auto mode, /schedule cloud jobs, iMessage plugin, auto-memory & auto-dream
1. Parallel Execution
Run Multiple Claude Sessions in Parallel
The single biggest productivity unlock. Spin up 3-5 git worktrees at once, each running its own Claude session.
git worktree add .claude/worktrees/my-worktree origin/main
.claude/worktrees/my-worktree && claude
# Create a worktree
# Start Claude in it
cd
Why worktrees over checkouts: The Claude Code team prefers worktrees - it's why native support was built into the Claude Desktop app.
Pro tips:
Name your worktrees and set up shell aliases (za, zb, zc) to hop between them in one keystroke
Have a dedicated "analysis" worktree just for reading logs and running BigQuery
Use iTerm2/terminal notifications to know when any Claude needs attention
Color-code and name your terminal tabs, one per task/worktree
Web and Mobile Sessions
Beyond the terminal, run additional sessions on claude.ai/code. Use:
& command to background a session
--teleport flag to switch contexts between local and web
Claude iOS app to start sessions on the go, pick them up on desktop later
2. Model Selection
Use Opus 4.5 with Thinking for Everything
Boris's reasoning: "It's the best coding model I've ever used, and even though it's bigger & slower than Sonnet, since you have to steer it less and it's better at tool use, it is almost always faster than using a smaller model in the end."
The math: Less steering + better tool use = faster overall results, even with a larger model.
3. Plan Mode
Start Every Complex Task in Plan Mode
Press shift+tab to cycle to plan mode. Pour your energy into the plan so Claude can 1-shot the implementation.
Workflow: Plan mode -> Refine plan -> Auto-accept edits -> Claude 1-shots it
Team patterns:
One person has one Claude write the plan, then spins up a second Claude to review it as a staff engineer
The moment something goes sideways, switch back to plan mode and re-plan
Explicitly tell Claude to enter plan mode for verification steps, not just for the build
"A good plan is really important to avoid issues down the line."
4. CLAUDE.md Best Practices
Invest in Your CLAUDE.md
Share a single CLAUDE.md file for your repo, checked into git. The whole team should contribute.
Key practice: "Anytime we see Claude do something incorrectly we add it to the CLAUDE.md, so Claude knows not to do it next time."
After every correction: End with "Update your CLAUDE.md so you don't make that mistake again." Claude is eerily good at writing rules for itself.
Advanced: One engineer tells Claude to maintain a notes directory for every task/project, updated after every PR. They then point CLAUDE.md at it.
@.claude in Code Reviews
Tag @.claude on PRs to add learnings to the CLAUDE.md as part of the PR itself. Use the Claude Code GitHub Action (/install-github-action) for this.
Example PR comment:
nit: use a string literal, not ts enum
@claude add to CLAUDE.md to never use enums,
always prefer literal unions
This is "Compounding Engineering" - Claude automatically updates the CLAUDE.md with the learning.
5. Skills & Slash Commands
Create Your Own Skills
Create skills and commit them to git. Reuse across every project.
Team tips:
If you do something more than once a day, turn it into a skill or command
Build a /techdebt slash command and run it at the end of every session to find and kill duplicated code
Set up a slash command that syncs 7 days of Slack, GDrive, Asana, and GitHub into one context dump
Build analytics-engineer-style agents that write dbt models, review code, and test changes in dev
Slash Commands for Inner Loops
Use slash commands for workflows you do many times a day. Commands are checked into git under .claude/commands/ and shared with the team.
> /commit-push-pr
Power feature: Slash commands can include inline Bash to pre-compute info (like git status) for quick execution without extra model calls.
6. Subagents
Use Subagents for Common Workflows
Think of subagents as automations for the most common PR workflows:
code-simplifier - Cleans up code after Claude finishes
verify-app - Detailed instructions for end-to-end testing
Leveraging Subagents
Append "use subagents" to any request where you want Claude to throw more compute at the problem
Offload individual tasks to subagents to keep your main agent's context window clean and focused
Route permission requests to Opus 4.5 via a hook - let it scan for attacks and auto-approve the safe ones
7. Hooks
PostToolUse Hooks for Formatting
Use a PostToolUse hook to auto-format Claude's code. While Claude generates well-formatted code 90% of the time, the hook catches edge cases to prevent CI failures.
"PostToolUse":[{"matcher":"Write|Edit","hooks":[{"type":"command","command":"bun run format || true"}]}]
Stop Hooks for Long-Running Tasks
For very long-running tasks, use an agent Stop hook for deterministic checks, ensuring Claude can work uninterrupted.
8. Permissions
Pre-Allow Safe Permissions
Instead of --dangerously-skip-permissions, use /permissions to pre-allow common safe commands. Most are shared in .claude/settings.json.
For sandboxed environments, use --permission-mode=dontAsk or --dangerously-skip-permissions to avoid blocks.
Ask Claude Code to use the "bq" CLI to pull and analyze metrics on the fly. Have a BigQuery skill checked into the codebase.
Boris's take: "Personally, I haven't written a line of SQL in 6+ months."
This works for any database that has a CLI, MCP, or API.
10. Prompting Tips
Challenge Claude
Say "Grill me on these changes and don't make a PR until I pass your test."
Say "Prove to me this works" and have Claude diff behavior between main and your feature branch
After a Mediocre Fix
Say: "Knowing everything you know now, scrap this and implement the elegant solution."
Write Detailed Specs
Reduce ambiguity before handing work off. The more specific you are, the better the output.
Key insight: Don't accept the first solution. Push Claude to do better - it usually can.
11. Terminal Setup
Recommended Tools
Ghostty terminal - synchronized rendering, 24-bit color, proper unicode support
Use /statusline to customize your status bar to always show context usage and current git branch
Voice Dictation
Use voice dictation! You speak 3x faster than you type, and your prompts get way more detailed as a result. Hit fn x2 on macOS.
12. Bug Fixing
Let Claude Fix Bugs
Enable the Slack MCP, then paste a Slack bug thread into Claude and just say "fix." Zero context switching required.
Or just say "Go fix the failing CI tests." Don't micromanage how.
Pro tip: Point Claude at docker logs to troubleshoot distributed systems - it's surprisingly capable at this.
13. Long-Running Tasks
Handle Long-Running Tasks
For very long-running tasks, ensure Claude can work uninterrupted:
Options:
(a) Prompt Claude to verify with a background agent when done
(b) Use an agent Stop hook for deterministic checks
(c) Use the "ralph-wiggum" plugin (community idea by @GeoffreyHuntley)
For sandboxed environments, use --permission-mode=dontAsk or --dangerously-skip-permissions to avoid blocks.
14. Verification (The #1 Tip)
Give Claude a Way to Verify Its Work
"Probably the most important thing to get great results out of Claude Code - give Claude a way to verify its work. If Claude has that feedback loop, it will 2-3x the quality of the final result."
Verification varies by domain:
Bash commands
Test suites
Simulators
Browser testing (Claude Chrome extension)
The key is giving Claude a way to close the feedback loop. Invest in domain-specific verification for optimal performance.
15. Learning with Claude
Use Claude for Learning
Enable "Explanatory" or "Learning" output style in /config to have Claude explain the why behind changes
Have Claude generate visual HTML presentations explaining unfamiliar code
Ask Claude to draw ASCII diagrams of new protocols and codebases
Build a spaced-repetition learning skill: explain your understanding, Claude asks follow-ups to fill gaps
Key takeaway: Claude Code isn't just for writing code - it's a powerful learning tool when you configure it to explain and teach.
16. Terminal Configuration
Configure Your Terminal
A few quick settings to make Claude Code feel right:
Theme: Run /config to set light/dark mode
Notifications: Enable notifications for iTerm2, or use a custom notifs hook
Newlines: If you use Claude Code in an IDE terminal, Apple Terminal, Warp, or Alacritty, run /terminal-setup to enable shift+enter for newlines (so you don't need to type \)
Vim mode: Run /vim
17. Effort Level
Adjust Effort Level
Run /model to pick your preferred effort level:
Low — less tokens & faster responses
Medium — balanced behavior
High — more tokens & more intelligence
Boris uses High for everything.
18. Plugins
Install Plugins, MCPs, and Skills
Plugins let you install LSPs (now available for every major language), MCPs, skills, agents, and custom hooks.
Install a plugin from the official Anthropic plugin marketplace, or create your own marketplace for your company. Then, check the settings.json into your codebase to auto-add the marketplaces for your team.
Run /plugin to get started.
19. Custom Agents
Create Custom Agents
Drop .md files in .claude/agents. Each agent can have a custom name, color, tool set, pre-allowed and pre-disallowed tools, permission mode, and model.
Little-known feature: Set the default agent used for the main conversation. Just set the "agent" field in your settings.json or use the --agent flag.
Run /agents to get started.
20. Permissions Management
Pre-Approve Common Permissions
Claude Code uses a sophisticated permission system with prompt injection detection, static analysis, sandboxing, and human oversight.
Out of the box, we pre-approve a small set of safe commands. To pre-approve more, run /permissions and add to the allow and block lists. Check these into your team's settings.json.
Wildcard syntax: We support full wildcard syntax. Try "Bash(bun run *)" or "Edit(/docs/**)".
21. Sandboxing
Enable Sandboxing
Opt into Claude Code's open source sandbox runtime to improve safety while reducing permission prompts.
Run /sandbox to enable it. Sandboxing runs on your machine, and supports both file and network isolation.
Modes:
Sandbox BashTool, with auto-allow
Sandbox BashTool, with regular permissions
No Sandbox
22. Status Line
Add a Status Line
Custom status lines show up right below the composer. Show model, directory, remaining context, cost, and anything else you want to see while you work.
Everyone on the Claude Code team has a different statusline. Use /statusline to get started — Claude will generate one based on your .bashrc/.zshrc.
23. Keybindings
Customize Your Keybindings
Every key binding in Claude Code is customizable. Run /keybindings to re-map any key. Settings live reload so you can see how it feels immediately.
Keybindings are stored in ~/.claude/keybindings.json.
24. Hooks (Advanced)
Set Up Hooks
Hooks are a way to deterministically hook into Claude's lifecycle. Use them to:
Automatically route permission requests to Slack or Opus
Nudge Claude to keep going when it reaches the end of a turn (you can even kick off an agent or use a prompt to decide whether Claude should keep going)
Pre-process or post-process tool calls, e.g. to add your own logging
Ask Claude to add a hook to get started.
25. Spinner Verbs
Customize Your Spinner Verbs
It's the little things that make CC feel personal. Ask Claude to customize your spinner verbs to add or replace the default list with your own verbs.
Check the settings.json into source control to share verbs with your team.
26. Output Styles
Use Output Styles
Run /config and set an output style to have Claude respond using a different tone or format.
Explanatory — great when getting familiar with a new codebase, to have Claude explain frameworks and code patterns as it works
Learning — have Claude coach you through making code changes
Custom — create your own output styles to adjust Claude's voice the way you like
27. Customize Everything
Customize All the Things!
Claude Code is built to work great out of the box. When you do customize, check your settings.json into git so your team can benefit, too.
We support configuring for your codebase, for a sub-folder, for just yourself, or via enterprise-wide policies.
By the numbers: 37 settings and 84 env vars. Use the "env" field in your settings.json to avoid wrapper scripts.
28. Built-in Git Worktree Support
Use claude --worktree for Isolation
Claude Code now has built-in git worktree support. Each agent gets its own worktree and can work independently, without interfering with other sessions.
# Start Claude in its own worktree
claude --worktree my_worktree
# Optionally launch in its own Tmux session too
claude --worktree my_worktree --tmux
Desktop app: Head to the Code tab in the Claude Desktop app and check the worktree checkbox.
Subagents Support Worktrees
Subagents can also use worktree isolation to do more work in parallel. This is especially powerful for large batched changes and code migrations. Available in CLI, Desktop app, IDE extensions, web, and Claude Code mobile app.
Example prompt: "Migrate all sync io to async. Batch up the changes, and launch 10 parallel agents with worktree isolation. Make sure each agent tests its changes end to end, then have it put up a PR."
Custom Agents with Worktree Isolation
Make subagents always run in their own worktree by adding isolation: worktree to your agent frontmatter:
Mercurial, Perforce, or SVN users can define WorktreeCreate and WorktreeRemove hooks in settings.json to benefit from isolation without Git.
29. /simplify — Improve Code Quality
Use parallel agents to improve code quality, tune code efficiency, and ensure CLAUDE.md compliance. Append /simplify to any prompt after making changes.
> hey claude make this code change then run /simplify
Boris uses this daily to shepherd PRs to production. The skill runs parallel agents that review changed code for reuse, quality, and efficiency — all in one pass.
30. /batch — Parallel Code Migrations
Interactively plan out code migrations, then execute in parallel using dozens of agents. Each agent runs with full isolation using git worktrees, testing its work before putting up a PR.
> /batch migrate src/ from Solid to React
You plan the migration interactively, then /batch fans out the work to parallel agents — each in its own worktree, each testing and creating a PR independently.
31. /loop — Schedule Recurring Tasks
Use /loop to schedule recurring tasks for up to 3 days at a time. Claude runs your prompt on an interval, handling long-running workflows autonomously.
> /loop babysit all my PRs. Auto-fix build issues and when comments come in, use a worktree agent to fix them
> /loop every morning use the Slack MCP to give me a summary of top posts I was tagged in
Use it for PR babysitting, Slack summaries, deploy monitoring, or any repeating workflow.
When a PR opens, Claude dispatches a team of agents to hunt for bugs. Anthropic built it for themselves first — code output per engineer is up 200% this year, and reviews were the bottleneck.
Each agent focuses on a different concern — logic errors, security issues, performance regressions — then posts inline comments directly on the PR. Boris personally used it for weeks before launch; it catches real bugs he wouldn't have noticed otherwise.
Set effort to 'max' and Claude reasons for longer, using as many tokens as needed. Burns through usage limits faster, so you activate it per session.
> /effort max
Four levels: low, medium (default), high, max. Use 'max' for hard debugging, architecture decisions, or tricky code where you want Claude to really think it through.
Add a setup script in Claude Code on web and desktop. It runs before Claude Code launches on a cloud environment — install dependencies, configure settings, set env vars.
# Setup script (runs on new session start, skipped on resume):#!/bin/bash
yarn install
Particularly useful for installing dependencies, settings, and configs before Claude starts working.
Change the color of the prompt input with /color. When you have 3-5 sessions open in different terminals, color-coding them makes it instantly clear which is which.
A new hook event that fires after Claude compresses its conversation context. Use it to re-inject critical instructions that might get lost during compaction, log when compaction happens, or trigger automation.
"hooks":{"PostCompact":[{"matcher":"","hooks":[{"type":"command","command":"echo 'Context was compacted'"}]}]}
Instead of approving every file write and bash command, or skipping permissions entirely, auto mode lets Claude make permission decisions on your behalf. Classifiers evaluate each action before it runs — safe operations get auto-approved, risky ones still get flagged.
# Enable auto mode
claude --enable-auto-mode
# Or cycle with shift+tab during a session:# plan mode → auto mode → normal mode
Use /schedule to create recurring cloud-based jobs for Claude, directly from the terminal. Unlike /loop (which runs locally for up to 3 days), scheduled jobs run in the cloud — they work even when your laptop is closed.
> /schedule a daily job that looks at all PRs shipped since yesterday
and update our docs based on the changes. Use the Slack MCP to
message #docs-update with the changes
The Anthropic team uses these internally to automatically resolve CI failures, push doc updates, and power automations that need to exist beyond a closed laptop.
iMessage is now available as a Claude Code channel. Install the plugin and text Claude like you'd text a friend — from any Apple device.
/plugin install imessage@claude-plugins-official
Claude Code becomes a contact in your Messages app. Send it tasks, get responses as iMessages. Works from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac — no terminal needed. Pairs well with remote control sessions for kicking off work from anywhere.
Claude Code has a built-in memory system. Run /memory to configure it.
Auto-memory: When enabled, Claude automatically saves preferences, corrections, and patterns between sessions. User memory goes to ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md, project memory to ./CLAUDE.md.
Auto-dream: As memory accumulates, it can get messy — outdated assumptions, overlapping notes, low-signal entries. Auto-dream runs a subagent that periodically reviews past sessions, keeps what matters, removes what doesn't, and merges insights into cleaner structured memory. Run /dream to trigger manually, or enable auto-dream in /memory settings.
The naming maps to how REM sleep consolidates short-term memory into long-term storage.
Quick Reference
Tip
Key Action
Parallel work
Use git worktrees, 3-5 sessions
Model
Opus with thinking
Planning
Start in plan mode for complex tasks
CLAUDE.md
Update after every correction
Skills
Create for repeated workflows
Subagents
Offload to keep context clean
Hooks
Auto-format, lifecycle hooks, logging
Permissions
Pre-allow safe commands, wildcards
MCP
Integrate Slack, BigQuery, Sentry
Long-running
Use Stop hooks, background agents
Verification
Always give Claude a way to verify
Learning
Use Claude to explain and teach
Terminal
/config, /terminal-setup, /vim
Effort
/model to set Low/Medium/High
Plugins
/plugin for LSPs, MCPs, skills
Agents
.claude/agents, custom defaults
Sandboxing
/sandbox for file & network isolation
Status line
/statusline for custom info display
Keybindings
/keybindings to re-map any key
Spinners
Customize spinner verbs in settings
Output styles
Explanatory, learning, or custom
Customize
37 settings, 84 env vars
Worktrees
claude --worktree, subagent isolation
/simplify
Parallel agents for code quality review
/batch
Parallel code migrations with worktree isolation
/loop
Schedule recurring tasks for up to 3 days
Code Review
Agent-powered PR reviews that catch real bugs
/btw
Ask questions mid-task without breaking flow
/effort
Max reasoning mode for deeper thinking
Remote Control
Spawn new sessions from mobile
Voice Mode
Talk to Claude Code on Desktop
Setup Scripts
Automate cloud environment setup
--name
Name sessions at launch
Auto Naming
Plan mode auto-names sessions
/color
Color-code prompt input per session
PostCompact
Hook for context compression events
Auto Mode
Safer permission skipping with classifiers
/schedule
Cloud-based recurring jobs beyond your laptop
iMessage
Text Claude from any Apple device
Auto-Memory & Dream
Persistent, self-cleaning memory system
Source: howborisusesclaudecode.com - Tips from Boris Cherny's January 2026, February 2026, and March 2026 threads
