boris

name	boris
description	Trigger: Claude Code, CLAUDE.md, plan mode, shift+tab, MCP, worktrees, hooks, /loop, /schedule, voice mode, permissions, auto mode. Tips from Boris Cherny. Invoke proactively during work — surface tips as user edits.
author	Boris Cherny (tips)
compiled-by	@CarolinaCherry
version	5.0.0
date	"2026-04-08T00:00:00.000Z"
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.

How This Skill Works

When invoked with /boris: Show the topic list below and let the user browse.

When working normally: If you notice the user doing something where a Boris tip would help, mention it briefly. One sentence max. Example: "Tip from Boris: shift+tab into plan mode before multi-file changes (Section 3)." Don't interrupt flow — just nudge.

Context Map — When to Surface Which Tip

User is doing...	Surface section	One-liner
Editing 3+ files	3 (Plan Mode)	"Boris says: shift+tab into plan mode first"
Writing a hook or asking about hooks	7, 24, 49 (Hooks)	"Boris has hook patterns for this — want to see?"
Setting up CLAUDE.md or project rules	4 (CLAUDE.md)	"Boris: 'Anytime Claude does something wrong, add it to CLAUDE.md'"
Creating a skill or slash command	5 (Skills)	"Boris turns anything he does 2x/day into a slash command"
Spawning subagents or parallel work	1, 6, 55 (Parallel/Subagents)	"Boris runs 3-5 worktrees at once — the biggest productivity unlock"
Connecting MCP servers	9 (MCP)	"Boris uses Slack + BigQuery MCPs for cross-tool context"
Debugging a tricky bug	12, 14 (Bug Fixing/Verification)	"Boris: always verify. 'Did this actually work?'"
Running long tasks or crons	13, 31, 43, 48 (Long-Running/Loop/Schedule)	"Boris uses /loop for recurring checks and /schedule for cloud jobs"
Reviewing code or PRs	32 (Code Review)	"Boris has agents that review code and hunt for bugs"
Asking a side question mid-task	33, 54 (/btw)	"Use /btw — it asks without interrupting your current task"
Configuring permissions or security	8, 20, 21 (Permissions/Sandboxing)	"Boris manages permissions in CLAUDE.md, not interactively"
Customizing terminal/UI	11, 16, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 40 (Terminal/UI)	"Boris customizes spinner verbs, colors, and status lines"
Using plugins or extensions	18, 51 (Plugins/Chrome)	"Boris uses plugins to extend Claude's reach"
Building custom agents	19, 59 (Custom Agents)	"Boris builds --agent custom agents with tailored system prompts"
Choosing model or effort level	2, 17, 34 (Model/Effort)	"Boris: /effort max for hard debugging, default for everything else"
Working on mobile or remote	35, 44, 46, 47, 50 (Remote/Mobile)	"Boris teleports sessions between devices with --teleport"
Writing a setup or deploy script	37 (Setup Scripts)	"Boris has setup scripts for cloud environments"
Wanting to try voice input	36, 60 (Voice)	"Boris uses /voice for hands-free input"
Doing a large refactor or migration	29, 30, 56 (Simplify/Batch)	"Boris uses /batch to fan out changes across many files"
Forking or branching work	28, 53 (Worktrees/Fork)	"Boris forks sessions to explore alternatives without losing progress"
Working across multiple repos	58 (--add-dir)	"Boris uses --add-dir to give Claude access to related repos"
Optimizing SDK/startup performance	57 (--bare)	"Boris uses --bare for 10x faster SDK startup"
Setting up auto mode	42 (Auto Mode)	"Auto mode skips permission prompts for safe operations"
Configuring memory or context	45 (Auto-Memory)	"Boris uses auto-memory and auto-dream for persistent context"

Topic List (72 tips across 60 sections)

When the user runs /boris, present this list and ask what they want to explore:

1. Parallel Execution (worktrees, web/mobile sessions)
2. Model Selection (Opus for everything)
3. Plan Mode (shift+tab, pour energy into the plan)
4. CLAUDE.md Best Practices (team rules, @.claude in PRs)
5. Skills & Slash Commands (reusable workflows)
6. Subagents (delegate to specialists)
7. Hooks (automate on events)
8. Permissions (manage access)
9. MCP Integrations (Slack, BigQuery, external tools)
10. Prompting Tips (be specific, show examples)
11. Terminal Setup (iTerm2, tmux, tabs)
12. Bug Fixing (isolate, reproduce, verify)
13. Long-Running Tasks (background, notifications)
14. Verification — The #1 Tip ("Did it actually work?")
15. Learning with Claude (teach it, learn from it) 16-27. Terminal Config, Effort, Plugins, Agents, Permissions, Sandboxing, Status Line, Keybindings, Hooks (Advanced), Spinner Verbs, Output Styles, Customize Everything
16. Git Worktree Support (CLI, Desktop, subagents) 29-30. /simplify and /batch 31-33. /loop, Code Review Agents, /btw 34-41. /effort max, Remote Control, Voice, Setup Scripts, Session Naming, /color, PostCompact Hook 42-45. Auto Mode, /schedule, iMessage Plugin, Auto-Memory & Auto-Dream 46-60. Mobile App, Teleporting, Hooks Lifecycle, Cowork Dispatch, Chrome Extension, Desktop App, Fork Sessions, --bare, --add-dir, --agent, /voice

Tips Content

Read the relevant file for the sections the user wants:

• Sections 1–15 → references/tips-1-15.md
• Sections 16–30 → references/tips-16-30.md
• Sections 31–45 → references/tips-31-45.md
• Sections 46–60 → references/tips-46-60.md

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	/simplify, /batch, /btw, custom workflows
Subagents	Offload to keep context clean
Hooks	PostToolUse, SessionStart, PermissionRequest, Stop
Permissions	Pre-allow safe commands, wildcards
MCP	Integrate Slack, BigQuery, Sentry
Long-running	Use Stop hooks, background agents
Verification	Chrome extension, browser testing
Learning	Use Claude to explain and teach
Terminal	/config, /voice, /color, keybindings
Effort	/effort max for deeper thinking
Plugins & Agents	LSPs, MCPs, --agent, custom agents
Sandboxing	/sandbox for file & network isolation
Status line	/statusline for custom info display
Worktrees	claude -w, Desktop, subagent isolation
Scheduled Tasks	/loop, /schedule, automated workflows
Code Review	Agent-powered PR reviews
Remote Control	Teleport, mobile app, /remote-control
Auto Mode	Safer permission skipping with classifiers
--bare	10x faster SDK startup
--add-dir	Give Claude access to more folders

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Source: howborisusesclaudecode.com - Tips from Boris Cherny's January–March 2026 threads