Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Step-by-step guides for exploring codebases, fixing bugs, refactoring, testing, and other everyday tasks with Claude Code.
This page collects short recipes for everyday development. For higher-level guidance on prompting and context management, see Best practices.
This page covers:
- Prompt recipes for exploring code, fixing bugs, refactoring, testing, PRs, and documentation
- Resume previous conversations so a task can span multiple sittings
- Run parallel sessions with worktrees so concurrent edits don't collide
- Plan before editing to review changes before they touch disk
- Delegate research to subagents to keep your main context clean
- Pipe Claude into scripts for CI and batch processing
These are prompt patterns for everyday tasks like exploring unfamiliar code, debugging, refactoring, writing tests, and creating PRs. Each works in any Claude Code surface; adapt the wording to your project.
Suppose you've just joined a new project and need to understand its structure quickly.
```bash
cd /path/to/project
```
```bash
claude
```
```text
give me an overview of this codebase
```
```text
explain the main architecture patterns used here
```
```text
what are the key data models?
```
```text
how is authentication handled?
```
Tips:
- Start with broad questions, then narrow down to specific areas
- Ask about coding conventions and patterns used in the project
- Request a glossary of project-specific terms
Suppose you need to locate code related to a specific feature or functionality.
```text
find the files that handle user authentication
```
```text
how do these authentication files work together?
```
```text
trace the login process from front-end to database
```
Tips:
- Be specific about what you're looking for
- Use domain language from the project
- Install a code intelligence plugin for your language to give Claude precise "go to definition" and "find references" navigation
Suppose you've encountered an error message and need to find and fix its source.
```text
I'm seeing an error when I run npm test
```
```text
suggest a few ways to fix the @ts-ignore in user.ts
```
```text
update user.ts to add the null check you suggested
```
Tips:
- Tell Claude the command to reproduce the issue and get a stack trace
- Mention any steps to reproduce the error
- Let Claude know if the error is intermittent or consistent
Suppose you need to update old code to use modern patterns and practices.
```text
find deprecated API usage in our codebase
```
```text
suggest how to refactor utils.js to use modern JavaScript features
```
```text
refactor utils.js to use ES2024 features while maintaining the same behavior
```
```text
run tests for the refactored code
```
Tips:
- Ask Claude to explain the benefits of the modern approach
- Request that changes maintain backward compatibility when needed
- Do refactoring in small, testable increments
Suppose you need to add tests for uncovered code.
```text
find functions in NotificationsService.swift that are not covered by tests
```
```text
add tests for the notification service
```
```text
add test cases for edge conditions in the notification service
```
```text
run the new tests and fix any failures
```
Claude can generate tests that follow your project's existing patterns and conventions. When asking for tests, be specific about what behavior you want to verify. Claude examines your existing test files to match the style, frameworks, and assertion patterns already in use.
For comprehensive coverage, ask Claude to identify edge cases you might have missed. Claude can analyze your code paths and suggest tests for error conditions, boundary values, and unexpected inputs that are easy to overlook.
You can create pull requests by asking Claude directly ("create a pr for my changes"), or guide Claude through it step-by-step:
```text
summarize the changes I've made to the authentication module
```
```text
create a pr
```
```text
enhance the PR description with more context about the security improvements
```
When you create a PR using gh pr create, the session is automatically linked to that PR. To return to it later, run claude --from-pr <number> or paste the PR URL into the /resume picker search.
Review Claude's generated PR before submitting and ask Claude to highlight potential risks or considerations.
Suppose you need to add or update documentation for your code.
```text
find functions without proper JSDoc comments in the auth module
```
```text
add JSDoc comments to the undocumented functions in auth.js
```
```text
improve the generated documentation with more context and examples
```
```text
check if the documentation follows our project standards
```
Tips:
- Specify the documentation style you want (JSDoc, docstrings, etc.)
- Ask for examples in the documentation
- Request documentation for public APIs, interfaces, and complex logic
Claude Code works in any directory. Run it inside a notes vault, a documentation folder, or any collection of markdown files to search, edit, and reorganize content the same way you would code.
The .claude/ directory and CLAUDE.md sit alongside other tools' config directories without conflict. Claude reads files fresh on each tool call, so it sees edits you make in another application the next time it reads that file.
Suppose you need to work with images in your codebase, and you want Claude's help analyzing image content.
You can use any of these methods:
1. Drag and drop an image into the Claude Code window
2. Copy an image and paste it into the CLI with ctrl+v (Do not use cmd+v)
3. Provide an image path to Claude. E.g., "Analyze this image: /path/to/your/image.png"
```text
What does this image show?
```
```text
Describe the UI elements in this screenshot
```
```text
Are there any problematic elements in this diagram?
```
```text
Here's a screenshot of the error. What's causing it?
```
```text
This is our current database schema. How should we modify it for the new feature?
```
```text
Generate CSS to match this design mockup
```
```text
What HTML structure would recreate this component?
```
Tips:
- Use images when text descriptions would be unclear or cumbersome
- Include screenshots of errors, UI designs, or diagrams for better context
- You can work with multiple images in a conversation
- Image analysis works with diagrams, screenshots, mockups, and more
- When Claude references images (for example,
[Image #1]),Cmd+Click(Mac) orCtrl+Click(Windows/Linux) the link to open the image in your default viewer
Use @ to quickly include files or directories without waiting for Claude to read them.
```text
Explain the logic in @src/utils/auth.js
```
This includes the full content of the file in the conversation.
```text
What's the structure of @src/components?
```
This provides a directory listing with file information.
```text
Show me the data from @github:repos/owner/repo/issues
```
This fetches data from connected MCP servers using the format @server:resource. See [MCP resources](/en/mcp#use-mcp-resources) for details.
Tips:
- File paths can be relative or absolute
- @ file references add
CLAUDE.mdin the file's directory and parent directories to context - Directory references show file listings, not contents
- You can reference multiple files in a single message (for example, "@file1.js and @file2.js")
Suppose you want Claude to handle a task automatically on a recurring basis, like reviewing open PRs every morning, auditing dependencies weekly, or checking for CI failures overnight.
Pick a scheduling option based on where you want the task to run:
| Option | Where it runs | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Routines | Anthropic-managed infrastructure | Tasks that should run even when your computer is off. Can also trigger on API calls or GitHub events in addition to a schedule. Configure at claude.ai/code/routines. |
| Desktop scheduled tasks | Your machine, via the desktop app | Tasks that need direct access to local files, tools, or uncommitted changes. |
| GitHub Actions | Your CI pipeline | Tasks tied to repo events like opened PRs, or cron schedules that should live alongside your workflow config. |
/loop |
The current CLI session | Quick polling while a session is open. Tasks stop when you start a new conversation; --resume and --continue restore unexpired ones. |
When writing prompts for scheduled tasks, be explicit about what success looks like and what to do with results. The task runs autonomously, so it can't ask clarifying questions. For example: "Review open PRs labeled needs-review, leave inline comments on any issues, and post a summary in the #eng-reviews Slack channel."
Claude has built-in access to its documentation and can answer questions about its own features and limitations.
can Claude Code create pull requests?
how does Claude Code handle permissions?
what skills are available?
how do I use MCP with Claude Code?
how do I configure Claude Code for Amazon Bedrock?
what are the limitations of Claude Code?
Claude provides documentation-based answers to these questions. For hands-on demonstrations, run /powerup for interactive lessons with animated demos, or refer to the specific workflow sections above.
Tips:
- Claude always has access to the latest Claude Code documentation, regardless of the version you're using
- Ask specific questions to get detailed answers
- Claude can explain complex features like MCP integration, enterprise configurations, and advanced workflows
When a task spans multiple sittings, pick up where you left off instead of re-explaining context. Claude Code saves every conversation locally.
claude --continueThis resumes the most recent session in the current directory; if there isn't one yet, it prints No conversation found to continue and exits. Use claude --resume to choose from a list, or /resume from inside a running session. See Manage sessions for naming, branching, and the full picker reference.
Work on a feature in one terminal while Claude fixes a bug in another, without the edits colliding. Each worktree is a separate checkout on its own branch.
claude --worktree feature-authRun the same command with a different name in a second terminal to start an isolated parallel session. See Worktrees for cleanup, .worktreeinclude, and non-git VCS support. To monitor parallel sessions from one screen instead of separate terminals, see background agents.
For changes you want to review before they touch disk, switch to plan mode. Claude reads files and proposes a plan but makes no edits until you approve.
claude --permission-mode planYou can also press Shift+Tab mid-session to toggle into plan mode. See Plan mode for the approval flow and editing the plan in your text editor.
Exploring a large codebase fills your context with file reads. Delegate the exploration so only the findings come back.
use a subagent to investigate how our auth system handles token refresh
The subagent reads files in its own context window and reports a summary. See Subagents for defining custom agents with their own tools and prompts.
Run Claude non-interactively for CI, pre-commit hooks, or batch processing. Stdin and stdout work like any Unix tool.
git log --oneline -20 | claude -p "summarize these recent commits"See Non-interactive mode for output formats, permission flags, and fan-out patterns.
Patterns for getting the most out of Claude Code
Resume, name, and branch conversations
Run isolated parallel sessions
Add skills, hooks, MCP, subagents, and plugins