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Common workflows

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Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Common workflows

Step-by-step guides for exploring codebases, fixing bugs, refactoring, testing, and other everyday tasks with Claude Code.

This page covers practical workflows for everyday development: exploring unfamiliar code, debugging, refactoring, writing tests, creating PRs, and managing sessions. Each section includes example prompts you can adapt to your own projects. For higher-level patterns and tips, see Best practices.

Understand new codebases

Get a quick codebase overview

Suppose you've just joined a new project and need to understand its structure quickly.

bash theme={null} cd /path/to/project

bash theme={null} claude

text theme={null} give me an overview of this codebase

text theme={null} explain the main architecture patterns used here

```text theme={null}
what are the key data models?
```

```text theme={null}
how is authentication handled?
```

Tips:

Find relevant code

Suppose you need to locate code related to a specific feature or functionality.

text theme={null} find the files that handle user authentication

text theme={null} how do these authentication files work together?

text theme={null} trace the login process from front-end to database

Tips:

Fix bugs efficiently

Suppose you've encountered an error message and need to find and fix its source.

text theme={null} I'm seeing an error when I run npm test

text theme={null} suggest a few ways to fix the @ts-ignore in user.ts

text theme={null} update user.ts to add the null check you suggested

Tips:

Refactor code

Suppose you need to update old code to use modern patterns and practices.

text theme={null} find deprecated API usage in our codebase

text theme={null} suggest how to refactor utils.js to use modern JavaScript features

text theme={null} refactor utils.js to use ES2024 features while maintaining the same behavior

text theme={null} run tests for the refactored code

Tips:

Use specialized subagents

Suppose you want to use specialized AI subagents to handle specific tasks more effectively.

text theme={null} /agents

This shows all available subagents and lets you create new ones.

Claude Code automatically delegates appropriate tasks to specialized subagents:

```text theme={null}
review my recent code changes for security issues
```

```text theme={null}
run all tests and fix any failures
```

text theme={null} use the code-reviewer subagent to check the auth module

```text theme={null}
have the debugger subagent investigate why users can't log in
```

text theme={null} /agents

Then select "Create New subagent" and follow the prompts to define:

* A unique identifier that describes the subagent's purpose (for example, `code-reviewer`, `api-designer`).
* When Claude should use this agent
* Which tools it can access
* A system prompt describing the agent's role and behavior

Tips:

Use Plan Mode for safe code analysis

Plan Mode instructs Claude to create a plan by analyzing the codebase with read-only operations, perfect for exploring codebases, planning complex changes, or reviewing code safely. In Plan Mode, Claude uses AskUserQuestion to gather requirements and clarify your goals before proposing a plan.

When to use Plan Mode

How to use Plan Mode

Turn on Plan Mode during a session

You can switch into Plan Mode during a session using Shift+Tab to cycle through permission modes.

If you are in Normal Mode, Shift+Tab first switches into Auto-Accept Mode, indicated by ⏵⏵ accept edits on at the bottom of the terminal. A subsequent Shift+Tab will switch into Plan Mode, indicated by ⏸ plan mode on.

Start a new session in Plan Mode

To start a new session in Plan Mode, use the --permission-mode plan flag:

```bash theme={null} claude --permission-mode plan


**Run "headless" queries in Plan Mode**

You can also run a query in Plan Mode directly with `-p` (that is, in ["headless mode"](https://code.claude.com/en/headless)):

```bash theme={null}
claude --permission-mode plan -p "Analyze the authentication system and suggest improvements"

Example: Planning a complex refactor

```bash theme={null} claude --permission-mode plan


```text theme={null}
I need to refactor our authentication system to use OAuth2. Create a detailed migration plan.

Claude analyzes the current implementation and create a comprehensive plan. Refine with follow-ups:

```text theme={null} What about backward compatibility?


```text theme={null}
How should we handle database migration?

Press Ctrl+G to open the plan in your default text editor, where you can edit it directly before Claude proceeds.

When you accept a plan, Claude automatically names the session from the plan content. The name appears on the prompt bar and in the session picker. If you've already set a name with --name or /rename, accepting a plan won't overwrite it.

Configure Plan Mode as default

```json theme={null} // .claude/settings.json { "permissions": { "defaultMode": "plan" } }


See [settings documentation](https://code.claude.com/en/settings#available-settings) for more configuration options.

***

## Work with tests

Suppose you need to add tests for uncovered code.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Identify untested code">
    ```text theme={null}
    find functions in NotificationsService.swift that are not covered by tests
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Generate test scaffolding">
    ```text theme={null}
    add tests for the notification service
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add meaningful test cases">
    ```text theme={null}
    add test cases for edge conditions in the notification service
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run and verify tests">
    ```text theme={null}
    run the new tests and fix any failures
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

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.

***

## Create pull requests

You can create pull requests by asking Claude directly ("create a pr for my changes"), or guide Claude through it step-by-step:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Summarize your changes">
    ```text theme={null}
    summarize the changes I've made to the authentication module
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Generate a pull request">
    ```text theme={null}
    create a pr
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review and refine">
    ```text theme={null}
    enhance the PR description with more context about the security improvements
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

When you create a PR using `gh pr create`, the session is automatically linked to that PR. You can resume it later with `claude --from-pr <number>`.

<Tip>
  Review Claude's generated PR before submitting and ask Claude to highlight potential risks or considerations.
</Tip>

## Handle documentation

Suppose you need to add or update documentation for your code.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Identify undocumented code">
    ```text theme={null}
    find functions without proper JSDoc comments in the auth module
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Generate documentation">
    ```text theme={null}
    add JSDoc comments to the undocumented functions in auth.js
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review and enhance">
    ```text theme={null}
    improve the generated documentation with more context and examples
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify documentation">
    ```text theme={null}
    check if the documentation follows our project standards
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  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
</Tip>

***

## Work with images

Suppose you need to work with images in your codebase, and you want Claude's help analyzing image content.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add an image to the conversation">
    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"
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ask Claude to analyze the image">
    ```text theme={null}
    What does this image show?
    ```

    ```text theme={null}
    Describe the UI elements in this screenshot
    ```

    ```text theme={null}
    Are there any problematic elements in this diagram?
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use images for context">
    ```text theme={null}
    Here's a screenshot of the error. What's causing it?
    ```

    ```text theme={null}
    This is our current database schema. How should we modify it for the new feature?
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get code suggestions from visual content">
    ```text theme={null}
    Generate CSS to match this design mockup
    ```

    ```text theme={null}
    What HTML structure would recreate this component?
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  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) or `Ctrl+Click` (Windows/Linux) the link to open the image in your default viewer
</Tip>

***

## Reference files and directories

Use @ to quickly include files or directories without waiting for Claude to read them.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Reference a single file">
    ```text theme={null}
    Explain the logic in @src/utils/auth.js
    ```

    This includes the full content of the file in the conversation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Reference a directory">
    ```text theme={null}
    What's the structure of @src/components?
    ```

    This provides a directory listing with file information.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Reference MCP resources">
    ```text theme={null}
    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](https://code.claude.com/en/mcp#use-mcp-resources) for details.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Tips:

  * File paths can be relative or absolute
  * @ file references add `CLAUDE.md` in 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")
</Tip>

***

## Use extended thinking (thinking mode)

[Extended thinking](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/extended-thinking) is enabled by default, giving Claude space to reason through complex problems step-by-step before responding. This reasoning is visible in verbose mode, which you can toggle on with `Ctrl+O`. During extended thinking, progress hints appear below the indicator to show that Claude is actively working.

Additionally, [models that support effort](https://code.claude.com/en/model-config#adjust-effort-level) use adaptive reasoning: instead of a fixed thinking token budget, the model dynamically decides whether and how much to think based on your effort level setting and the task at hand. Adaptive reasoning lets Claude respond faster to routine prompts and reserve deeper thinking for steps that benefit from it.

Extended thinking is particularly valuable for complex architectural decisions, challenging bugs, multi-step implementation planning, and evaluating tradeoffs between different approaches.

<Note>
  Phrases like "think", "think hard", and "think more" are interpreted as regular prompt instructions and don't allocate thinking tokens.
</Note>

### Configure thinking mode

Thinking is enabled by default, but you can adjust or disable it.

| Scope                    | How to configure                                                                     | Details                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Effort level**         | Run `/effort`, adjust in `/model`, or set [`CLAUDE_CODE_EFFORT_LEVEL`](https://code.claude.com/en/env-vars) | Control thinking depth on [supported models](https://code.claude.com/en/model-config#adjust-effort-level)                                                                                                               |
| **`ultrathink` keyword** | Include "ultrathink" anywhere in your prompt                                         | Adds an in-context instruction telling the model to reason more on that turn. Does not change the effort level itself; see [Adjust effort level](https://code.claude.com/en/model-config#adjust-effort-level) for that  |
| **Toggle shortcut**      | Press `Option+T` (macOS) or `Alt+T` (Windows/Linux)                                  | Toggle thinking on/off for the current session (all models). May require [terminal configuration](https://code.claude.com/en/terminal-config) to enable Option key shortcuts                                            |
| **Global default**       | Use `/config` to toggle thinking mode                                                | Sets your default across all projects (all models).<br />Saved as `alwaysThinkingEnabled` in `~/.claude/settings.json`                                                                           |
| **Limit token budget**   | Set [`MAX_THINKING_TOKENS`](https://code.claude.com/en/env-vars) environment variable                       | Limit the thinking budget to a specific number of tokens. On models with adaptive reasoning, only `0` applies unless adaptive reasoning is disabled. Example: `export MAX_THINKING_TOKENS=10000` |

To view Claude's thinking process, press `Ctrl+O` to toggle verbose mode and see the internal reasoning displayed as gray italic text.

### How extended thinking works

Extended thinking controls how much internal reasoning Claude performs before responding. More thinking provides more space to explore solutions, analyze edge cases, and self-correct mistakes.

On [models that support effort](https://code.claude.com/en/model-config#adjust-effort-level), thinking uses adaptive reasoning: the model dynamically allocates thinking tokens based on the effort level you select. This is the recommended way to tune the tradeoff between speed and reasoning depth. If you want Claude to think more or less often than your effort level would otherwise produce, you can also say so directly in your prompt or in `CLAUDE.md`.

With older models, thinking uses a fixed token budget drawn from your output allocation. The budget varies by model; see [`MAX_THINKING_TOKENS`](https://code.claude.com/en/env-vars) for per-model ceilings. You can limit the budget with that environment variable, or disable thinking entirely via `/config` or the `Option+T`/`Alt+T` toggle.

On models with adaptive reasoning, `MAX_THINKING_TOKENS` only applies when set to `0` to disable thinking, or when `CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_ADAPTIVE_THINKING=1` reverts the model to the fixed budget. `CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_ADAPTIVE_THINKING` applies to Opus 4.6 and Sonnet 4.6 only. Opus 4.7 always uses adaptive reasoning and does not support a fixed thinking budget. See [environment variables](https://code.claude.com/en/env-vars).

<Warning>
  You're charged for all thinking tokens used even when thinking summaries are redacted. In interactive mode, thinking appears as a collapsed stub by default. Set `showThinkingSummaries: true` in `settings.json` to show full summaries.
</Warning>

***

## Resume previous conversations

When starting Claude Code, you can resume a previous session:

* `claude --continue` continues the most recent conversation in the current directory
* `claude --resume` opens a conversation picker or resumes by name
* `claude --from-pr 123` resumes sessions linked to a specific pull request

From inside an active session, use `/resume` to switch to a different conversation.

Sessions are stored per project directory. By default, the `/resume` picker shows interactive sessions from the current worktree, with keyboard shortcuts to widen the list to other worktrees or projects, search, preview, and rename. See [Use the session picker](#use-the-session-picker) below for the full shortcut reference.

When you select a session from another worktree of the same repository, Claude Code resumes it directly without requiring you to switch directories first. Selecting a session from an unrelated project copies a `cd` and resume command to your clipboard instead.

Resuming by name resolves across the current repository and its worktrees. Both `claude --resume <name>` and `/resume <name>` look for an exact match and resume it directly, even if the session lives in a different worktree.

When the name is ambiguous, `claude --resume <name>` opens the picker with the name pre-filled as a search term. `/resume <name>` from inside a session reports an error instead, so run `/resume` with no argument to open the picker and choose.

Sessions created by `claude -p` or SDK invocations do not appear in the picker, but you can still resume one by passing its session ID directly to `claude --resume <session-id>`.

### Name your sessions

Give sessions descriptive names to find them later. This is a best practice when working on multiple tasks or features.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Name the session">
    Name a session at startup with `-n`:

    ```bash theme={null}
    claude -n auth-refactor
    ```

    Or use `/rename` during a session, which also shows the name on the prompt bar:

    ```text theme={null}
    /rename auth-refactor
    ```

    You can also rename any session from the picker: run `/resume`, navigate to a session, and press `Ctrl+R`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Resume by name later">
    From the command line:

    ```bash theme={null}
    claude --resume auth-refactor
    ```

    Or from inside an active session:

    ```text theme={null}
    /resume auth-refactor
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Use the session picker

The `/resume` command (or `claude --resume` without arguments) opens an interactive session picker with these features:

**Keyboard shortcuts in the picker:**

| Shortcut                                          | Action                                                                                                                                             |
| :------------------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `↑` / `↓`                                         | Navigate between sessions                                                                                                                          |
| `→` / `←`                                         | Expand or collapse grouped sessions                                                                                                                |
| `Enter`                                           | Select and resume the highlighted session                                                                                                          |
| `Space`                                           | Preview the session content. `Ctrl+V` also works on terminals that do not capture it as paste                                                      |
| `Ctrl+R`                                          | Rename the highlighted session                                                                                                                     |
| `/` or any printable character other than `Space` | Enter search mode and filter sessions                                                                                                              |
| `Ctrl+A`                                          | Show sessions from all projects on this machine. Press again to restore the current repository                                                     |
| `Ctrl+W`                                          | Show sessions from all worktrees of the current repository. Press again to restore the current worktree. Only shown in multi-worktree repositories |
| `Ctrl+B`                                          | Filter to sessions from your current git branch. Press again to show sessions from all branches                                                    |
| `Esc`                                             | Exit the picker or search mode                                                                                                                     |

**Session organization:**

The picker displays sessions with helpful metadata:

* Session name if set, otherwise the conversation summary or first user prompt
* Time elapsed since last activity
* Message count
* Git branch (if applicable)
* Project path, shown after widening to all projects with `Ctrl+A`

Forked sessions (created with `/branch`, `/rewind`, or `--fork-session`) are grouped together under their root session, making it easier to find related conversations.

<Tip>
  Tips:

  * **Name sessions early**: Use `/rename` when starting work on a distinct task: it's much easier to find "payment-integration" than "explain this function" later
  * Use `--continue` for quick access to your most recent conversation in the current directory
  * Use `--resume session-name` when you know which session you need
  * Use `--resume` (without a name) when you need to browse and select
  * For scripts, use `claude --continue --print "prompt"` to resume in non-interactive mode
  * Press `Space` in the picker to preview a session before resuming it
  * The resumed conversation starts with the same model and configuration as the original

  How it works:

  1. **Conversation Storage**: All conversations are automatically saved locally with their full message history
  2. **Message Deserialization**: When resuming, the entire message history is restored to maintain context
  3. **Tool State**: Tool usage and results from the previous conversation are preserved
  4. **Context Restoration**: The conversation resumes with all previous context intact
</Tip>

***

## Run parallel Claude Code sessions with Git worktrees

When working on multiple tasks at once, you need each Claude session to have its own copy of the codebase so changes don't collide. Git worktrees solve this by creating separate working directories that each have their own files and branch, while sharing the same repository history and remote connections. This means you can have Claude working on a feature in one worktree while fixing a bug in another, without either session interfering with the other.

Use the `--worktree` (`-w`) flag to create an isolated worktree and start Claude in it. The value you pass becomes the worktree directory name and branch name:

```bash theme={null}
# Start Claude in a worktree named "feature-auth"
# Creates .claude/worktrees/feature-auth/ with a new branch
claude --worktree feature-auth

# Start another session in a separate worktree
claude --worktree bugfix-123

If you omit the name, Claude generates a random one automatically:

```bash theme={null}

Auto-generates a name like "bright-running-fox"

claude --worktree


Worktrees are created at `<repo>/.claude/worktrees/<name>` and branch from the default remote branch, which is where `origin/HEAD` points. The worktree branch is named `worktree-<name>`.

The base branch is not configurable through a Claude Code flag or setting. `origin/HEAD` is a reference stored in your local `.git` directory that Git set once when you cloned. If the repository's default branch later changes on GitHub or GitLab, your local `origin/HEAD` keeps pointing at the old one, and worktrees will branch from there. To re-sync your local reference with whatever the remote currently considers its default:

```bash theme={null}
git remote set-head origin -a

This is a standard Git command that only updates your local .git directory. Nothing on the remote server changes. If you want worktrees to base off a specific branch rather than the remote's default, set it explicitly with git remote set-head origin your-branch-name.

For full control over how worktrees are created, including choosing a different base per invocation, configure a WorktreeCreate hook. The hook replaces Claude Code's default git worktree logic entirely, so you can fetch and branch from whatever ref you need.

You can also ask Claude to "work in a worktree" or "start a worktree" during a session, and it will create one automatically.

Subagent worktrees

Subagents can also use worktree isolation to work in parallel without conflicts. Ask Claude to "use worktrees for your agents" or configure it in a custom subagent by adding isolation: worktree to the agent's frontmatter. Each subagent gets its own worktree that is automatically cleaned up when the subagent finishes without changes.

Worktree cleanup

When you exit a worktree session, Claude handles cleanup based on whether you made changes:

Subagent worktrees orphaned by a crash or an interrupted parallel run are removed automatically at startup once they are older than your cleanupPeriodDays setting, provided they have no uncommitted changes, no untracked files, and no unpushed commits. Worktrees you create with --worktree are never removed by this sweep.

To clean up worktrees outside of a Claude session, use manual worktree management.

Add .claude/worktrees/ to your .gitignore to prevent worktree contents from appearing as untracked files in your main repository.

Copy gitignored files to worktrees

Git worktrees are fresh checkouts, so they don't include untracked files like .env or .env.local from your main repository. To automatically copy these files when Claude creates a worktree, add a .worktreeinclude file to your project root.

The file uses .gitignore syntax to list which files to copy. Only files that match a pattern and are also gitignored get copied, so tracked files are never duplicated.

```text .worktreeinclude theme={null} .env .env.local config/secrets.json


This applies to worktrees created with `--worktree`, subagent worktrees, and parallel sessions in the [desktop app](https://code.claude.com/en/desktop#work-in-parallel-with-sessions).

### Manage worktrees manually

For more control over worktree location and branch configuration, create worktrees with Git directly. This is useful when you need to check out a specific existing branch or place the worktree outside the repository.

```bash theme={null}
# Create a worktree with a new branch
git worktree add ../project-feature-a -b feature-a

# Create a worktree with an existing branch
git worktree add ../project-bugfix bugfix-123

# Start Claude in the worktree
cd ../project-feature-a && claude

# Clean up when done
git worktree list
git worktree remove ../project-feature-a

Learn more in the official Git worktree documentation.

Remember to initialize your development environment in each new worktree according to your project's setup. Depending on your stack, this might include running dependency installation (npm install, yarn), setting up virtual environments, or following your project's standard setup process.

Non-git version control

Worktree isolation works with git by default. For other version control systems like SVN, Perforce, or Mercurial, configure WorktreeCreate and WorktreeRemove hooks to provide custom worktree creation and cleanup logic. When configured, these hooks replace the default git behavior when you use --worktree, so .worktreeinclude is not processed. Copy any local configuration files inside your hook script instead.

For automated coordination of parallel sessions with shared tasks and messaging, see agent teams.

Get notified when Claude needs your attention

When you kick off a long-running task and switch to another window, you can set up desktop notifications so you know when Claude finishes or needs your input. This uses the Notification hook event, which fires whenever Claude is waiting for permission, idle and ready for a new prompt, or completing authentication.

Open ~/.claude/settings.json and add a Notification hook that calls your platform's native notification command:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="macOS">
    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "hooks": {
        "Notification": [
          {
            "matcher": "",
            "hooks": [
              {
                "type": "command",
                "command": "osascript -e 'display notification \"Claude Code needs your attention\" with title \"Claude Code\"'"
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Linux">
    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "hooks": {
        "Notification": [
          {
            "matcher": "",
            "hooks": [
              {
                "type": "command",
                "command": "notify-send 'Claude Code' 'Claude Code needs your attention'"
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows">
    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "hooks": {
        "Notification": [
          {
            "matcher": "",
            "hooks": [
              {
                "type": "command",
                "command": "powershell.exe -Command \"[System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName('System.Windows.Forms'); [System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox]::Show('Claude Code needs your attention', 'Claude Code')\""
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

If your settings file already has a `hooks` key, merge the `Notification` entry into it rather than overwriting. You can also ask Claude to write the hook for you by describing what you want in the CLI.

By default the hook fires on all notification types. To fire only for specific events, set the matcher field to one of these values:

| Matcher              | Fires when                                      |
| :------------------- | :---------------------------------------------- |
| `permission_prompt`  | Claude needs you to approve a tool use          |
| `idle_prompt`        | Claude is done and waiting for your next prompt |
| `auth_success`       | Authentication completes                        |
| `elicitation_dialog` | Claude is asking you a question                 |

Type /hooks and select Notification to confirm the hook appears. Selecting it shows the command that will run. To test it end-to-end, ask Claude to run a command that requires permission and switch away from the terminal, or ask Claude to trigger a notification directly.

For the complete event schema and notification types, see the Notification reference.

Use Claude as a unix-style utility

Add Claude to your verification process

Suppose you want to use Claude Code as a linter or code reviewer.

Add Claude to your build script:

```json theme={null} // package.json { ... "scripts": { ... "lint:claude": "claude -p 'you are a linter. please look at the changes vs. main and report any issues related to typos. report the filename and line number on one line, and a description of the issue on the second line. do not return any other text.'" } }


<Tip>
  Tips:

  * Use Claude for automated code review in your CI/CD pipeline
  * Customize the prompt to check for specific issues relevant to your project
  * Consider creating multiple scripts for different types of verification
</Tip>

### Pipe in, pipe out

Suppose you want to pipe data into Claude, and get back data in a structured format.

**Pipe data through Claude:**

```bash theme={null}
cat build-error.txt | claude -p 'concisely explain the root cause of this build error' > output.txt

Tips:

Control output format

Suppose you need Claude's output in a specific format, especially when integrating Claude Code into scripts or other tools.

bash theme={null} cat data.txt | claude -p 'summarize this data' --output-format text > summary.txt

This outputs just Claude's plain text response (default behavior).

bash theme={null} cat code.py | claude -p 'analyze this code for bugs' --output-format json > analysis.json

This outputs a JSON array of messages with metadata including cost and duration.

bash theme={null} cat log.txt | claude -p 'parse this log file for errors' --output-format stream-json

This outputs a series of JSON objects in real-time as Claude processes the request. Each message is a valid JSON object, but the entire output is not valid JSON if concatenated.

Tips:

Run Claude on a schedule

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."

Ask Claude about its capabilities

Claude has built-in access to its documentation and can answer questions about its own features and limitations.

Example questions

```text theme={null} can Claude Code create pull requests?


```text theme={null}
how does Claude Code handle permissions?

```text theme={null} what skills are available?


```text theme={null}
how do I use MCP with Claude Code?

```text theme={null} how do I configure Claude Code for Amazon Bedrock?


```text theme={null}
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:

Next steps

Patterns for getting the most out of Claude Code

Understand the agentic loop and context management

Add skills, hooks, MCP, subagents, and plugins

Clone the development container reference implementation