Techniques

Master the fundamental techniques that make Claude Code incredibly powerful for software development.

Core Techniques

🎯 Prompt Engineering

Learn XML structuring, role assignment, and advanced prompting patterns that improve code quality by 30-40%.

🧠 Extended Thinking

Use Claude's step-by-step reasoning for complex architectural decisions and problem-solving.

🔄 Iterative Refinement

Master the generate-critique-refactor cycle that consistently produces production-ready code.

📚 Context Management

Strategies for managing large codebases and maintaining focus in complex projects.

Quick Reference

XML Structure Template

<instructions>What you want Claude to do</instructions>
<context>Relevant project information</context>
<requirements>Specific technical requirements</requirements>
<constraints>Limitations and boundaries</constraints>

Role Assignment Examples

• You are a senior Python developer...
• You are a React performance optimization expert...
• You are the world's best database architect...

Self-Refine Process

1. Generate initial implementation
2. Request Claude to critique its own work
3. Refactor based on the analysis

Advanced Patterns

• Pattern-Based Prompting: Reference MVC, Observer, Repository patterns
• Constraint-Driven Development: Explicit technical and business limitations
• Progressive Context Building: Build understanding incrementally
• Template-Based Generation: Consistent structure across similar components

Best Practices

• Start broad, then add specificity
• Use structured XML for complex requests
• Be explicit about success criteria
• Provide targeted context, not entire codebases
• Iterate and refine rather than accepting first output

Measuring Success

Track your improvement with these metrics:

• First-time success rate
• Average iteration count
• Code quality scores
• Time to implementation