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Anthropic's Claude Code represents a paradigm shift in AI-assisted development by operating directly in the terminal rather than traditional IDE plugins. The recent addition of native Windows support (requiring Git Bash) significantly expands its reach, enabling more developers to leverage its unique approach to code generation, refactoring, and debugging. Unlike chat-based assistants, Claude Code functions as an autonomous agent that interacts with your codebase through conversational commands.

Installation & Core Configuration

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
cd your-project
claude

Behind corporate proxies? Set NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS to point to your certificate file. The VS Code/Cursor extensions act as launchers for terminal instances, while claude --dangerously-skip-permissions bypasses repetitive confirmation prompts for rapid iteration.

Critical Workflow Strategies

The /clear Imperative
Context overload degrades performance. Use /clear religiously when switching tasks to reset Claude's context window. Treat each new task as a fresh session.

Master CLAUDE.md
This project-specific cheat sheet auto-loads into Claude's context. Document:
- Coding standards and branch strategies
- Environment quirks and anti-patterns
- Recurring pitfalls (update it when Claude errs)

The "Fast Intern" Principle

"Claude recalls everything but lacks intuition. Specify edge cases, reference existing patterns, and explicitly articulate implicit knowledge—it won't infer your unwritten rules."

Advanced Capabilities

Thinking Modes
Scale cognitive depth with prompt prefixes:
- think → Basic deliberation
- think harder → Extended analysis
- ultrathink → Maximum reasoning for complex problems

Parallel Sub-Agents
Claude spawns Task(...) instances to tackle independent problems concurrently—ideal for large refactors requiring multiple perspectives.

Visual Debugging
Contrary to CLI assumptions, Claude processes images:
- Paste screenshots (Ctrl+V on Windows)
- Drag UI mockups directly into terminal
- Capture bug visuals for contextual debugging

Custom Slash Commands
Create team-shareable commands in .claude/commands using $ARGUMENTS for parameterization.

Optimization & Pitfalls

Terminal Shortcuts
- Shift+Enter for new lines (run /terminal-setup)
- Esc to stop generation (not Ctrl+C)
- --resume to continue prior threads

Cost Management
Trim CLAUDE.md files and scope context deliberately—extended sessions inflate token usage. Integrate Model Context Protocols (MCPs) like Context7 for on-demand documentation.

Common Traps
- Over-engineering: Demand simpler solutions when Claude overcomplicates
- Abstraction resistance: Embrace its high-level strategic approach rather than forcing IDE-like behavior
- Context creep: Aggressively prune irrelevant history

The Terminal-Centric Paradigm

Claude Code reimagines AI collaboration by centering the developer's natural environment—the terminal—rather than bolting assistants onto GUIs. Its conversational workflow excels for exploratory coding and system-level thinking but requires disciplined context management. The Windows expansion democratizes access to this agentic approach, though success hinges on adapting to its unique rhythms: precise prompting, strategic context resetting, and treating outputs as hypotheses rather than final solutions. As terminal-native AI matures, these practices may define the next evolution of developer tooling.

Source: Claude Code tips and tricks