Claude Code Guide
Learn how to configure CLAUDE.md, prompt with thinking keywords, and debug agent sessions across any coding project.
Overview
Claude Code Guide is a journey-wide agent skill that teaches effective Claude Code configuration, prompting, and debugging—usable whenever a solo builder needs to steer the agent before committing to implementation.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates --skill claude-code-guideWhat is this skill?
- CLAUDE.md project template with commands, code style, and verify-after-edit workflow
- Thinking keywords: step-by-step, root cause analysis, plan before executing, verify assumptions
- Debugging playbook: clear context, explicit instructions, and recovery when the agent drifts
- Synthesizes configuration, prompting strategies, and advanced usage patterns in one reference
- Read README-first and read-before-edit workflow expectations for safer edits
- 4 thinking-keyword patterns documented
- 3-part debugging sequence when the agent misbehaves
Adoption & trust: 600 installs on skills.sh; 27.8k GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You get inconsistent agent edits because the project lacks CLAUDE.md conventions, clear prompts, or a habit of verifying work after changes.
Who is it for?
New Claude Code users and indie devs standardizing agent workflow on every new or messy repository.
Skip if: Teams already running a mature, reviewed agent policy doc and formal CI gates that make this generic guide redundant.
When should I use this skill?
Starting a new project with Claude Code, tuning agent behavior, or when sessions become inconsistent or stuck.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You apply a repeatable CLAUDE.md template, thinking-keyword prompts, and debugging steps so the agent reads context, follows style rules, and validates edits with tests.
- CLAUDE.md template tailored to project
- Prompting and debugging checklist for sessions
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Useful at every journey phase - explore requirements and options before committing to a direction.
Where it fits
Spin up CLAUDE.md on a spike repo so exploration stays within read-test-verify habits.
Align TypeScript and Tailwind conventions before the agent touches the main feature branch.
Use explicit instructions and fresh context when the agent must fix failing tests before release.
Recover from drift during incident patches by clearing context and re-anchoring to CLAUDE.md commands.
How it compares
Operator handbook for Claude Code sessions, not a code generator or framework-specific coding skill.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is Claude Code Guide for?
Solo and indie builders who want one place to learn CLAUDE.md setup, stronger prompts, and session debugging for Claude Code.
When should I use Claude Code Guide?
Use it when starting Idea discovery repos, during Build implementation, after Ship when tests fail in agent-driven fixes, or anytime you reset a confused agent context.
Is Claude Code Guide safe to install?
It is documentation-only guidance with no mandated tools; review the Security Audits panel on this page like any third-party skill package.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Claude Code Guide
# Claude Code Guide ## Purpose To provide a comprehensive reference for configuring and using Claude Code (the agentic coding tool) to its full potential. This skill synthesizes best practices, configuration templates, and advanced usage patterns. ## Configuration (`CLAUDE.md`) When starting a new project, create a `CLAUDE.md` file in the root directory to guide the agent. ### Template (General) ```markdown # Project Guidelines ## Commands - Run app: `npm run dev` - Test: `npm test` - Build: `npm run build` ## Code Style - Use TypeScript for all new code. - Functional components with Hooks for React. - Tailwind CSS for styling. - Early returns for error handling. ## Workflow - Read `README.md` first to understand project context. - Before editing, read the file content. - After editing, run tests to verify. ``` ## Advanced Features ### Thinking Keywords Use these keywords in your prompts to trigger deeper reasoning from the agent: - "Think step-by-step" - "Analyze the root cause" - "Plan before executing" - "Verify your assumptions" ### Debugging If the agent is stuck or behaving unexpectedly: 1. **Clear Context**: Start a new session or ask the agent to "forget previous instructions" if confused. 2. **Explicit Instructions**: Be extremely specific about paths, filenames, and desired outcomes. 3. **Logs**: Ask the agent to "check the logs" or "run the command with verbose output". ## Best Practices 1. **Small Contexts**: Don't dump the entire codebase into the context. Use `grep` or `find` to locate relevant files first. 2. **Iterative Development**: Ask for small changes, verify, then proceed. 3. **Feedback Loop**: If the agent makes a mistake, correct it immediately and ask it to "add a lesson" to its memory (if supported) or `CLAUDE.md`. ## Reference Based on [Claude Code Guide by zebbern](https://github.com/zebbern/claude-code-guide).