Claude-Code-Everything-You-Need-to-Know <img src="Images/claude-jumping.svg" width="80" height="72" alt="Animated Claude" />

The ultimate all-in-one guide to mastering Claude Code. From setup, prompt engineering, commands, hooks, workflows, automation, and integrations, to MCP servers, tools, and the BMAD method—packed with step-by-step tutorials, real-world examples, and expert strategies to make this the global go-to repo for Claude mastery.

📖 Recommended Tool
For the best reading experience with these documents, we recommend installing Obsidian. It provides excellent visualization and navigation for markdown files.

🧵 What We Covered:

Fundamentals:

• What are LLMs, and how do they differ from AI tools like Claude Code? Why should we use AI tools?
• What is Claude Code?
• Claude Code Setup: Get up and running seamlessly with a clean, optimized installation.

Core Features:

• Prompt Engineering Deep Dive
• Claude Commands Mastery: Extract the best possible results by leveraging Claude's command capabilities to their fullest.
• Claude Skills: Transform complex workflows into reusable slash commands
• AI Agents: Harness agents, sub-agents, and worktrees to structure intelligence with precision.
• Hooks That Work: Discover the power of Claude Hooks and learn how to implement them for maximum impact.
• What are MCP servers and how to use them?

2026 Updates:

• Claude Opus 4.6: The most capable model with 1M context window (API), adaptive thinking, and 128K output
• Fast Mode: 2.5x faster responses for rapid development (toggle with /fast)
• Agent Teams: Multi-agent collaboration for complex projects (experimental)
• MCP Registry: Live registry at https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/ with searchable server catalog
• New Commands: /fast, /auth, /debug, /teleport, /rename, /hooks
• Enhanced Pricing: Pro plan ($20/mo) now includes ALL models (Opus 4.6, Sonnet 4.5, Haiku 4.5)

Advanced Topics:

• Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
• Workflow Design: Build fully customized, high-performance workflows tailored to your project goals.
• Hands-On Demo: Full App Development Through the SDLC, Step by Step!
• Super Claude: Unlock advanced capabilities and push beyond standard limits.
• The BMAD Method: Apply a proven, systematic approach to deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes.

What are LLMs, and how do they differ from AI tools like Claude Code?

LLM (Large Language Model):

• This is the underlying AI technology/engine
• Think of it like a car engine - it's the core component that makes everything work
• Examples: GPT-4, Claude 4.5/4.6 (Opus 4.6, Sonnet 4.5, Haiku 4.5), Gemini (the actual AI models)

Products built with LLMs: These are the applications and tools that use LLMs to provide specific services:

Claude Code:

• A command-line tool that uses Claude's LLM
• Specifically designed for developers to code from their terminal
• It's like putting the Claude engine into a developer-focused interface

ChatGPT:

• A web/app interface that uses GPT models
• Designed for general conversations and tasks

Google Bard/Gemini:

• Google's chat interface that uses their Gemini LLM
• Note: "Gemini" refers both to Google's LLM and their chat product

Analogy:

• LLM = Car engine
• Claude Code = A pickup truck (built for specific work)
• ChatGPT = A family sedan (built for general use)
• Google Bard = A racing car The LLM is the "brain" that understands and generates language, while products like Claude Code are specialized interfaces that make that brain accessible for particular use cases.

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What is Claude Code?

Claude Code is a command-line tool that lets developers work with Claude directly from their terminal or command prompt. Think of it as having an AI coding assistant that lives right in your development environment.

Here's what makes it useful in simple terms:

What it does:

• You can ask Claude to write code, fix bugs, or explain programming concepts without leaving your terminal
• It can read and work with files in your project directory
• You can delegate entire coding tasks to Claude and it will work through them step-by-step

Why developers like it:

• No need to copy-paste code back and forth between a web browser and your code editor
• Claude can see your actual project files and understand the context of what you're working on
• It fits naturally into existing development workflows
• You can automate repetitive coding tasks

Example use cases:

• "Claude, add error handling to this function"
• "Write unit tests for my new feature"
• "Help me refactor this messy code"
• "Explain what this legacy code does" It's essentially like having a very pair programming partner who can jump in and help with coding tasks whenever you need it.

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Claude Opus 4.6: The Latest Powerhouse

Claude Opus 4.6 is the most capable model in the Claude family (as of February 2026), offering advanced reasoning and coding capabilities.

Key Specifications

Advanced Capabilities

1. Extended Context Window

• Standard: 200K tokens (available to all Pro/Max subscribers)
• Beta: 1M tokens (API only, not in subscriptions at launch)
• Best for: Analyzing entire large codebases, extensive documentation

2. Adaptive Thinking

• Dynamic reasoning based on task complexity
• Automatically scales computational effort
• Better problem-solving for complex coding challenges

3. Agent Teams (Experimental)

• Multi-agent collaboration within single session
• Team leads coordinate multiple specialist agents
• Enable with: CLAUDE_CODE_EXPERIMENTAL_AGENT_TEAMS=1

4. Top Performance

• Leading scores on Terminal-Bench 2.0
• Superior code generation and debugging
• Enhanced context understanding

When to Use Opus 4.6

✅ Best For:

• Complex architectural decisions
• Large-scale refactoring
• Debugging intricate issues
• Multi-file analysis
• Production-critical code

💡 Consider Sonnet 4.5 or Haiku 4.5 for:

• Simple code changes
• Documentation updates
• Quick questions
• Budget-conscious projects

Pricing & Access

Subscription Plans:

• Pro ($20/mo): Full access to Opus 4.6
• Max 5x ($100/mo): 5x usage capacity
• Max 20x ($200/mo): 20x usage capacity

API Pricing:

• Standard: $5 input / $25 output per MTok
• Fast Mode: $30 input / $150 output per MTok (6x)

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Claude Code Setup

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Prompt Engineering Deep Dive

📖 Claude Initialization Run the /init command to automatically generate a CLAUDE.md file. Your CLAUDE.md files become part of Claude's prompts, so they should be refined like any frequently used prompt. A common mistake is adding extensive content without iterating on its effectiveness. Take time to experiment and determine what produces the best instruction following from the model.

1. Explore → Plan → Code → Commit

Versatile workflow for complex problems.

• Explore: Read relevant files/images/URLs; use subagents for verification. Do not code yet.
• Plan: Ask Claude to make a plan. Use "think", "think hard", "think harder", or "ultrathink" to increase computation time. Optionally save plan for future reference.
• Code: Implement the solution; verify reasonableness as you go.
• Commit: Commit results, create pull requests, update READMEs/changelogs.
• Claude has two default modes: Plan Mode and Accept Edits Mode. You can toggle between them using the Shift + Tab keys.
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  • 

💡 Pro Tip: Research & planning first significantly improves performance for complex tasks.

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2. Test-Driven Workflow (Write Tests → Code → Commit)

Ideal for changes verifiable with unit/integration tests.

• Write Tests: Create tests based on expected inputs/outputs; mark as TDD.
• Run & Fail Tests: Confirm they fail; no implementation yet.
• Commit Tests: Commit once satisfied.
• Write Code: Implement code to pass tests; iterate with verification via subagents.
• Commit Code: Final commit after all tests pass.

🔹 Clear targets (tests, mocks) improve iteration efficiency.

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3. Visual Iteration (Code → Screenshot → Iterate → Commit)

• Provide screenshots or visual mocks.
• Implement code, take screenshots, iterate until outputs match mock.
• Commit once satisfied.

🔹 Iteration significantly improves output quality (2-3 rounds usually enough).

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Claude Commands

Built-in slash commands

Custom slash commands

📖 Note: Custom slash commands allow you to define frequently-used prompts as Markdown files that Claude Code can execute. Commands are organized by scope (project-specific or personal) and support namespacing through directory structures.

mkdir -p .claude/commands
echo "Analyze this code for performance issues and suggest optimizations:" > .claude/commands/optimize.md

Example

• Create new file named pull-request.md in .claude/commands
• Add the following info to file

  # Create Pull Request Command
  
  Create a new branch, commit changes, and submit a pull request.
  
  ## Behavior
  - Creates a new branch based on current changes
  - Formats modified files using Biome
  - Analyzes changes and automatically splits into logical commits when appropriate
  - Each commit focuses on a single logical change or feature
  - Creates descriptive commit messages for each logical unit
  - Pushes branch to remote
  - Creates pull request with proper summary and test plan
  
  ## Guidelines for Automatic Commit Splitting
  - Split commits by featu