𝗜 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲

I build WordPress plugins. I started using Claude Code to write code faster.

Six months later, I realized it did not save me time on coding. It saved me time on everything around the code.

Every release requires a repetitive ritual:

  • Update the version number
  • Refresh the readme
  • Write the changelog
  • Check translation files
  • Draft the announcement

These tasks are not hard. They are distracting. Each chore pulls you out of your flow. You lose your mental context. When you return to coding, you pay a tax to reload your brain.

I started handing these chores to Claude Code. I focus on the logic. The machine handles the busy work.

I use a specific skill for version checks. In WordPress, the version in the PHP file must match the readme tag. If they mismatch, users get the wrong updates.

I created a command called /release-check. It does four things:

  • Checks if the PHP version matches the readme
  • Verifies the top changelog entry
  • Confirms the "Tested up to" field is correct
  • Reports mismatches without fixing them

I do not want the AI to auto-correct these files. I want it to show me the error. I keep the final decision.

I also use it for changelogs and translations:

  • For changelogs, I give it a git log. It turns commits into user-facing text. I tell it to write "(to confirm)" if a detail is unclear. This prevents the AI from guessing.
  • For translations, it lists untranslated strings. It shows me the gap before it acts.

I keep my workflow at half-automation. I never let the AI ship a finished product. Three things stay manual:

  1. Hitting the release button
  2. Final wording for users
  3. Merging code

Automation without judgment is a trust problem. If you ship unread text, you lose your users.

The chores were not the expensive part. The expensive part was the loss of focus. Moving these tasks off my plate lets me stay in the build.

If you want to use AI to work faster, look at the ring of small jobs around your main work. That is often what slows you down.

Source: https://dev.to/rapls/i-automated-everything-except-the-code-and-thats-where-claude-code-actually-paid-off-51oh

Optional learning community: https://t.me/GyaanSetuAi