๐๐๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ
Most developers use AI as a basic autocomplete tool. They type a comment and accept a suggestion. This only uses 10% of the tool's potential.
I use Claude Code to automate my entire engineering workflow. I do this using three things:
- CLAUDE.md files for architecture rules.
- Custom slash commands for repetitive tasks.
- MCP integrations to connect to my existing tools.
The results are huge. Scaffolding a new feature used to take two hours. Now it takes five minutes. It follows my team's rules every single time.
Here is how to set it up.
๐ญ. Use CLAUDE.md for Rules Every project needs a CLAUDE.md file at the root. Claude reads this file to understand your project. You can define:
- Your tech stack (e.g., Next.js, TypeScript, Zod).
- Folder structures.
- Strict rules (e.g., "Always use Zod for API validation").
- Naming conventions.
This turns Claude from a generic coder into a team member who knows your specific standards.
๐ฎ. Build Custom Slash Commands Slash commands are reusable prompts stored in your repo. Since they live in your code, your whole team uses the same commands. I use these specific ones:
- /scaffold-feature: Creates the types, API routes, hooks, and components in one go.
- /perf-audit: Checks for missing dynamic imports or unnecessary re-renders.
- /pre-review: Scans for architectural errors and convention violations before a PR.
๐ฏ. Connect with MCP Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets Claude interact with your other tools:
- Figma: Claude reads designs to write matching code.
- Slack: Claude reads bug reports from chat threads for context.
- GitHub: Claude scans issues and old PRs to understand the history.
The Goal AI development does not replace senior engineering. It scales your judgment. When you write a command, you are encoding your architectural decisions into the codebase.
You make a decision once. The AI enforces it forever.
How to start:
- Write a CLAUDE.md file first.
- Identify your three most repetitive tasks.
- Turn those tasks into slash commands.
- Update your rules every time Claude makes a mistake.
The best engineers will not be the fastest typists. They will be the ones who teach AI to follow their standards.