AI did not arrive in my daily work like a revolution. It came in slowly, one tool at a time. Claude Code is one of the tools that actually changed how I work, not because it does magic, but because, used the right way, it cuts hours of mechanical work and gives me more space to think.
In this article I explain what it is, how it works in plain terms, and above all what I have learned using it every day.
What Claude Code is, in plain terms
Claude Code is the tool built by Anthropic (the company behind Claude) designed for "agentic" work on code. That technical word basically means it does not just answer a question: it reads files, writes files, runs commands in the terminal, plans, and carries out tasks that require multiple steps.
It is not a chatbot. It is closer to a collaborator working alongside you on your own computer.
You can use it in several ways: from the command line in the terminal, as a desktop application on Mac and Windows, from the web version at claude.ai/code, or directly inside your code editor (it works with VS Code and JetBrains editors). I use it almost entirely from the terminal, because I want to see everything it does.
It runs on Claude models. The default is Opus 4.8, but there is also Fable 5, which is the most capable model for complex tasks. There is also a fast mode that uses Claude Opus with faster output, useful when you are in a hurry and the task does not need deep reasoning.
A few features make it different from a simple assistant:
- Skills: folders with reusable instructions. You load them when needed and Claude immediately knows how to behave in that specific context.
- Sub-agents: it can split a large job into independent parts and run them in parallel, like a small team working on different fronts at the same time.
- MCP (Model Context Protocol): a system that lets it connect to external tools and data. For example, it can read your documents on Google Drive, or interact with online services.
- File-based memory: it keeps a memory file that persists between sessions. It does not start from scratch every time.
The tips I use every day
Give clear context from the start
The first mistake I made, and one I see others make often, is starting with a vague request. "Fix this code" does not work. "Review this function that calculates order totals: it needs to handle percentage discounts and the result must be rounded to two decimal places" does work.
Before starting a task, I take thirty seconds to write: what I want to achieve, which part of the project we are touching, and what must not change. That alone has cut useless back-and-forth in half.
Work in small, verifiable steps
Claude Code can do a lot in one go. That does not mean you should let it.
I prefer breaking large tasks into pieces. Instead of saying "redo the entire contacts section of the site", I say "update only the form first, then we move to the map". Each step I check. If something is off, I fix it immediately, without losing an hour of work heading in the wrong direction.
Small, controlled blocks. Slower to describe, much faster in practice.
Ask it to explain the code, not just write it
This is the thing that changed me the most as a developer. Instead of just asking "write this function", I ask "write this function and explain why you chose this approach".
Understanding the code Claude produces lets me improve it, spot immediately when something feels wrong, and actually learn. If you accept code you do not understand, you are dependent on the tool in the wrong way.
Use skills for repetitive things
Every project has its own conventions: how files are named, how code is written, which libraries are used. I have created a skill for my main project that contains all of this. Every time I open Claude Code in that folder, it already knows how I work.
This eliminates the time wasted explaining the same things over and over. It is like working with someone who remembers everything you have already told them.
Always review the output
Claude Code is very capable. But it makes mistakes. It writes code that looks right and sometimes is not. It suggests elegant solutions that overlook an important edge case.
I have made it a habit to read everything it produces, line by line, before integrating it. Not out of distrust, but because the final responsibility is mine. The tool works for me, not instead of me.
Know when to delegate and when not to
Not everything is a good fit for Claude Code. Important architectural decisions, the ones that change the deep structure of a project, I keep for myself. I think them through, sketch them out, and then use Claude for execution if needed.
On the other hand, mechanical and repetitive tasks (renaming dozens of variables, converting one format to another, writing standard tests) I always delegate. That is exactly the kind of work this tool was built for.
Mistakes to avoid
Expecting it to do everything in one shot. The larger and vaguer the task, the higher the chance the result is not what you wanted. Break it down, be specific, verify each step.
Not reading what it produces. I have seen colleagues integrate generated code without reading it. Then they wonder why things break. Claude Code is fast, but not infallible.
Using it to think for you. The tool is excellent at executing. Strategic reasoning, important choices, the "what are we building and why" questions are still human work. At least for now.
Ignoring memory and skills. If you configure nothing, every session starts almost from zero. Spending an hour building solid memory and a well-written skill pays for itself within days.
Is it worth it?
In my case, yes. Without reservations.
Not because it replaces thinking or experience, but because it eliminates the mechanical work that would otherwise cost me hours. Those hours I spend better: understanding problems, talking with clients, designing solutions.
Like any tool, it works well if you know how to use it. In the first weeks I made mistakes. I learned to give more context, to verify more carefully, to choose the right tasks. Now it fits naturally into my workflow.
If you are thinking about trying it: start with something small and concrete. Do not hand it your most important project on day one. Get to know each other, build trust, then expand.
