Getting started with Claude Code

Reproducible practice

Complete one bounded change with an evidence trail

Use a small repository task to learn exploration, planning, editing, verification, and review without granting broad automation first.

Prerequisites

• A trusted repository with a clean or understood git status.
• A working Claude Code login and known project test command.
• A task with one observable outcome, such as one failing test or one validation rule.

Steps

1. Record the baseline

   Preserve existing changes and identify the project commands before opening a session.

   git status --short
   git diff --check

2. Start with read-only planning

   Ask for relevant files, the smallest change, risks, and the exact verification command.

   claude --permission-mode plan

3. Approve a narrow implementation

   Review the plan, switch out of plan mode only when the file scope and acceptance check are correct, then request the bounded change.

4. Verify outside the narrative

   Run the repository test and inspect the actual diff rather than accepting a success summary.

   git diff --check
   git diff --stat
   # Run the project-specific targeted test here

Expected result

The requested behavior changes, unrelated files remain untouched, and the named project check passes or yields a concrete first failure.

Validation

• Compare the final diff with the original acceptance condition.
• Run at least one targeted test or build command owned by the repository.
• Check git status so generated or unexpected files are visible.

Failure handling

Cleanup or rollback

• Reject or manually revert only the task-specific hunks after reviewing them; do not erase unrelated working-tree changes.
• Keep the failing command and first actionable error when handing the task back for another attempt.

Boundaries and when not to use it

• Do not use a production repository as a first exercise when tests, ownership, or rollback are unclear.
• Plan mode reduces write risk but does not replace repository backups, review, or permission policy.