Tips for Participants

Tips for smooth development using Claude Code.

Working with Claude Code Effectively

Claude Code is a conversational tool. It’s not just for people who can write code — it’s for anyone who can give clear instructions. When you’re unsure or need guidance, try these approaches:

Situation	What to say
Want to understand before proceeding	”Explain what you’re about to do before doing it”
Want to proceed safely	”Use the safest approach. Always confirm before executing”
Want to understand what happened	”What did you just do? I want to understand”
Feeling uncertain mid-task	”Stop. Explain the current situation”
Got an error	Paste the error message as-is → Claude will explain the cause and fix
Want to verify settings	”Check if this configuration is correct”

Key things to remember:

Claude Code asks “OK to proceed?” before actions. If unsure, say “No” to stop
Say “explain until I understand” and it will keep explaining
Mistakes are reversible — say “undo that” to roll back
/clear resets the conversation. If things get confusing, start fresh

Communication Tips

1. Start by Clearly Stating Your Goal

Less effective:


Create a file reading feature

Better:


I want to create a tool that reads a CSV file and calculates total sales.
Let's start with the file reading part.

When Claude understands the goal, it designs with the future in mind.

2. Include Specific Examples

Less effective:


Format the date nicely

Better:


Display the date in "Thursday, February 15, 2024" format

“Nicely” means different things to different people. Show a concrete example.

3. Ask for One Thing at a Time

Less effective:


Create all the features: file reading, data processing, graph display, and CSV export

Better:


First create the file reading feature. Once it works, let's add the next feature

Build small, verify it works, and proceed steadily.

4. Don’t Hesitate to Say When It’s Different from Expected


This isn't what I had in mind. Make it Y instead of X


Make it simpler. Minimal features are fine


I like this part, but change that part

Claude will revise as many times as needed. No need to hold back.

Efficiency Tips

5. Paste Error Messages Directly


I got this error:
[paste error message directly]
Fix it

Error messages contain hints about the cause. Show them to Claude.

6. Use “Explain”


Explain what this code does


Why did you choose this method?


What other approaches are there?

Understanding before proceeding makes later modifications easier.

7. /clear Before a New Topic


/clear

When switching to a completely different topic, clearing history helps Claude stay focused.

8. When Stuck, Ask “What Should I Do?”


I want to do X, what should I do?


From where I am now, what should I do next?

When you consult Claude, it will show you the way.

Useful Phrases

Creating & Modifying

What you want	Phrase
Create a file	”Create a file called myfile.py”
Modify	”Change the X part to Y”
Add	”Add X feature”
Delete	”Delete the X part”
Undo	”Undo the last change”

Checking & Running

What you want	Phrase
View contents	”Show me the contents of myfile”
Execute	”Run myfile”
Verify	”Check if it works correctly”

Understanding & Consulting

What you want	Phrase
Ask for explanation	”Explain what this code does”
Ask for options	”What other methods are there?”
Ask for suggestions	”What do you think I should do?”
Simplify	”Can you make this simpler?”

Dealing with Getting Stuck

Pattern 1: Getting Errors

Copy the error message
Paste it to Claude and say “Fix it”
If not fixed, “Try a different approach”

Pattern 2: Not Working as Expected

Say “The X part is different from expected”
Be specific: “Expected: Y, Actual: Z”
Ask “Explain why it’s doing that”

Pattern 3: Don’t Know What to Ask

“I want to do X, how should I proceed?”
Claude will suggest steps
Proceed one step at a time

Pattern 4: Things Got Too Complex

/clear to clear history
“Build something simple that only does X”
Restart from minimal functionality

Making the Most of Mentors

When you’re stuck, make the most of mentors. See Making the Most of Mentors for details.

Today’s Goal

You don’t need to build something perfect.

First make something that works
Build small, improve gradually
Ask when you don’t know

Enjoy the experience of “writing code together with AI”!