174192f583
- Add CITATION.cff for academic citations and GitHub citation button - Add "For AI Assistants" section in README with llms.txt reference - Update machine-readable/llms.txt stats (4700+ → 9600+ lines) - Bump version display to 3.8.0 in README footer Improves discoverability in GitHub search, Google Scholar, and AI assistants Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
163 lines
7.4 KiB
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163 lines
7.4 KiB
Text
# The Ultimate Claude Code Guide
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> A comprehensive, self-contained guide to mastering Claude Code - Anthropic's official CLI for AI-assisted development.
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## What This Repository Contains
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This repository provides everything needed to go from Claude Code beginner to power user:
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1. **Complete Guide** (`guide/ultimate-guide.md`) - 9,600+ lines covering all aspects of Claude Code
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2. **Cheatsheet** (`guide/cheatsheet.md`) - 1-page printable daily reference
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3. **Architecture Internals** (`guide/architecture.md`) - How Claude Code works under the hood (master loop, tools, context)
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4. **Audit Prompt** (`tools/audit-prompt.md`) - Self-contained prompt to analyze your Claude Code setup against best practices
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## Target Audience
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- **Beginners**: Installation, first workflow, essential commands (15 min to productivity)
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- **Intermediate**: Memory files, agents, skills, hooks configuration
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- **Power Users**: MCP servers, Trinity pattern, CI/CD integration, autonomous workflows
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## Key Topics Covered
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### Core Concepts
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- Context Management (the most critical concept - context windows, compaction, zones)
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- Plan Mode (safe read-only exploration before making changes)
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- Memory Files (CLAUDE.md for persistent context across sessions)
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- Rewind (undo mechanism for file changes)
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### Customization
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- **Agents**: Custom AI personas with specific tools and instructions
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- **Skills**: Reusable knowledge modules for complex domains
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- **Commands**: Custom slash commands for frequent workflows
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- **Hooks**: Event-driven automation (PreToolUse, PostToolUse, UserPromptSubmit)
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### Advanced Features
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- **MCP Servers**: Model Context Protocol for extended capabilities
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- Serena (codebase indexation + session memory)
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- Context7 (library documentation lookup)
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- Sequential (structured multi-step reasoning)
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- Playwright (browser automation)
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- **Trinity Pattern**: Combining Plan Mode + Think Levels + MCP for complex tasks
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- **CI/CD Integration**: Headless mode, GitHub Actions, Verify Gate pattern
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### Best Practices
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- Single Source of Truth pattern for conventions
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- Shell Scripts vs AI Agents decision framework
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- Tight feedback loops for rapid iteration
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- Continuous improvement mindset
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## File Structure
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```
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claude-code-ultimate-guide/
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├── README.md # Overview and quick start
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├── CONTRIBUTING.md # Contribution guidelines
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├── CHANGELOG.md # Version history
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├── LICENSE # CC BY-SA 4.0
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├── guide/ # Core documentation
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│ ├── ultimate-guide.md # Complete guide (main content)
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│ ├── cheatsheet.md # 1-page reference
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│ ├── architecture.md # How Claude Code works internally
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│ └── adoption-approaches.md # Implementation strategy
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├── tools/ # Interactive utilities
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│ ├── audit-prompt.md # Setup audit tool
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│ ├── onboarding-prompt.md # Personalized onboarding
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│ └── mobile-access.md # Mobile access setup
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├── machine-readable/ # LLM/AI consumption
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│ ├── reference.yaml # Machine-optimized index
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│ └── llms.txt # This file (for AI indexation)
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├── exports/ # Generated outputs
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│ ├── notebooklm.pdf # Visual overview
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│ └── kimi.pdf # Full text export
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├── examples/ # Ready-to-use templates
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│ ├── agents/ # Custom AI personas
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│ ├── skills/ # Knowledge modules
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│ ├── commands/ # Slash commands
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│ ├── hooks/ # Event automation (bash + PowerShell)
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│ ├── config/ # Configuration files
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│ └── memory/ # CLAUDE.md templates
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└── quiz/ # Interactive knowledge quiz
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```
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## Guide Structure (10 Sections + Architecture)
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**Architecture Deep Dive** (`guide/architecture.md`):
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- Master Loop: `while(tool_call)` - no DAGs, no classifiers, no RAG
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- 8 Core Tools: Bash, Read, Edit, Write, Grep, Glob, Task, TodoWrite
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- Context: ~200K tokens, auto-compact at 75-92%
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- Sub-agents: isolated context, max depth=1
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- Philosophy: "less scaffolding, more model"
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**Main Guide Sections** (`guide/ultimate-guide.md`):
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1. **Quick Start** - Installation, first workflow, essential commands
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2. **Core Concepts** - Context management, Plan Mode, Rewind, Mental Model
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3. **Memory & Settings** - CLAUDE.md files, .claude/ folder, precedence rules
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4. **Agents** - Custom AI personas, Tool SEO, orchestration patterns
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5. **Skills** - Reusable knowledge modules
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6. **Commands** - Custom slash commands, variable interpolation
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7. **Hooks** - Event-driven automation (security, formatting, logging)
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8. **MCP Servers** - Serena, Context7, Sequential, Playwright, Postgres
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9. **Advanced Patterns** - Trinity, CI/CD, feedback loops, vibe coding
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10. **Reference** - Commands, shortcuts, troubleshooting, checklists
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## Key Commands Reference
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| Command | Purpose |
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|---------|---------|
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| `/help` | Show all available commands |
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| `/status` | Check context usage and session state |
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| `/compact` | Compress context (use when >70%) |
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| `/clear` | Fresh start (reset conversation) |
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| `/plan` | Enter safe read-only planning mode |
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| `/rewind` | Undo recent changes |
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## Context Management Rules
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- **Green Zone (0-50%)**: Work freely
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- **Yellow Zone (50-70%)**: Be selective with context loading
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- **Red Zone (70-90%)**: Use `/compact` immediately
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- **Critical (90%+)**: Use `/clear` to reset
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## Platform Support
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- **macOS/Linux**: Full support with bash/zsh examples
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- **Windows**: PowerShell and batch file alternatives provided (note: Windows commands are AI-generated and not tested by the author)
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## Related Resources
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- Official: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code
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- DeepWiki: https://deepwiki.com/FlorianBruniaux/claude-code-ultimate-guide
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- Inspiration: https://claudelog.com/
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## Author
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Florian BRUNIAUX - Founding Engineer at Méthode Aristote
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- GitHub: https://github.com/FlorianBruniaux
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- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/florian-bruniaux-43408b83/
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## License
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CC BY-SA 4.0 - Free to share and adapt with attribution.
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## How to Use This Guide
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1. **New to Claude Code?** Start with README.md Quick Start section
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2. **Choose your path** See Learning Paths in README for audience-specific guides
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3. **Want comprehensive learning?** Read guide/ultimate-guide.md
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4. **Need daily reference?** Print guide/cheatsheet.md
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5. **Want to audit your setup?** Use tools/audit-prompt.md
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6. **Need templates?** Browse examples/ folder for ready-to-use configs
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## Machine-Optimized Reference
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For fast LLM parsing, see `machine-readable/reference.yaml` (~2K tokens) - structured YAML with:
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- Decision tree for task routing
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- Prompting formula (WHAT/WHERE/HOW/VERIFY)
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- Commands, shortcuts, CLI flags
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- Context management zones and symptoms
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- MCP servers, think levels, cost optimization
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- Anti-patterns and troubleshooting
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## Keywords
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Claude Code, Anthropic, CLI, AI-assisted development, coding assistant, context management, MCP servers, agents, skills, hooks, commands, Plan Mode, CLAUDE.md, memory files, CI/CD integration, autonomous workflows, developer productivity, AI coding tools
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