claude-code-proxy: Instructions file for Claude Code

Claude Code: Best Practices for Effective Collaboration

This document outlines best practices for working with Claude Code to ensure efficient and successful software development tasks.

Task Management

For complex or multi-step tasks, Claude Code will use:

• TodoWrite: To create a structured task list, breaking down the work into manageable steps. This provides clarity on the plan and allows for tracking progress.
• TodoRead: To review the current list of tasks and their status, ensuring alignment and that all objectives are being addressed.

File Handling and Reading

Understanding file content is crucial before making modifications.

1. Targeted Information Retrieval:

   • When searching for specific content, patterns, or definitions within a codebase, prefer using search tools like Grep or Task (with a focused search prompt). This is more efficient than reading entire files.

2. Reading File Content:

   • Small to Medium Files: For files where full context is needed or that are not excessively large, the Read tool can be used to retrieve the entire content.
   • Large File Strategy:
     1. Assess Size: Before reading a potentially large file, its size should be determined (e.g., using ls -l via the Bash tool or by an initial Read with a small limit to observe if content is truncated).
     2. Chunked Reading: If a file is large (e.g., over a few thousand lines), it should be read in manageable chunks (e.g., 1000-2000 lines at a time) using the offset and limit parameters of the Read tool. This ensures all content can be processed without issues.
   • Always ensure that the file path provided to Read is absolute.

File Editing

Precision is key for successful file edits. The following strategies lead to reliable modifications:

1. Pre-Edit Read: Always use the Read tool to fetch the content of the file immediately before attempting any Edit or MultiEdit operation. This ensures modifications are based on the absolute latest version of the file.