How I use Claude Code: Separation of planning and execution

3 days ago

The author uses Claude Code as their primary development tool with a unique workflow that emphasizes planning before coding.
Core principle: Never let Claude write code until a written plan is reviewed and approved to prevent wasted effort and maintain control over architecture decisions.
Workflow phases: Research, Planning, Annotation Cycle, Todo List, Implementation, and Feedback & Iterate.
Research phase involves deep reading of the codebase and writing findings into a persistent markdown file to ensure thorough understanding.
Planning phase requires Claude to create a detailed implementation plan in a markdown file, including code snippets and considerations.
Annotation Cycle: The author reviews and annotates the plan with corrections and domain knowledge, iterating until satisfied.
Todo List: Before implementation, a granular task breakdown is created to track progress.
Implementation is done in a single session with strict guidelines to maintain code quality and type safety.
Feedback during implementation is terse and direct, focusing on corrections and references to existing code.
The author stays in control by making judgment calls and steering the implementation based on the refined plan.
Single long sessions are preferred to maintain context and understanding throughout the workflow.
The workflow's effectiveness lies in separating thinking from typing, ensuring informed and controlled code generation.

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