How to Get Great Results from Claude: A Coder's Tutorial
Z
Zack Saadioui
8/12/2025
Getting Good Results from Claude Code: A Beginner’s Tutorial
So, you've decided to dive into the world of AI-assisted coding with Claude. PRETTY COOL. It's an exciting time, & honestly, these tools can feel like a superpower once you get the hang of them. But if you're just starting, it can also feel a bit like trying to communicate with a super-smart alien who occasionally gets things hilariously wrong.
I've been down this rabbit hole for a while now, & I've seen the good, the bad, & the "why did you just delete my entire function?" moments. The truth is, getting great results from Claude isn't about some secret magic trick. It's about learning how to collaborate with it effectively. It’s less about giving orders & more about having a conversation.
This isn't just for beginners, either. Even if you've been using AI coding assistants for a bit, I bet you'll find some useful nuggets in here. We're going to cover everything from setting up your environment to crafting the perfect prompts & advanced workflows that will make you feel like you've got a seasoned pair programmer working alongside you 24/7.
The Absolute Basics: Setting Yourself Up for Success
Before you even write your first prompt, a little bit of setup can make a HUGE difference. Trust me, spending a few minutes on this will save you hours of frustration down the line.
Get Out of the Browser & Into Your Editor
First things first, while you can use Claude in a browser, the real power is unlocked when you integrate it into your coding environment. Using the VSCode extension (which also works with VSCodium, Cursor, etc.) is a game-changer. It sounds basic, but having your code & your AI assistant in the same window, side-by-side, makes the workflow SO much smoother. You get a clearer view of your file structure, & you're not constantly alt-tabbing between windows. It makes the AI feel like a true part of your development process, not just a glorified search engine.
The Magic of
1
CLAUDE.md
This is probably the single most important tip I can give you. Claude has a special file it looks for in your project directory called
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CLAUDE.md
. Think of this file as a set of standing instructions or a "project constitution" for the AI. Every time you start a conversation in that project, Claude reads this file to get context.
What should you put in it? Here's a starting point:
Project Overview: A brief, one-paragraph summary of what the project does.
Tech Stack: List the main languages, frameworks, & libraries. Be specific with versions if it matters (e.g., "Python 3.10+", "React 18").
Coding Style & Conventions: Do you use tabs or spaces? Specific naming conventions? Any architectural patterns the AI should follow (e.g., "Always use dependency injection," "Follow repository pattern for data access").
Common Commands: How do you run tests? Start the development server? Run the linter? Listing these out saves you from having to explain it every single time. (
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npm test
,
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go run ./cmd/server
, etc.)
Key Files: Point out the most important files in the codebase that the AI should be aware of.
One developer, Chris Dzombak, shared his personal global
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CLAUDE.md
file, & it's a MASTERPIECE of clear instructions. He includes sections on his development philosophy (like "Incremental progress over big bangs"), a step-by-step process for implementation, & even a framework for what Claude should do when it gets stuck. This is the level of detail that turns Claude from a simple code generator into a true collaborator.
You don't have to go that deep from day one, but start a
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CLAUDE.md
file & add to it over time. It's an investment that pays off big time.
Crafting Prompts That Actually Work: The Art of the Ask
Okay, your setup is solid. Now comes the main event: asking Claude to do stuff. The quality of the output is directly proportional to the quality of your input. A vague prompt gets a vague (and often useless) response.
Be Insanely Specific
This is the golden rule. Don't just say, "Write a function to upload a file." That's an invitation for disaster. A much better prompt would be:
"Write a Python function using the
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boto3
library to upload a file to an AWS S3 bucket. The function should be named
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upload_to_s3
& accept
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file_path
,
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bucket_name
, &
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object_name
as arguments. It needs to include error handling for common
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boto3
exceptions like
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ClientError
. Also, please include docstrings explaining what the function does, its parameters, & what it returns."
See the difference? We specified the language, the library, the function name, the arguments, the error handling requirements, & even the documentation style. There's very little room for misinterpretation.
Provide Context & Examples
AI models learn from patterns. So, give them a pattern to follow. If you want Claude to modify existing code, provide the relevant snippets. If you want it to generate code in a specific style, give it a small example of that style.
Here’s a great template for a code generation prompt from a Reddit thread that I've adapted:
I need to implement [specific functionality] in [programming language].
Key requirements:
[Requirement 1]
[Requirement 2]
[Requirement 3]
Here is an example of a similar function in our codebase:
[Paste a short, relevant code snippet]
Please consider:
Error handling for [specific errors]
Edge cases like [e.g., empty lists, null inputs]
Performance optimization
Best practices for [language/framework]
Generate the code with clear comments explaining the logic.
This structured approach is SO much more effective than just winging it.
Break Down Complex Tasks
Don't ask Claude to build your entire app in one go. It won't work. If you have a complex feature to build, break it down into smaller, manageable chunks. Think of it like you're creating a to-do list for the AI.
A great way to do this is to use what some call "Plan Mode." You can literally start your prompt with something like:
"I want to add a user profile page to my web app. Before you write any code, let's create a step-by-step plan. Think about the required components, the API endpoints we'll need, & the database schema changes."
Claude will then outline a plan. You can review it, make adjustments, & then ask it to execute each step one by one. This iterative process is key. It keeps you in control & allows you to course-correct early if the AI starts going off the rails.
Beyond the Basics: Advanced Workflows & Power Moves
Once you've mastered the fundamentals, you can start using some more advanced techniques that really take your productivity to the next level.
Test-Driven Development (TDD) with an AI Partner
This is one of my FAVORITE workflows. Instead of asking Claude to write the implementation first, ask it to write the tests.
Prompt for Tests: "I'm building a new feature for a user shopping cart. Write a set of unit tests for a function that calculates the total price of items in the cart. Use the pytest framework. Include tests for an empty cart, a cart with one item, a cart with multiple items, & a cart with items that have a quantity greater than one."
Run the Tests (and Watch Them Fail): You haven't written the function yet, so the tests should fail. This is the "Red" part of Red-Green-Refactor.
Prompt for Implementation: "Okay, great. Now, write the Python function
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calculate_cart_total
that makes all of those tests pass. Do not modify the tests."
Run the Tests Again: They should now pass (or at least be much closer). This is the "Green" part.
Refactor: Now you can review the code & ask Claude to refactor it for clarity or efficiency.
This workflow forces a clear definition of "done" & results in much more robust & reliable code.
The Multi-Claude Workflow
Sometimes, one Claude isn't enough. A super effective technique is to use multiple instances of Claude for different tasks, just like you'd work with multiple engineers.
Claude #1 (The Coder): This instance's job is to write the initial code based on your prompts.
Claude #2 (The Reviewer): Open a new terminal or chat. Paste the code from Claude #1 into it & ask for a code review. "Please review this code for potential bugs, security vulnerabilities, & adherence to best practices. Be concise & only report on significant issues."
Claude #3 (The Fixer): Go back to your original chat (or a new one) & give it the feedback from Claude #2. "Based on the following code review, please update the original code."
This separation of concerns often yields much better results because each instance has a focused context. It prevents the AI from getting "stuck" in its own initial logic.
Don't Forget to
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gh
If you're working with GitHub, make sure you have the
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gh
command-line tool installed. Claude knows how to use it! You can ask it to do things like "Create a new pull request for the changes on this branch," & it will generate the necessary commands. This is another small thing that smooths out the workflow & keeps you in the zone.
Integrating AI Automation in a Business Context
Now, let's zoom out a bit. All these coding techniques are great for individual developers, but how does this AI-driven approach fit into a larger business strategy? Honestly, it's about more than just writing code faster. It's about building better products & engaging with users more effectively.
This is where tools built on powerful AI, like the models that power Claude, really shine. For example, if you're building a web application, you're not just writing code; you're creating a user experience. A huge part of that experience is customer support & engagement. You could spend ages building a complex support system from scratch, or you could leverage a specialized platform.
This is where something like Arsturn comes into play. While Claude is your behind-the-scenes coding partner, Arsturn helps you build the user-facing AI. It's a no-code platform that lets you create custom AI chatbots trained on your own data. So, after you've used Claude to build your awesome new web app, you can use Arsturn to build a chatbot that provides instant customer support, answers questions about your product, & engages with your website visitors 24/7. It's the other side of the AI coin: one helps you build, the other helps you connect.
Think about it: you're building a new SaaS product. You can use Claude to accelerate the development of core features. But what about onboarding new users? Or handling common support queries? Instead of having your development team build a complex ticketing system & FAQ page, you can use Arsturn to build a no-code AI chatbot. You can train it on your documentation, your product specs, & your marketing materials. Suddenly, you have a 24/7 automated assistant that can guide users, answer their questions in real-time, & even help with lead generation. It's about using the right AI tool for the right job to automate different parts of your business.
The "Don't Do This" List: Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learning what not to do is just as important as learning what to do. Here are some common traps people fall into.
Blindly Trusting the Output: This is the biggest one. AI-generated code is NOT infallible. It can have subtle bugs, security flaws, or just be inefficient. ALWAYS review the code. You are still the developer in charge. Your name is on the commit, so you are responsible for it.
Getting Lazy: It's tempting to let the AI do all the thinking, but this can lead to skill degradation. Use the AI as a tool to augment your skills, not replace them. Ask it to explain the code it wrote. Why did it choose that approach? Are there alternatives? This is a great way to learn.
Ignoring Security: Don't paste sensitive information, API keys, or proprietary code into a public AI tool without understanding its data privacy policies. When working with a company, always adhere to their security guidelines for using AI assistants.
Giving Up Too Soon: Your first few interactions with Claude might be underwhelming. That's normal. There's a learning curve. Don't give up. The more you use it & refine your prompts, the better your results will be. It's a skill, & like any skill, it takes a bit of practice.
Final Thoughts
Look, AI coding assistants like Claude are here to stay, & they're only going to get more powerful. The developers who thrive in this new era will be the ones who learn to treat these tools not as code vending machines, but as true collaborators.
It's about being a great communicator, a good project manager, & a discerning code reviewer. You're still the architect; Claude is just a very, very fast builder. By setting up your environment properly, mastering the art of the prompt, using advanced workflows, & avoiding common pitfalls, you can turn Claude into an incredible asset that not only speeds up your work but also makes you a better developer.
Hope this was helpful! It's a lot to take in, but just start with one or two of these tips & build from there. Let me know what you think or if you have any of your own tips to share. Happy coding