You’ve opened Claude Code. You’ve run a few prompts. And now you’re wondering — is there more to this than just chatting with an AI?

Yes. A lot more. In this post I’m breaking down 4 Claude Code tips that shift it from a smart chatbot into a proper agentic coding system — the kind that handles multi-step tasks, remembers your project rules, and runs workflows on autopilot.

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Want a quick-reference cheat sheet for all 4 tips? I’ve put it into a 1-page PDF you can keep open while you build.

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Tip 1: Use CLAUDE.md as Your Project Rulebook

Claude Code reads a file called CLAUDE.md at the start of every session. Think of it as a standing brief — you write your project rules once, and Claude follows them every time without being reminded.

What goes in CLAUDE.md?

• Your folder structure and what each folder is for
• Rules for how you want code written (naming conventions, comment style)
• Which commands to use for builds, tests, or deploys
• Links to key docs or APIs Claude should know about

Once it’s set up, you stop copy-pasting context into every new chat. Claude just knows. This is the single biggest leverage point for anyone using Claude Code on a recurring project.

Tip 2: Build Skills — Reusable Slash Commands

Skills are custom slash commands you create inside a skills/ folder in your project. You write a markdown file with a prompt and instructions, and Claude Code turns it into a /skill-name command you can trigger any time.

Why this matters: instead of re-explaining the same task every session, you build the workflow once and call it with a single word.

Examples from the Vibe Coding system:

• /seo-blog-writer — writes and publishes a full SEO post
• /animated-ad — turns a brief into a Remotion video ad
• /freebie-pdf — generates a branded PDF from topic notes

Every skill you build is reusable across projects that share the skills library. Over time, you’re not just using Claude Code — you’re building your own agent toolkit.

Tip 3: Run Sub-Agents in Parallel

Claude Code can spin up sub-agents — separate AI instances that handle tasks simultaneously. Instead of doing things one at a time (write → wait → edit → wait → push), you can delegate multiple tasks and run them in parallel.

This is especially powerful for content workflows. You can have one agent writing a blog post while another generates the header image and a third updates your Airtable record — all in the same session.

In code, this looks like using the Agent tool with a clear task description and telling it to run in the background. The parent agent waits for all results, then compiles them. For the full setup, grab the free guide.

Tip 4: Set Up Hooks to Automate the Boring Stuff

Hooks are shell commands that Claude Code runs automatically before or after a tool is used. You configure them once in your settings.json, and they fire without you having to think about it.

Useful hooks I use in the Vibe Coding system:

• Pre-push hook: runs a lint check before any git push
• Post-edit hook: logs which files were changed and when
• Pre-bash hook: displays a warning before any destructive command

Hooks let you add guardrails, logging, or automation at the system level — not just the prompt level. It’s the difference between manually checking your work and having the system enforce it for you.

Put It All Together

Here’s the Vibe Coding stack in action:

1. CLAUDE.md tells Claude your project context
2. Skills give you reusable one-word commands
3. Sub-agents run tasks in parallel to save time
4. Hooks enforce rules and automate actions automatically

Whether you’re building a content system, a client project, or an AI-powered business tool — these four tips give you the foundation. Start with CLAUDE.md, build one skill, and go from there.

Download the free Claude Code 4 Tips Cheat Sheet →

Want more Claude Code walkthroughs? Check out Claude Code Routines: Automate Your Entire Workflow — it pairs perfectly with the tips above.