Claude Code Patterns
Claude Code has become the most-used AI coding tool for complex development tasks. Its terminal-native, agent-first approach enables workflows that IDE-based tools can't match — but getting the most out of it requires intentional configuration. This pillar page collects production-tested patterns from my daily use.
Hooks: Deterministic Automation
Claude Code Hooks are the foundation of a mature Claude Code workflow. They fire at specific lifecycle events and are executed by the harness, not by Claude — meaning they always run.
Essential hook patterns:
- Auto-format after edits — Prettier, Black, or gofmt runs automatically on every file Claude touches
- File protection — Block edits to
.env,secrets.yml, and other sensitive files - Quality gates — Run tests and type checking before Claude stops working
- Desktop notifications — Get alerted when Claude needs input
- Context re-injection — Restore critical context after conversation compaction
- Auto-approval — Skip permission prompts for safe, read-only operations
- Environment management — Sync environment variables with direnv
See the complete hooks guide for configuration syntax and working examples.
CLAUDE.md: Project Context
CLAUDE.md is how you give Claude permanent context about your project. Unlike conversation messages that eventually get compacted, CLAUDE.md is loaded at the start of every session.
What to include:
- Build and test commands (
yarn build,yarn test,yarn typecheck) - Architecture overview (tech stack, key files, content structure)
- Project conventions (naming, file organization, coding patterns)
- SEO or content-specific guidelines
What NOT to include:
- Information that changes frequently (use hooks or conversation for that)
- Overly detailed instructions (Claude works better with constraints than scripts)
- Security secrets (CLAUDE.md is committed to git)
The Claude Code Template provides a production-ready CLAUDE.md structure along with devcontainer support, custom commands, and analytics integration.
Team Configuration
Claude Code supports three configuration scopes, each serving a different purpose:
| Scope | File | Shared? | Use For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project | .claude/settings.json | Yes (git) | Team rules: formatting, file protection, quality gates |
| Local | .claude/settings.local.json | No (gitignored) | Personal prefs: notifications, auto-approvals |
| Global | ~/.claude/settings.json | No | Cross-project personal config |
Production team recommendation:
- Commit
.claude/settings.jsonwith shared hooks (formatting, file protection) - Commit
CLAUDE.mdwith project context and conventions - Let developers customize
.claude/settings.local.jsonfor personal preferences - Document the setup in your project README
MCP Server Integration
Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers extend Claude Code with external tool access — databases, APIs, documentation systems, and more. The hooks system can gate MCP tool usage for security.
Analytics Integration
PromptConduit integrates with Claude Code via hooks to capture every prompt, tool invocation, and response. This enables:
- Usage pattern analysis across projects and team members
- Session replay for understanding how AI assistance flows
- Cost tracking per session, project, and developer
- Productivity measurement through the measurement framework