Claude How To

Complete collection of examples for some important Claude Code features and concepts.

Quick Navigation

Feature	Description	Folder
Slash Commands	User-invoked shortcuts	01-slash-commands/
Memory	Persistent context	02-memory/
Skills	Reusable capabilities	03-skills/
Subagents	Specialized AI assistants	04-subagents/
MCP Protocol	External tool access	05-mcp/
Hooks	Event-driven automation	06-hooks/
Plugins	Bundled features	07-plugins/
Checkpoints	Session snapshots & rewind	08-checkpoints/
Advanced Features	Planning, thinking, background tasks	09-advanced-features/

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📚 Learning Path

New to Claude Code? The folders are numbered in recommended learning order:

Order	Feature	Level	Time	Start Here
1	Slash Commands	⭐ Beginner	30 min	✅ START
2	Memory	⭐⭐ Beginner+	45 min	Essential
3	Skills	⭐⭐ Intermediate	1 hour	Auto-invoke
4	Subagents	⭐⭐⭐ Intermediate+	1.5 hours	Delegation
5	MCP	⭐⭐⭐ Intermediate+	1 hour	Live data
6	Hooks	⭐⭐ Intermediate	1 hour	Automation
7	Plugins	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Advanced	2 hours	Bundles
8	Checkpoints	⭐⭐ Intermediate	45 min	Safe tests
9	Advanced	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Advanced	2-3 hours	Power user

Total: ~10-12 hours | 📖 Complete Learning Roadmap →

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🎯 Quick Reference: Choose Your Features

Feature Comparison

Feature	Invocation	Persistence	Best For
Slash Commands	Manual (/cmd)	Session only	Quick shortcuts
Memory	Auto-loaded	Cross-session	Long-term learning
Skills	Auto-invoked	Filesystem	Automated workflows
Subagents	Auto-delegated	Isolated context	Task distribution
MCP Protocol	Auto-queried	Real-time	Live data access
Hooks	Event-triggered	Configured	Automation & validation
Plugins	One command	All features	Complete solutions
Checkpoints	Manual/Auto	Session-based	Safe experimentation
Planning Mode	Manual/Auto	Plan phase	Complex implementations
Background Tasks	Manual	Task duration	Long-running operations

Use Case Matrix

Use Case	Recommended Features
Team Onboarding	Memory + Slash Commands + Plugins
Code Quality	Subagents + Skills + Memory + Hooks
Documentation	Skills + Subagents + Plugins
DevOps	Plugins + MCP + Hooks + Background Tasks
Security Review	Subagents + Skills + Hooks (read-only mode)
API Integration	MCP + Memory
Quick Tasks	Slash Commands
Complex Projects	All Features + Planning Mode
Refactoring	Checkpoints + Planning Mode + Hooks
Learning/Experimentation	Checkpoints + Extended Thinking + Permission Mode
CI/CD Automation	Headless Mode + Hooks + Background Tasks
Performance Optimization	Planning Mode + Checkpoints + Background Tasks

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⚡ Getting Started

15 Minutes - First Steps

# Copy your first slash command
cp 01-slash-commands/optimize.md .claude/commands/

# Try it!
# In Claude Code: /optimize

1 Hour - Essential Setup

# 1. Slash commands (15 min)
cp 01-slash-commands/*.md .claude/commands/

# 2. Project memory (15 min)
cp 02-memory/project-CLAUDE.md ./CLAUDE.md

# 3. Install a skill (15 min)
cp -r 03-skills/code-review ~/.claude/skills/

# 4. Try them together (15 min)
# See how they work in harmony!

Weekend - Full Setup

• Day 1: Slash Commands, Memory, Skills, Hooks
• Day 2: Subagents, MCP integration, Plugins
• Result: Complete Claude Code power user setup

📖 Detailed milestones and exercises →

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01. Slash Commands

Location: 01-slash-commands/

What: User-invoked shortcuts stored as Markdown files

Examples:

• optimize.md - Code optimization analysis
• pr.md - Pull request preparation
• generate-api-docs.md - API documentation generator

Installation:

cp 01-slash-commands/*.md /path/to/project/.claude/commands/

Usage:

/optimize
/pr
/generate-api-docs

Learn More: Discovering Claude Code Slash Commands

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02. Memory

Location: 02-memory/

What: Persistent context across sessions

Examples:

• project-CLAUDE.md - Team-wide project standards
• directory-api-CLAUDE.md - Directory-specific rules
• personal-CLAUDE.md - Personal preferences

Installation:

# Project memory
cp 02-memory/project-CLAUDE.md /path/to/project/CLAUDE.md

# Directory memory
cp 02-memory/directory-api-CLAUDE.md /path/to/project/src/api/CLAUDE.md

# Personal memory
cp 02-memory/personal-CLAUDE.md ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md

Usage: Automatically loaded by Claude

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03. Skills

Location: 03-skills/

What: Reusable, auto-invoked capabilities with instructions and scripts

Examples:

• code-review/ - Comprehensive code review with scripts
• brand-voice/ - Brand voice consistency checker
• doc-generator/ - API documentation generator

Installation:

# Personal skills
cp -r 03-skills/code-review ~/.claude/skills/

# Project skills
cp -r 03-skills/code-review /path/to/project/.claude/skills/

Usage: Automatically invoked when relevant

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04. Subagents

Location: 04-subagents/

What: Specialized AI assistants with isolated contexts and custom prompts

Examples:

• code-reviewer.md - Comprehensive code quality analysis
• test-engineer.md - Test strategy and coverage
• documentation-writer.md - Technical documentation
• secure-reviewer.md - Security-focused review (read-only)
• implementation-agent.md - Full feature implementation

Installation:

cp 04-subagents/*.md /path/to/project/.claude/agents/

Usage: Automatically delegated by main agent

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05. MCP Protocol

Location: 05-mcp/

What: Model Context Protocol for accessing external tools and APIs

Examples:

• github-mcp.json - GitHub integration
• database-mcp.json - Database queries
• filesystem-mcp.json - File operations
• multi-mcp.json - Multiple MCP servers

Installation:

# Set environment variables
export GITHUB_TOKEN="your_token"
export DATABASE_URL="postgresql://..."

# Copy configuration
cp 05-mcp/github-mcp.json ~/.claude/mcp.json

Usage:

/mcp__github__list_prs
/mcp__github__get_pr 456

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06. Hooks

Location: 06-hooks/

What: Event-driven shell commands that execute automatically in response to Claude Code events

Examples:

• format-code.sh - Auto-format code before writing
• pre-commit.sh - Run tests before commits
• security-scan.sh - Scan for security issues
• log-bash.sh - Log all bash commands
• validate-prompt.sh - Validate user prompts
• notify-team.sh - Send notifications on events

Installation:

mkdir -p ~/.claude/hooks
cp 06-hooks/*.sh ~/.claude/hooks/
chmod +x ~/.claude/hooks/*.sh

# Configure in settings
echo '{
  "hooks": {
    "PreToolUse:Write": "~/.claude/hooks/format-code.sh ${file_path}",
    "PostToolUse:Write": "~/.claude/hooks/security-scan.sh ${file_path}",
    "PreCommit": "~/.claude/hooks/pre-commit.sh"
  }
}' > ~/.claude/hooks-config.json

Usage: Hooks execute automatically on events

Hook Types:

• Tool Hooks: PreToolUse:*, PostToolUse:*
• Session Hooks: UserPromptSubmit, SessionStart, SessionEnd
• Git Hooks: PreCommit, PostCommit, PrePush

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07. Plugins

Location: 07-plugins/

What: Bundled collections of commands, agents, MCP, and hooks

Examples:

• pr-review/ - Complete PR review workflow
• devops-automation/ - Deployment and monitoring
• documentation/ - Documentation generation

Installation:

/plugin install pr-review
/plugin install devops-automation
/plugin install documentation

Usage: Use bundled slash commands and features

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08. Checkpoints and Rewind

Location: 08-checkpoints/

What: Save conversation state and rewind to previous points to explore different approaches

Key Concepts:

• Checkpoint: Snapshot of conversation state
• Rewind: Return to previous checkpoint
• Branch Point: Explore multiple approaches from same checkpoint

Usage:

# Create checkpoint
/checkpoint save "Before refactoring"

# List checkpoints
/checkpoint list

# Rewind to checkpoint
/checkpoint rewind "Before refactoring"

# Compare checkpoints
/checkpoint diff checkpoint-1 checkpoint-2

Use Cases:

• Try different implementation approaches
• Recover from mistakes
• Safe experimentation
• Compare alternative solutions
• A/B testing different designs

Example Workflow:

1. /checkpoint save "Working state"
2. Try experimental approach
3. If it works: Continue
4. If it fails: /checkpoint rewind "Working state"

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09. Advanced Features

Location: 09-advanced-features/

What: Advanced capabilities for complex workflows and automation

Planning Mode

Create detailed implementation plans before coding:

User: /plan Implement user authentication system

Claude: [Creates comprehensive step-by-step plan]

User: Approve and proceed

Benefits: Clear roadmap, time estimates, risk assessment

Extended Thinking

Deep reasoning for complex problems:

User: /think Should we use microservices or monolith?

Claude: [Analyzes trade-offs systematically]

Benefits: Better architectural decisions, thorough analysis

Background Tasks

Run long operations without blocking:

User: Run tests in background

Claude: Started bg-1234, you can continue working

[Later] Test results: 245 passed, 3 failed

Benefits: Parallel development, no waiting

Permission Modes

Control what Claude can do:

• Unrestricted: Full access (default)
• Confirm: Ask before actions
• Read-only: Analysis only, no modifications
• Custom: Granular permissions

/permission readonly    # Code review mode
/permission confirm     # Learning mode
/permission unrestricted # Full automation

Headless Mode

Run Claude Code in CI/CD and automation:

claude-code --headless --task "Run tests and generate report"

Use Cases: CI/CD, automated reviews, batch processing

Session Management

Manage multiple work sessions:

/session list           # Show all sessions
/session new "Feature"  # Create new session
/session switch "Bug"   # Switch sessions
/session save           # Save current state

Interactive Features

Keyboard Shortcuts: Ctrl+R (search), Tab (complete), ↑/↓ (history)

Command History: Access previous commands

Multi-line Input: Complex prompts across multiple lines

Configuration

Customize Claude Code behavior:

{
  "planning": { "autoEnter": true },
  "extendedThinking": { "enabled": true },
  "backgroundTasks": { "maxConcurrentTasks": 5 },
  "permissions": { "mode": "unrestricted" },
  "checkpoints": { "autoCheckpoint": true }
}

See config-examples.json for complete configurations.

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Directory Structure

├── 01-slash-commands/
│   ├── optimize.md
│   ├── pr.md
│   ├── generate-api-docs.md
│   └── README.md
├── 02-memory/
│   ├── project-CLAUDE.md
│   ├── directory-api-CLAUDE.md
│   ├── personal-CLAUDE.md
│   └── README.md
├── 03-skills/
│   ├── code-review/
│   │   ├── SKILL.md
│   │   ├── scripts/
│   │   └── templates/
│   ├── brand-voice/
│   │   ├── SKILL.md
│   │   └── templates/
│   ├── doc-generator/
│   │   ├── SKILL.md
│   │   └── generate-docs.py
│   └── README.md
├── 04-subagents/
│   ├── code-reviewer.md
│   ├── test-engineer.md
│   ├── documentation-writer.md
│   ├── secure-reviewer.md
│   ├── implementation-agent.md
│   └── README.md
├── 05-mcp/
│   ├── github-mcp.json
│   ├── database-mcp.json
│   ├── filesystem-mcp.json
│   ├── multi-mcp.json
│   └── README.md
├── 06-hooks/
│   ├── format-code.sh
│   ├── pre-commit.sh
│   ├── security-scan.sh
│   ├── log-bash.sh
│   ├── validate-prompt.sh
│   ├── notify-team.sh
│   └── README.md
├── 07-plugins/
│   ├── pr-review/
│   ├── devops-automation/
│   ├── documentation/
│   └── README.md
├── 08-checkpoints/
│   ├── checkpoint-examples.md
│   └── README.md
├── 09-advanced-features/
│   ├── config-examples.json
│   ├── planning-mode-examples.md
│   └── README.md
└── README.md (this file)

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Installation Quick Reference

# Slash Commands
cp 01-slash-commands/*.md .claude/commands/

# Memory
cp 02-memory/project-CLAUDE.md ./CLAUDE.md

# Skills
cp -r 03-skills/code-review ~/.claude/skills/

# Subagents
cp 04-subagents/*.md .claude/agents/

# MCP
export GITHUB_TOKEN="token"
cp 05-mcp/github-mcp.json .claude/mcp.json

# Hooks
mkdir -p ~/.claude/hooks
cp 06-hooks/*.sh ~/.claude/hooks/
chmod +x ~/.claude/hooks/*.sh

# Plugins
/plugin install pr-review

# Checkpoints (auto-enabled, configure in settings)
# See 08-checkpoints/README.md

# Advanced Features (configure in settings)
# See 09-advanced-features/config-examples.json

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Example Workflows

1. Complete Code Review Workflow

# Uses: Slash Commands + Subagents + Memory + MCP

User: /review-pr

Claude:
1. Loads project memory (coding standards)
2. Fetches PR via GitHub MCP
3. Delegates to code-reviewer subagent
4. Delegates to test-engineer subagent
5. Synthesizes findings
6. Provides comprehensive review

2. Automated Documentation

# Uses: Skills + Subagents + Memory

User: "Generate API documentation for the auth module"

Claude:
1. Loads project memory (doc standards)
2. Detects doc generation request
3. Auto-invokes doc-generator skill
4. Delegates to api-documenter subagent
5. Creates comprehensive docs with examples

3. DevOps Deployment

# Uses: Plugins + MCP + Hooks

User: /deploy production

Claude:
1. Runs pre-deploy hook (validates environment)
2. Delegates to deployment-specialist subagent
3. Executes deployment via Kubernetes MCP
4. Monitors progress
5. Runs post-deploy hook (health checks)
6. Reports status

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Best Practices

Do's ✅

• Start simple with slash commands
• Add features incrementally
• Use memory for team standards
• Test configurations locally first
• Document custom implementations
• Version control project configurations
• Share plugins with team

Don'ts ❌

• Don't create redundant features
• Don't hardcode credentials
• Don't skip documentation
• Don't over-complicate simple tasks
• Don't ignore security best practices
• Don't commit sensitive data

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Troubleshooting

Feature Not Loading

1. Check file location and naming
2. Verify YAML frontmatter syntax
3. Check file permissions
4. Review Claude Code version compatibility

MCP Connection Failed

1. Verify environment variables
2. Check MCP server installation
3. Test credentials
4. Review network connectivity

Subagent Not Delegating

1. Check tool permissions
2. Verify agent description clarity
3. Review task complexity
4. Test agent independently

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Additional Resources

• Claude Code Documentation
• MCP Protocol Specification
• Plugin Marketplace
• Community Examples

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Contributing

Found an issue or want to contribute an example?

1. Create an issue describing the example
2. Follow existing structure and patterns
3. Include comprehensive README
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit pull request

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License

These examples are provided as-is for educational purposes. Adapt and use them freely in your projects.

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Last Updated: November 2025 Claude Code Version: 1.0+ Compatible Models: Sonnet 4.5, Opus 4.1, Haiku 4.5