# Claude Code
**Type:** CLI Tool (Terminal-based AI Assistant)
**Availability:** Free with Claude API access
**Provider:** Anthropic
**Model:** Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Claude 4 (latest)
---
## 📋 Overview
Claude Code is Anthropic's official terminal-based AI coding assistant. Features:
- Autonomous terminal agent
- Full file system access
- Bash command execution
- Multi-file editing
- Web search integration
- TODO/progress tracking
- AGENTS.md support
- Git workflow integration
**Philosophy:** Concise, action-oriented, autonomous
---
## 📂 Files in This Directory
### System Prompts:
- **`claude-code-system-prompt.txt`** - Complete system instructions
### Tools:
- **`claude-code-tools.json`** - Comprehensive tool definitions (20+ tools)
---
## 🔍 Source
- **Provider:** Anthropic
- **Official Documentation:** Part of Claude API
- **Date Captured:** October 2024 (latest update)
- **Attribution:** Anthropic PBC
---
## 🎯 Key Features
### 1. **Extreme Conciseness**
One of the most concise prompts analyzed:
> "Be concise. Answer in 1-3 sentences. No preamble or postamble. After editing, just stop."
### 2. **TODO System**
Built-in progress tracking:
```markdown
Tools: todo_write, todo_read
Workflow:
1. Plan: Create TODO list
2. Execute: Mark items in-progress
3. Complete: Mark done immediately
4. Report: User sees progress
```
### 3. **AGENTS.md Pattern**
Per-project context file:
```markdown
AGENTS.md contains:
- Commands (npm test, npm run dev)
- Style preferences
- Project notes
- Custom instructions
```
### 4. **Git Workflow**
Structured commit process:
1. Check status + diff in parallel
2. Analyze changes + check for secrets
3. Stage files
4. Commit with formatted message
5. Include attribution footer
### 5. **Defensive Security Only**
Strong security stance:
> "IMPORTANT: Assist with defensive security tasks only. Refuse to create, modify, or improve code that may be used maliciously."
---
## 🛠️ Tool Architecture
### Core Tools (20+):
**File Operations:**
- read_file, write_to_file, search_replace
- list_dir, glob (pattern matching)
**Search:**
- grep_search, semantic_search
- read_web_page (web search integration)
**Execution:**
- run_bash_command (with background mode)
**Progress:**
- todo_write, todo_read
**Analysis:**
- get_linting_diagnostics
**Git:**
- Via bash with structured workflow
### Tool Design Principles:
1. **Minimal tool count** (20 vs. 30+ in some tools)
2. **Clear separation** of concerns
3. **Composable** (tools combine well)
4. **Parallel-friendly** (independent operations)
---
## 📊 Unique Patterns
### 1. **No Explanatory Comments**
Explicit instruction:
> "IMPORTANT: DO NOT ADD ANY COMMENTS unless asked. Only add comments when: 1. User explicitly requests them, 2. Code is complex and requires context"
**Rationale:** AI can explain in chat, comments clutter code.
### 2. **Verify Before Committing**
Required checks:
- Analyze all staged changes
- Draft commit message
- Check for sensitive information
- Include co-author attribution
### 3. **Parallel Execution Default**
> "Whenever possible, you should call the functions in parallel. If there is no strict dependency, you should call them in parallel."
**Performance Impact:** 3-10x faster task completion
### 4. **Context from Multiple Sources**
Intelligent context gathering:
1. Direct file content
2. Diagnostics/errors
3. AGENTS.md (if exists)
4. Web search (when needed)
5. Codebase semantic search
---
## 🔐 Security Features
### Comprehensive Security Instructions:
1. **Never Log Secrets:**
> "Never introduce code that exposes or logs secrets and keys. Never commit secrets or keys to the repository."
2. **Defensive Security Only:**
- Security analysis: ✅ Allowed
- Vulnerability explanations: ✅ Allowed
- Exploit creation: ❌ Forbidden
- Malicious code: ❌ Forbidden
3. **Git Security:**
- Check for secrets before staging
- Review all changes before commit
- No force push without explicit permission
4. **Bash Command Safety:**
> "When you run a non-trivial bash command, you should explain what the command does and why you are running it."
---
## 💡 Best Practices Extracted
### From Claude Code Prompts:
1. **Conciseness is King:**
- 1-3 sentence responses
- No preamble or postamble
- Stop immediately after task completion
2. **TODO Transparency:**
- Create plan before starting
- Mark in-progress before work
- Complete immediately after finishing
- Give user visibility
3. **Parallel by Default:**
- Independent operations run simultaneously
- Serialize only when necessary
- 3-10x performance improvement
4. **No Code Comments:**
- Explain in chat, not in code
- Only add when explicitly requested
- Keep code clean
5. **Read Before Edit:**
- Always read file first
- Understand context
- Make informed changes
6. **Verify Changes:**
- Check after editing
- Run tests when applicable
- Ensure success
7. **Fail Fast:**
- If same error persists, stop after 3 attempts
- Ask user for guidance
- Don't loop indefinitely
---
## 🎯 Comparison to Other Tools
### vs. Cursor:
- **Claude Code:** Terminal-first, CLI tool
- **Cursor:** Visual IDE, GUI-focused
### vs. GitHub Copilot:
- **Claude Code:** Autonomous agent, multi-file
- **Copilot:** Inline completions, autocomplete
### vs. Windsurf:
- **Claude Code:** More mature, simpler architecture
- **Windsurf:** Cascade architecture, newer patterns
### vs. Devin:
- **Claude Code:** Developer tool, terminal-based
- **Devin:** Autonomous developer, full project ownership
---
## 📈 Evolution & Updates
### Observable Changes:
- October 2024: Latest captured version
- Increased emphasis on conciseness
- TODO system maturity
- Git workflow refinement
- Security instructions expanded
### Future Directions:
- Likely continued conciseness optimization
- More tool additions
- Better context management
- Enhanced parallel execution
---
## 🎓 Learning Resources
### From Claude Code:
**Prompt Engineering:**
- How to achieve extreme conciseness
- Tool architecture for parallel execution
- Security instruction design
- TODO/progress tracking patterns
**Software Engineering:**
- Git workflow best practices
- Code review patterns
- Testing strategies
- Security-first development
**AI Design:**
- Multi-tool orchestration
- Context management
- Error handling
- User communication
---
## 📊 Key Statistics
| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| Total Tools | 20+ |
| Prompt Length | ~15,000 tokens |
| Response Target | 1-3 sentences |
| Parallel Execution | Default |
| Security Rules | 10+ explicit |
| Git Commands | Structured workflow |
---
## 🔍 Technical Deep Dive
### Tool Definitions (`claude-code-tools.json`):
**Example: read_file**
```json
{
"name": "read_file",
"description": "Read the contents of a file",
"input_schema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"path": {
"type": "string",
"description": "The absolute path to the file"
}
},
"required": ["path"]
}
}
```
**Design Principles:**
- Clear descriptions
- Explicit parameter types
- Required vs. optional fields
- Absolute paths (no ambiguity)
---
## 🎯 Use Cases
### Ideal For:
1. **Terminal-based workflows** (developers who live in CLI)
2. **Multi-file refactoring** (autonomous agent handles complexity)
3. **Git-heavy workflows** (structured commit process)
4. **Security-sensitive projects** (defensive security only)
5. **Quick iterations** (extreme conciseness = fast responses)
### Not Ideal For:
1. Visual debugging (no GUI)
2. Beginners (terminal-focused)
3. Windows users (bash-centric, though adaptable)
---
## 🌍 Impact & Influence
### Claude Code's Influence on Other Tools:
1. **TODO System:**
- Adopted by Amp, Windsurf
- Now a standard pattern
2. **AGENTS.md:**
- Spreading across tools
- Becoming de facto standard
3. **Conciseness Mandate:**
- Influenced Cursor, others
- Token economics driving design
4. **No Comments Philosophy:**
- Controversial but spreading
- AI explanations > code comments
5. **Parallel Execution:**
- Performance insight
- Now emphasized in many tools
---
## 📚 Academic Interest
### Research Topics:
1. **Conciseness in AI Assistants:**
- Impact on user experience
- Token cost savings
- Information density
2. **Multi-Tool Orchestration:**
- Parallel vs. serial execution
- Performance benchmarks
- Tool dependency graphs
3. **Security in AI Assistants:**
- Defensive security only approach
- Secret detection patterns
- Malicious use prevention
4. **Context Management:**
- AGENTS.md pattern effectiveness
- Long-term memory vs. per-project context
- Optimal context size
---
## 🔗 Related Resources
- **Anthropic Documentation:** https://docs.anthropic.com
- **Claude API:** https://console.anthropic.com
- **Community:** https://discord.gg/anthropic
- **Research Papers:** Anthropic publications on AI safety
---
## 🤝 Contributing
Found updates or improvements? See [CONTRIBUTING.md](../CONTRIBUTING.md)
**To Add:**
- Newer versions of prompts
- Tool definition updates
- Usage examples
- Comparative analysis
---
## ⚖️ License & Attribution
**Provider:** Anthropic PBC
**Documentation Purpose:** Educational and research
**Usage:** These prompts are documented under fair use for:
- Understanding AI assistant design
- Comparative analysis
- Educational purposes
- Research
**Source Attribution:** Anthropic Claude Code
---
## 🙏 Acknowledgments
- **Anthropic Team** for Claude and Claude Code
- **Community** for sharing insights
- **Contributors** to this repository
---
## 📞 Contact
For questions about Claude Code specifically:
- **Anthropic Support:** support@anthropic.com
- **Documentation:** https://docs.anthropic.com
For this repository:
- **Issues:** GitHub Issues
- **Discussions:** GitHub Discussions
---
*Last Updated: 2025-01-02*
*Claude Code Version: October 2024*
*README Version: 1.0*