Your First Feature

Use this tutorial when someone has just finished setup and needs a concrete first win. The goal is not a large feature. The goal is to learn the session loop without burning context or trust.

1. Start a named session

Prompt or command:

bash

claude -n "first-feature"

What you should see: a fresh Claude Code session with a name you can resume later.

2. Ask Claude to explore before changing code

Prompt:

text

Read the relevant area of the codebase and explain how this feature should fit.
Do not make edits yet. Tell me which files matter.

What you should see: a read-only explanation of the current implementation and a short candidate file list.

3. Move into a small, explicit request

Prompt:

text

I want a small, reviewable change. Create a short plan and keep the scope tight.

What you should see: a plan with a handful of files, not a sweeping refactor.

4. Create the failing verification first

Prompt:

text

Write the smallest failing test or repro for this feature. Run it and confirm RED.

What you should see: the test fails, and the behavior gap is explicit before production code changes start.

5. Implement the change

Prompt:

text

Implement only what is necessary to make that verification pass.

What you should see: a narrow code diff that traces directly back to the failing artifact.

6. Re-run verification

Prompt:

text

Run the same verification again and confirm GREEN.

What you should see: the exact failing test or repro now passes.

7. Review the diff before shipping

Prompt:

text

Run /simplify and summarize any findings before we commit.

What you should see: a review pass for code reuse, quality, and efficiency, with any fixes applied before final approval.

8. Commit and capture the next step

Prompt:

text

Commit this change with a descriptive message, then tell me what I should learn next.

What you should see: a descriptive commit plus a concrete recommendation to continue with The Six-Step Loop or Daily Workflow.

If the slash commands still feel unfamiliar, go back to Core Session Commands before moving on.

Advanced: Match the Starter Files

This first feature flow eventually becomes the shared starter baseline:

CLAUDE.md.template commits the verification-first workflow as the default repo contract.
test-forward turns the RED -> GREEN expectations into a reusable shared skill.
the starter hook stack blocks source edits before RED, formats edits, runs related tests, and gates completion.

The point of the starter project is not to invent a new workflow. It is to codify the exact flow you just practiced here.

Reference Commands Used in This Tutorial

bash

claude -n "first-feature"

text

/simplify