Specific Instructions

Learn how to write clear, specific instructions that help Claude Code understand exactly what you want to accomplish.

Why Specificity Matters

Claude Code performs best when given:

• Clear, actionable instructions
• Specific context about your goals
• Relevant constraints and requirements
• Expected outcomes

Writing Effective Instructions

1. Be Explicit About Goals

Poor: “Fix this code” Better: “Fix the TypeScript compilation errors in the user authentication module”

2. Provide Context

Poor: “Add a button” Better: “Add a submit button to the login form that validates user input before sending the request”

3. Specify Constraints

Poor: “Make it faster” Better: “Optimize the database query to reduce load time to under 200ms while maintaining data accuracy”

4. Include Success Criteria

Poor: “Improve the UI” Better: “Improve the mobile responsiveness of the dashboard to display correctly on screens 320px wide and larger”

Common Instruction Patterns

For Bug Fixes

Fix the [specific error/issue] in [file/component/module] that occurs when [specific conditions]. The expected behavior should be [describe correct behavior].

For Features

Implement [feature name] that allows users to [specific capability]. It should include [list requirements] and follow [design/architectural patterns].

For Refactoring

Refactor [specific code section] to [specific improvement] while maintaining [existing functionality/API compatibility].

Advanced Instruction Techniques

Progressive Disclosure

Start with high-level goals, then provide details as needed:

1. Initial: “Create a user dashboard”
2. Follow-up: “Include widgets for analytics, recent activity, and quick actions”
3. Detail: “The analytics widget should show daily active users for the past 30 days”

Conditional Instructions

Use “if-then” patterns for complex scenarios:

If the database migration fails, rollback to the previous version and create a detailed error log. If it succeeds, run the integration tests and update the deployment documentation.

Reference Instructions

Point to existing patterns:

Create a new API endpoint following the same pattern as the existing user endpoints, but for managing projects.

Best Practices

Do

• Use specific technical terms
• Reference exact file paths and line numbers when relevant
• Provide examples of expected output
• Mention any dependencies or prerequisites
• Specify testing requirements

Don’t

• Use vague terms like “better” or “cleaner”
• Assume Claude knows your specific business logic
• Skip important context to save time
• Provide conflicting requirements
• Forget to mention edge cases

Example: Complete Instruction

Please create a React component called UserProfileCard that:

1. Displays user avatar, name, email, and join date
2. Accepts user data as props with TypeScript interface
3. Uses our existing design system (src/components/ui/)
4. Handles loading and error states
5. Is responsive for mobile and desktop
6. Includes hover effects matching our brand guidelines
7. Has proper accessibility attributes
8. Includes unit tests using Jest and React Testing Library

The component should be created in src/components/UserProfileCard/ with index.tsx, styles.module.css, and UserProfileCard.test.tsx files.

Next: Context Management - Learn how to manage context effectively.