Bonus 03 of 07
The 5 Golden Rules - the checklist every session should start with
Goal: Five rules. Memorize them. Follow them every session. The non-developers who do this consistently produce better results and make far fewer mistakes.
What to do
Read and learn Rule 1 - Always review before you accept
Every time Claude Code makes a change, look at it before saying it is done. The diff shows green lines for additions and red lines for removals. Ask: Did it only change what I asked? Did it remove anything important? Does the number of changes feel right?
Read Rule 2 - Use /compact before the session gets sloppy
Do not wait until Claude feels confused. When the session is getting long, inspect it with /context and compact early. The exact number matters less than the habit of resetting before drift turns into mistakes.
Read Rule 3 - WHAT + WHERE + HOW + VERIFY in every prompt
Every prompt should answer: WHAT exactly do you want, WHERE should it happen, HOW should it look or behave, and VERIFY how you will check it worked. Practice by writing one prompt using all four.
Add the 5 Golden Rules to your CLAUDE.md
Ask Claude Code to add the rules permanently:
Add a new section to my CLAUDE.md called "Session Rules - Follow These Every Time." Include these 5 Golden Rules written in plain English: 1. Always review the diff before accepting any change. 2. Inspect context regularly and compact before the session drifts. 3. Every prompt needs WHAT + WHERE + HOW + VERIFY. 4. Use Plan Mode before anything that touches more than one file. 5. Everything important lives in CLAUDE.md - keep it updated.Start a fresh session and follow all 5 rules
Close this Claude Code session. Start a fresh one. Make one small change to your site, but this time consciously apply all five rules.
Expected result
All 5 Golden Rules are added to your CLAUDE.md and you applied them in a real session.
Key takeaway
- Always review the diff, inspect context before drift, use WHAT + WHERE + HOW + VERIFY, go to Plan Mode before complex work, and keep the durable rules in CLAUDE.md.