I Went Deep on Claude Code—These Are My Top 13 Tricks

Claude Code is already incredibly powerful, but with these 11 tips and tricks, I've transformed it into an experience I genuinely love using every day. Some are quick and obvious, while others are brand new or uniquely delightful. From easy setup in Cursor or Visual Studio Code to powerful features like IDE integrations, custom slash commands, and innovative ways to handle screenshots and files—these tips make working in Claude Code intuitive and enjoyable. 00:00 - Intro 01:53 - Fast Install 02:33 - 1. Use in Cursor or VSC 03:39 - 2. Initialize Project 04:26 - 3. Manage Context 06:12 - 4. Change Models 06:42 - 5. Change Modes (w/ planning) 07:45 - 6. Add Files and Screenshots 09:33 - 7. Terminal Tab 10:00 - 8. Custom Commands 12:44 - 9. Coloring Cursor Command 14:39 - 10. Sub-agents: Multi-tasking! 17:32 - 11. YOLO 18:24 - 12. Claude as a Utility Function 20:53 - 13. Hooks! 24:52 - Closing