“Hacker” means builder—someone who ships fast, solves problems creatively, and values working software over documentation. Claude is the ultimate builder tool if you know how to use it. These prompting techniques separate beginners from power users.

1. Rubber Duck Debugging (That Talks Back)

Use Claude as an intelligent debugging partner that actually responds.

The skill: Describe your bug in detail and let Claude help triangulate the issue.

Example prompt:

I'm debugging a React app. The problem:

- Component renders correctly on first load
- After navigating away and back, the data is stale
- useEffect dependency array looks correct
- Console shows the fetch happening but state doesn't update

Relevant code:
[paste code]

Walk me through what could cause this. Ask clarifying questions if needed.

Why it matters: Explaining bugs clearly often reveals the solution. Claude adds a layer: it asks questions you hadn’t considered and spots patterns you’ve gone blind to.

Power move: Before describing the bug, ask Claude to predict what you’re about to say based on common patterns. Sometimes Claude identifies the issue from symptoms alone.

2. Architecture Design Partner

Use Claude to reason through system design decisions.

The skill: Present your requirements and constraints, then explore architectural options with Claude.

Example prompt:

I'm designing a real-time collaboration feature (like Google Docs) for my existing Rails app.

Constraints:
- Current stack: Rails 7, PostgreSQL, Redis, Heroku
- Budget: $500/month infrastructure max
- Users: 100 concurrent max initially
- Must integrate with existing auth

What are my options for the real-time layer? Compare WebSockets vs Server-Sent Events vs a managed service like Pusher. What are the trade-offs for my specific situation?

Why it matters: Architecture decisions are expensive to reverse. Claude provides a knowledgeable discussion partner to explore options before committing.

Level up: After choosing an approach, ask Claude to identify the specific failure modes and how to mitigate each.

3. Code Generation with Context

Write code faster by giving Claude rich context about your codebase.

The skill: Instead of asking Claude to write code in isolation, provide your conventions, existing code, and constraints.

Example prompt:

I need to add a new API endpoint to my Express.js app.

Here's an existing endpoint for reference (follow this style):
[paste existing endpoint code]

My conventions:
- Zod for validation
- Prisma for database
- Custom error handler expects thrown errors with statusCode property
- All responses wrapped in { success: boolean, data: ... }

Write a new endpoint that:
- POST /api/projects
- Creates a project with name (required) and description (optional)
- Associates with authenticated user (available as req.user.id)
- Returns the created project

Why it matters: Generic code generation produces generic code. Context-aware generation produces code that fits your codebase.

Power move: Create a CONVENTIONS.md file and paste it at the start of coding sessions. Claude will follow your standards.

4. Regex and One-Liner Mastery

Stop Googling regex patterns and bash one-liners.

The skill: Describe what you want to match or transform in plain English.

Example prompts:

Write a regex that matches email addresses but not the common obviously fake ones (test@test.com, a@a.a, etc.)
Write a bash one-liner that finds all .tsx files modified in the last 7 days, containing the word "deprecated", and prints file path with line numbers
Write a jq command that extracts all "email" fields from a deeply nested JSON array and outputs unique values

Why it matters: These tasks are high-friction Googleable moments. Claude provides instant, tailored answers.

5. Test Generation

Generate comprehensive test cases from implementation code.

The skill: Paste your function/component and request tests covering edge cases.

Example prompt:

Here's my function:

function calculateDiscount(price, userType, couponCode) {
  // ... implementation
}

Generate Jest tests covering:
- Happy paths for each user type
- Edge cases (negative prices, null inputs)
- Coupon code validation
- Discount stacking rules
- Boundary conditions

Use describe/it structure. Mock dependencies.

Why it matters: Test writing is often skipped due to time pressure. Claude removes the friction, making comprehensive testing feasible.

Power move: Ask Claude to generate tests BEFORE writing implementation. True TDD with AI assistance.

6. Code Review and Refactoring

Get a second opinion on code quality.

The skill: Paste code and ask for specific types of review feedback.

Example prompt:

Review this code for:
1. Security vulnerabilities (especially injection, auth issues)
2. Performance problems
3. Error handling gaps
4. Readability improvements

Don't rewrite the whole thing. Point out specific issues with line references and explain why each is a problem.

[paste code]

For refactoring:

This function is 200 lines and hard to test. Refactor it into smaller, testable units while maintaining the same external behavior. Explain your decomposition strategy.

[paste code]

Why it matters: Every codebase needs review. Solo developers and small teams often lack review bandwidth. Claude fills the gap.

7. Documentation from Code

Generate documentation from implementation.

The skill: Feed Claude code and specify the documentation format you need.

Example prompt:

Here's my API handler code:
[paste code]

Generate:
1. OpenAPI spec for this endpoint
2. Human-readable API documentation with examples
3. TypeScript types for request/response
4. Example curl commands

For libraries:

Here's my utility function:
[paste code]

Generate JSDoc comments, including:
- Description
- @param for each parameter with types
- @returns with type
- @example with usage
- @throws for error conditions

Why it matters: Documentation is always behind. Claude can generate it directly from source code, keeping it synchronized.

8. Database Query Optimization

Debug slow queries and understand execution plans.

The skill: Paste queries and schema, get optimization recommendations.

Example prompt:

This PostgreSQL query is slow (2.3s):

[paste query]

My schema:
[paste relevant tables with indexes]

Explain what's likely slow. Suggest optimizations. Show me the query with your changes and explain why each change helps.
Here's an EXPLAIN ANALYZE output:
[paste output]

Interpret this for me. Where is time being spent? What indexes would help?

Why it matters: Query optimization requires understanding execution plans, which many developers find opaque. Claude demystifies them.

9. Technology Evaluation

Quickly assess unfamiliar technologies.

The skill: Get rapid, honest assessments of tools and libraries.

Example prompt:

I'm choosing between tRPC, GraphQL, and REST for a new TypeScript full-stack app.

My context:
- Solo developer
- CRUD-heavy application
- Need real-time for some features
- May hire 2-3 devs later

Compare these for my situation. Be honest about downsides. What would you choose and why?
I'm considering adopting [new tool/framework]. Give me:
1. What it's good at
2. What it's bad at
3. Hidden gotchas I'll discover after committing
4. When to use it vs alternatives
5. How active is development and community

Why it matters: Technology evaluation takes hours of research. Claude provides a starting point based on broad knowledge of trade-offs.

Warning: Verify currency. Claude’s training data has a cutoff. Check that recommendations apply to current versions.

10. API and Library Translation

Convert between APIs, languages, and libraries.

The skill: Show Claude code in one context and request translation to another.

Example prompt:

Here's my axios HTTP client code:
[paste code]

Convert this to use the native fetch API with the same error handling behavior.
Here's my Express.js route:
[paste code]

Translate this to a Next.js API route, maintaining the same logic.
Here's my class-based React component:
[paste code]

Convert to a functional component with hooks. Keep behavior identical.

Why it matters: Migrations, refactors, and learning new tools require translation. Claude handles the mechanical work.

Power User Techniques

Chain of Thought for Complex Problems

Force Claude to reason step-by-step:

Before writing code, explain your approach:
1. What are the subproblems?
2. What's the right data structure?
3. What's the time/space complexity?
4. What edge cases exist?

Then implement.

Multi-File Context

For complex changes:

I need to add a feature across multiple files. Here's my current structure:

File 1 (routes.ts):
[paste]

File 2 (controller.ts):
[paste]

File 3 (service.ts):
[paste]

The new feature is: [describe]

Show me the changes to each file, clearly labeled.

Adversarial Testing

Ask Claude to break your code:

Here's my authentication middleware:
[paste code]

Try to find security vulnerabilities. How would you bypass this auth if you were an attacker? Be specific about attack vectors.

Learning Mode

Use Claude to understand unfamiliar code:

I inherited this codebase. Explain what this module does as if I'm a senior dev new to the project. Highlight non-obvious design decisions and potential gotchas.

[paste code]

The Hacker’s Edge

These skills compound. A developer who masters Claude-assisted development ships 2-5X faster than one who doesn’t. This isn’t about replacing skill—it’s about amplifying it.

Claude handles:

  • Boilerplate and repetitive patterns
  • Mechanical translations and conversions
  • First-pass implementations
  • Documentation drudgery
  • Rubber duck debugging

You focus on:

  • Architecture decisions
  • User experience
  • Business logic correctness
  • Code review judgment
  • The parts that require taste

The tools are available to everyone. Skill with the tools is the differentiator.

Master these 10 skills. Ship faster. Build more.