Guide Claude Code to write better code with the /wizard skill

What this is, in plain English

AI coders are fast but can be sloppy, jumping straight to writing code and introducing bugs. This workflow slows Claude Code down on purpose: you give it a “skill” (a reusable instruction set it can run with a slash command) that forces it to think in phases, understand the task, assess complexity and risks, and propose a plan, before it writes a line. You also give it a CLAUDE.md file describing your project’s rules, so it codes to your standards.

Be honest about the level: this is an advanced, developer-only setup. It needs Claude Code (paid), a GitHub repository, and ideally GitHub Actions for testing, and the original article only fully details the first of an eight-phase methodology, so you build out the rest yourself. This page explains what it is, what it gives you, and the realistic shape of setting it up, with a ready-to-use conventions file.

What you can use it for

• Fewer bugs and regressions. Forcing a plan-first phase catches problems before they are coded in.
• Code that follows your standards. A CLAUDE.md makes the AI honor your style, architecture, and testing rules.
• Consistent output across a team. Everyone’s AI follows the same methodology and conventions.
• Safer work on sensitive code. A planning and risk-assessment phase suits payments, auth, and the like.
• The reusable idea: a “think before you code” skill plus a conventions file improves any AI coding agent, not just Claude Code.

Tools you need

• Claude Code (paid): the AI coding assistant that runs the /wizard skill. Needs a paid plan or credits.
• GitHub (freemium): hosts your code, your CLAUDE.md, the skill file, and the issues that describe each task.
• GitHub Actions (freemium): runs your tests automatically, which the later phases of the methodology lean on.

How it actually works

You give Claude Code two things, the rules and the method, then drive it from a GitHub issue. The realistic shape:

1. Create a repository for your project, if you do not have one.

2. Write a CLAUDE.md conventions file in the repo root. This is concrete and high-value; a usable template:

   # Project Conventions for Claude Code
   
   ## Coding standards
   - Use Python 3.9+ and follow the PEP 8 style guide.
   - Every function and class has a docstring.
   - Prioritize readability and maintainability.
   
   ## Architecture
   - Use FastAPI for new API endpoints.
   - Database access goes through the SQLAlchemy ORM.
   
   ## Testing
   - New features need tests; practice test-driven development.
   - Use pytest for unit and integration tests.
   
   ## Security
   - Sanitize all user input.
   - Never hardcode secrets; use proper authentication and authorization.

3. Create the /wizard skill as a markdown file in the repo (for example in a .claude folder). It defines a phased process; the first phase, “plan before you code”, tells Claude to read CLAUDE.md, read the task, assess complexity and risks, size the work, and propose a step-by-step plan before coding. The author details only this first phase; you extend it with further phases (implement, test, review, and so on) to cover the whole cycle.

4. Open a GitHub issue describing the feature or bug. This is the “ticket” Claude plans against.

5. Run the skill: in Claude Code, in your project, invoke it with the issue:

   /wizard [link to your GitHub issue]

   Claude reads your conventions and the issue, then returns a plan and a complexity assessment and waits for your go-ahead before writing code.

Words you’ll see, explained

• Claude Code: the AI coding assistant this runs in.
• Skill: a reusable instruction set you trigger with a slash command (here, /wizard).
• CLAUDE.md: a file of project rules the AI reads so it codes to your standards.
• GitHub issue: a written description of a task, used here as the brief.
• CI / GitHub Actions: automation that runs your tests on every change.
• TDD (test-driven development): writing tests before the code they check.

Original source

Based on “I Made Claude Code Think Before It Codes. Here’s the Prompt.” by _vjk on the DEV Community blog, on using a structured skill to make Claude Code plan before it writes.

Notes & variations

• Do you even need this? For a tiny script, plain prompting is fine. The methodology pays off on real projects where unplanned AI code causes bugs.
• Free-tier alternatives: the idea (a structured “plan first” prompt) works with free models like Gemini too, though the /wizard skill mechanism is Claude Code specific. For CI, GitLab CI/CD or Jenkins can replace GitHub Actions.
• Common pitfall: a thin or outdated CLAUDE.md, or vague issues. The AI is only as good as the rules and the task you give it.
• Tip for better results: keep refining CLAUDE.md and the skill as you learn what your projects need, and split big tasks into focused issues so Claude can plan each one well.