How to Use Claude in the Browser Effectively: A Step‑by‑Step Guide

I just figured this out and it is saving Time, money and nerves and improves the general interaction with claude (and other models) significantly.

Phase 0 – Planning (the foundation)

Create a Markdown project plan that will become your single source of truth. This plan includes:

Skeleton Generation – a structured prompt that produces an initial <PROJECT>.md file containing:

Project Overview
Folder Structure (with brief folder descriptions)
Core Files List
Step‑by‑step Development Plan (milestones)
Prompt Library (reusable prompts for features, bug‑fixes, docs)
Token‑saving Tips

Goals & Acceptance Criteria – define what “skeleton ready” looks like and how you’ll verify it.
Dependencies / Open Questions – note any external APIs, authentication, or design decisions that need clarification later.

Result: A file named <PROJECT>.md lives in the repo root. It is the only artifact you will feed to Claude during the entire project lifecycle.

Phase 1+ – Build (iterative feature work)

Follow a test‑first, patch‑small cycle for every new piece of functionality:

Step	Action	Why it saves tokens & nerves
1️⃣ Review	Ask Claude to review the current `<PROJECT>.md` and list missing sections or inconsistencies.	One short request → minimal context.
2️⃣ Patch	Provide a focused prompt that adds/modifies exactly what’s missing (e.g., “Add a ‘Deployment’ subsection under Project Overview with Docker & CI/CD bullet points”).	Targeted edit → no duplicated content.
3️⃣ Save	Overwrite the changed portion in `<PROJECT>.md`. Commit the change.	Version‑controlled, single source of truth.
4️⃣ Repeat	Move to the next milestone (core feature → next feature).	Keeps each interaction tiny and inexpensive.

Example Prompt Flow

User: Review the following markdown and list any missing sections.

[Paste current .md content]

Claude: - Missing “Testing Strategy” section.
User: Add a Testing Strategy subsection under ‘Project Overview’ describing unit, integration and e2e tests, with sample Jest config.

Each exchange touches only the piece that truly needs change.

Ongoing – Documentation (maintain `CLAUDE.md`)

Treat CLAUDE.md as the project’s architecture log:

Project Structure & Architecture Decisions – high‑level diagrams or bullet lists.
API Contracts / Data Models – request/response shapes, field types.
Dependencies with Versions – e.g., "axios": "^1.4.0"; keep this in sync when you bump versions.
Setup & Run Instructions – one‑click commands for local dev, CI pipelines, etc.
Code Conventions – naming, linting rules, commit message format.

Whenever a code change or configuration shift occurs, immediately update CLAUDE.md. If the documentation no longer matches the implementation, pause and fix it before proceeding.

Token‑Saving & Nerve‑Preserving Shortcuts

Batch Requests – combine related actions into one concise prompt (e.g., “Add a primary green button labeled ‘Submit’, style it with #28a745, and bind a click handler that calls handleSubmit()”).
Placeholders – define tokens like <API_KEY> once; replace them globally when the value changes.
Git‑Friendly Diffs – ask Claude to output a diff rather than full files for bug fixes.
Browser Bookmarklet – quickly write the updated markdown back to disk without leaving the browser.

End‑to‑End Mini‑Project Walkthrough (Illustrative)

Phase	Action	Outcome
Planning	Run the scaffold prompt for `weather-dashboard`.	Generates `weather-dashboard.md` with Overview, Structure, Core Files, Plan, Prompt Library.
Build – Feature	Add “Real‑time Weather Updates” subsection + sample async/await code.	Markdown now documents the feature and includes executable snippet.
Build – Fix	Correct folder name from `src` → `source` and add `/utils`.	Updated structure description; diff is tiny, token cheap.
Documentation	Commit changes to `weather-dashboard.md` and push.	Repo stays in sync with documented design.

Here my example code for Claude, just use it at the beginning

You are an expert app developer building: [APP DESCRIPTION - include: purpose, target platforms, key features, tech preferences if any]

## WORKFLOW (Follow in order. Never skip phases.)

### Phase 0: PLANNING (Always first)
Create a Markdown project plan with:
- **Phases**: Break into 3-6 incremental milestones (skeleton → core feature → next feature...)
- **Per phase**: Goals, dependencies, tech choices, acceptance criteria
- **Risks/assumptions/open questions**

⏸️ STOP and wait for my approval before coding.

### Phase 1+: BUILD (Per feature/component)
1. **Test first**: Write 2-4 tests covering expected behavior (use [FRAMEWORK, e.g., pytest/Jest/etc.])
2. **Implement**: Minimal code to pass tests
3. **Refactor**: Clean up, tests stay green
4. **Bug fixes**: Failing test first → then fix

### Ongoing: DOCUMENTATION
Maintain `CLAUDE.md` in project root:
- Project structure + architecture decisions
- API contracts / data models
- Dependencies with versions
- Setup/run instructions
- Code conventions

Flag any doc/code mismatches before proceeding.

## RESPONSE FORMAT (Every response)
- Focus on ONE component/phase
- End with:
```
  ## Status
  ✅ Done: [what changed]
  📋 Next: [proposed next step or question for me]
  💾 Commit: `type(scope): message`
```

## CONSTRAINTS
- Real code only (no pseudocode in deliverables)
- Add debug logging for complex logic
- Ask before making architectural decisions
- If blocked or unclear: ask, don't assume

Current phase: PLANNING

Phase 0 – Planning (the foundation)

Phase 1+ – Build (iterative feature work)