Official References: Best Practices · Sub-agents · Hooks · GitHub Actions
Why this manual exists
Claude Code workflows degrade when teams rely on ad-hoc habits. A stable operating rhythm is what keeps output quality from drifting week to week.
Core operating layers
| Layer | Main question | Artifact |
|---|---|---|
| Local loop | Did we change the right thing? | scoped diff + check output |
| Lane loop | Can another lane continue safely? | handoff contract |
| Automation loop | Is repeated work deterministic? | workflow run + summary |
| Release loop | Should this ship now? | decision record |
Daily loop standard
- confirm lane owner
- run one meaningful checkpoint
- capture evidence snapshot
- assign next owner explicitly
No evidence snapshot means no reliable continuation.
Sub-agent usage policy
Use sub-agents when:
- exploration is broad
- tasks are independent
- main thread would become noisy
Avoid sub-agents when tasks are tightly coupled and sequential.
Hooks as guardrails, not magic
Good hook usage:
- pre-tool checks for obvious unsafe actions
- post-tool checks for lint/security hygiene
- compact-time context preservation
Bad hook usage:
- blocking common safe operations
- hiding failures behind noisy logs
Team handoff contract
Each handoff must include:
- goal status
- evidence
- diff scope
- risk note
- next owner
That is the minimum readable transfer protocol.
Weekly rhythm
- Mon: scope and ownership freeze
- Tue–Wed: lane execution + verifier checkpoints
- Thu: branch review + rework
- Fri: merge decision and cleanup
Consistency beats heroics.
Release-mode requirements
For high-risk changes:
- risk class declared
- rollback trigger documented
- final owner named
- escalation channel live
Metrics worth tracking
- review lead time
- rework after review
- blocker age
- rollback usage
- snapshot completeness rate
Keep metrics small and decision-relevant.
Quick checklist
Before merge:
- handoff contract complete
- verifier evidence fresh
- final owner known
Before release:
- governance gates passed
- rollback ready
- communication packet ready
Claude can accelerate your team. This manual keeps acceleration controllable.