Claude Code: Part 3 - Conversation Management and Context

The Problem

You've been using Claude Code for a few weeks now. The basic workflow is comfortable - ask questions, get code, make changes. But you're starting to feel limited by treating Claude like a simple question-and-answer tool.

You have bigger ambitions: complex refactoring projects, multi-step feature implementations, and sophisticated analysis tasks. You want to move beyond "Hey Claude, fix this function" to "Claude, help me architect and implement this entire feature from scratch."

The question is: how do you unlock Claude's advanced capabilities for complex, multi-step development work?

The Solution

Advanced Claude Code features let you handle sophisticated development tasks through multi-step workflows, conversation management, and intelligent context handling. Think of it as the difference between using Claude as a coding helper versus a true development partner.

Conversation Management

The /clear Command

Start fresh when switching contexts:

/clear

When to use:

• Switching between different features
• Moving from debugging to new development
• When conversation gets too long and unfocused

The /compact Command

Summarize long conversations while preserving context:

/compact

What it does:

• Compresses conversation history
• Keeps key decisions and context
• Reduces token usage without losing information

Example:

Before: 50 messages about implementing user authentication
After: Compact summary + recent conversation about email verification

Resume Previous Sessions

Continue where you left off:

claude --resume        # Interactive conversation picker
claude --continue      # Resume most recent conversation

Multi-Step Workflows

Planning Complex Features

Instead of diving into code, start with comprehensive planning:

I need to implement a real-time notification system for this React app.
Before writing any code, help me plan:

1. Architecture design considerations
2. Technology choices (WebSocket vs Server-Sent Events vs polling)
3. Database schema requirements
4. Component structure and data flow
5. Testing strategy
6. Performance and scalability considerations

Break this down systematically.

Claude will provide structured analysis before any implementation begins.

Iterative Development Approach

Let's build this notification system step by step:

Phase 1: Create the basic WebSocket connection and message handling
Phase 2: Implement the UI components for displaying notifications
Phase 3: Add persistence and notification history
Phase 4: Implement real-time updates and optimistic UI
Phase 5: Add comprehensive testing

Start with Phase 1. After each phase, I'll review and approve before moving forward.

Complex Refactoring Projects

I need to refactor this legacy authentication system. Here's my approach:

1. First, analyze the current system and identify all dependencies
2. Create a migration plan that maintains backward compatibility
3. Implement the new system alongside the old one
4. Create a feature flag to switch between systems
5. Gradually migrate users and test thoroughly
6. Remove the old system once migration is complete

Start with step 1 - comprehensive analysis of the current system.

Context Management Techniques

Focused Sessions

Keep conversations targeted to specific domains:

# Authentication Session
"I'm working solely on authentication features today.
Only suggest changes related to auth, login, registration, and user management."

# Performance Session
"This session is focused on performance optimization.
Analyze bundle size, loading times, and runtime performance only."

Reference Management

Help Claude understand large codebases:

"The main authentication flow happens in these files:
- src/auth/AuthProvider.tsx (context setup)
- src/auth/hooks/useAuth.ts (auth logic)
- src/pages/login.tsx (login UI)
- api/auth/login.ts (backend logic)

Reference these files when working on auth-related tasks."

Incremental Context Building

"Let me give you context about our e-commerce platform:

1. We use Next.js with TypeScript
2. State management with Zustand
3. UI components with Radix + Tailwind
4. Database with Prisma + PostgreSQL
5. Payment processing with Stripe

I'll be asking you to work on various features within this context."

Advanced Analysis Capabilities

Codebase Architecture Analysis

"Analyze the overall architecture of this React application:

1. Component organization and hierarchy
2. State management patterns used
3. Data flow and communication patterns
4. Third-party integrations and dependencies
5. Testing strategy and coverage
6. Build and deployment setup
7. Potential architectural issues or technical debt

Provide a comprehensive architectural overview."

Performance Analysis

"Conduct a performance analysis of this application:

1. Bundle size analysis and recommendations
2. Runtime performance bottlenecks
3. Database query optimization opportunities
4. API endpoint performance issues
5. Frontend rendering optimizations
6. Caching strategy improvements

Focus on actionable performance improvements."

Security Assessment

"Review this application for security vulnerabilities:

1. Authentication and authorization implementation
2. Input validation and sanitization
3. API endpoint security
4. Database query security (SQL injection prevention)
5. XSS and CSRF protection
6. Sensitive data handling

Identify specific security improvements needed."

Preview Mode

See what Claude will do before making changes:

"Show me exactly what changes you would make to implement user roles,
but don't make any changes yet. I want to review your plan first."

Claude will outline:

• Files that need to be modified
• New files that need to be created
• Specific changes to existing code
• Testing requirements
• Potential breaking changes

Advanced Problem-Solving Patterns

Root Cause Analysis

"This React component is causing memory leaks. Don't just fix the symptom -
investigate the root cause:

1. Analyze the component lifecycle and cleanup
2. Check for subscription leaks and event listeners
3. Examine state management and data flow
4. Look for circular references or closures
5. Identify the fundamental issue causing the leak

Provide both the analysis and the fix."

System Integration

"Help me integrate Stripe payments into this e-commerce app.
Consider the full integration:

1. Frontend payment component with proper UX
2. Backend webhook handling and security
3. Database schema for orders and payment tracking
4. Error handling and retry logic
5. Testing strategy for payment flows
6. Compliance and security requirements

Design the complete integration, not just the payment form."

Scalability Planning

"This app currently handles 1,000 users. Help me prepare it for 100,000 users:

1. Database optimization and indexing
2. API rate limiting and caching
3. Frontend performance optimization
4. Infrastructure scaling considerations
5. Monitoring and alerting setup

Create a scalability roadmap with specific implementation steps."

Efficient Context Switching

Project Templates

Create reusable project contexts:

"Save this as my 'React + TypeScript Web App' context:
- Next.js 13+ with TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS for styling
- Prisma for database
- NextAuth for authentication
- React Query for API calls
- Jest + React Testing Library for tests

Use this context for all similar projects unless I specify otherwise."

Domain-Specific Sessions

# Database session
claude --session=database
"Focus only on database schema, queries, and data modeling"

# Frontend session
claude --session=frontend
"Work only on React components, styling, and user interface"

# API session
claude --session=api
"Handle only backend logic, API endpoints, and server-side code"

Advanced Debugging Workflows

Systematic Bug Investigation

"This user registration is failing intermittently. Let's debug systematically:

1. Reproduce the issue in development
2. Add comprehensive logging to track the flow
3. Analyze potential race conditions
4. Check database constraints and validation
5. Review error handling and edge cases
6. Create a test that reproduces the bug
7. Fix the root cause
8. Verify the fix prevents regression

Start with step 1 - let's reproduce this issue."

Getting Started with Advanced Features

1. Plan before coding - Use Claude for architectural planning
2. Break down complex tasks - Multi-phase implementation approach
3. Manage conversation context - Use /clear and /compact strategically
4. Preview changes - Review plans before implementation
5. Focus sessions - One domain per conversation when possible

Advanced Claude Code usage transforms development from individual task assistance to comprehensive project partnership.

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Claude Code Blog Series

Previous: Part 2 - CLAUDE.md Configuration Files Next: Part 4 - Slash Commands and Custom Commands

Full Series:

1. Part 1 - Getting Started and Installation
2. Part 2 - CLAUDE.md Configuration Files
3. Part 3 - Conversation Management and Context (this post)
4. Part 4 - Slash Commands and Custom Commands
5. Part 5 - MCP Servers and Tool Integration
6. Part 6 - Subagents and Task Delegation
7. Part 7 - IDE Integration with VS Code and JetBrains
8. Part 8 - Hooks for Automated Quality Checks
9. Part 9 - Complete Development Workflows
10. Part 10 - Power User CLI Options and Scripting
11. Part 11 - Troubleshooting and Recovery