I rolled out Claude Code on my own repos a few months ago and, like most people, the first week was a mix of "this is magic" and "why did it just delete my test fixtures." Below is the short, opinionated playbook I wish someone had handed me on day one.
Day 1 — Don't let it write code yet
Open a sandbox repo, point it at a small bug, and only let it read. The goal of day one is to feel how it budgets context, where it gets confused by your file layout, and how it asks for clarification. You'll save hours later.
Day 2 — Give it a single job per session
Resist the urge to "set up the project and then start the feature." Each session gets one commit-sized goal. If you find yourself saying "and also…", start a new session.
