The 7-Day Plan

You've learned the theory. Now it's time to practice. Follow this plan and you'll be a Claude Code power user in one week.

Your Path Based on Your Level

Not everyone needs the same plan. Here's your route based on your experience:

If You're a Junior (0-2 years experience)

Focus: Fundamentals + good habits from the start

Skip for now: Sub-agents, advanced MCPs, complex hooks

If You're Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Focus: Speed + automation

Skip: Extended basic setup (do it quickly)

If You're Senior (5+ years)

Focus: Team patterns + architecture

Focus on: Memory systems, team governance, security

If You Lead a Team

Focus: Adoption + metrics

Don't: Mandate without pilot, ignore resistance, skip governance

The Standard 7-Day Plan

Day 1: Foundation

Goal: Get comfortable with Default Mode

Tasks:

1. Install Claude Code if you haven't
2. Create CLAUDE.md for your main project
3. Complete 3 small tasks using Default Mode
4. Practice the approval flow (y/n/e)

Measure: Can you comfortably navigate Default Mode?

Day 2: Speed

Goal: Master Auto Mode safely

Tasks:

1. Create a new git branch for experiments
2. Enable Auto Mode and scaffold a small feature
3. Review all changes Claude made
4. Practice the Shift+Tab toggle

Measure: Did Auto Mode save you time vs manual coding?

Day 3: Strategy

Goal: Use Plan Mode for complex tasks

Tasks:

1. Identify a complex task in your project
2. Use "think hard" to plan the approach
3. Review and refine the plan
4. Execute with Claude's guidance

Measure: Did Extended Thinking catch things you'd have missed?

Day 4: Memory

Goal: Perfect your CLAUDE.md

Tasks:

1. Review and improve your CLAUDE.md
2. Add coding conventions and preferences
3. Create directory-specific CLAUDE.md files
4. Practice /clear, /compact, /resume

Measure: Does Claude remember your preferences across sessions?

Day 5: Automation

Goal: Set up hooks

Tasks:

1. Add a PostEdit hook for formatting
2. Add a hook for linting
3. Test the hooks work correctly
4. Adjust timeouts if needed

Measure: Are edits automatically formatted and linted?

Day 6: Testing

Goal: Generate comprehensive tests

Tasks:

1. Pick an untested file
2. Have Claude generate unit tests
3. Review test quality
4. Achieve 80%+ coverage for that file

Measure: Did Claude catch edge cases you missed?

Day 7: Integration

Goal: Full workflow integration

Tasks:

1. Start a new feature from scratch with Claude
2. Use all modes appropriately
3. Generate tests as you go
4. Create a PR with Claude's help

Measure: How much faster was your end-to-end workflow?

Tracking Progress

Create a simple scorecard:

After Day 7

You're now a Claude Code power user. Keep improving:

• Week 2: Explore MCPs for your tools
• Week 3: Create custom sub-agent patterns
• Week 4: Optimize your CI/CD integration

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Going too fast - Take time to understand each mode
2. Skipping CLAUDE.md - Memory is crucial
3. Ignoring reviews - Always review Claude's output
4. Not experimenting - Try new things in branches

For Team Leads: Organizational Adoption Plan

If you're adopting Claude Code for your team, don't do it all at once. Here's the playbook:

Phase 1: Pilot (2 weeks)

Participants: 2-3 senior developers (champions)

Tasks:

• Complete this course individually
• Use Claude Code on 1 real project
• Document friction points and benefits
• Create draft organizational CLAUDE.md

Success: Champions report productivity improvement

Phase 2: Standards (1 week)

Tasks:

• Define organizational CLAUDE.md
• Establish mode policy (what's permitted)
• Create list of approved MCPs
• Document onboarding process

Success: Documentation ready for rollout

Phase 3: Rollout (2-4 weeks)

Tasks:

• Kickoff session with entire team
• Each dev completes setup with champion help
• Pairing sessions first week
• Weekly Q&A to resolve doubts

Success: 80% of team actively using Claude Code

Phase 4: Optimization (Ongoing)

Tasks:

• Review metrics monthly (PRs, bugs, velocity)
• Update standards based on feedback
• Share wins and learnings
• Refine shared commands and skills

Metrics to track:

• PRs per week (before vs after)
• Cycle time (commit to deploy)
• Bugs in production
• Team satisfaction (survey)

Common Resistance and How to Handle It

Final Thoughts

Claude Code is a tool. Like any tool, mastery comes from practice. The developers getting 10x results aren't smarter—they've practiced more.

Start today. Day 1 is now.

Congratulations on completing Claude Code Mastery!