The author shares their approach to using Claude Code for development over the past nine months, emphasizing a structured workflow that prioritizes planning before coding. Unlike many developers who jump straight into coding after a prompt, the author insists on reviewing a detailed written plan first. This method minimizes wasted effort and ensures that architectural decisions are sound, resulting in better code quality. The workflow involves several phases: research, planning, annotating, implementing, and iterating based on feedback. In the research phase, the author instructs Claude to conduct an in-depth analysis of the codebase, producing a markdown file that summarizes findings. This document acts as a crucial reference point to verify Claude's understanding before any planning takes place. The planning phase involves creating a detailed implementation plan in a markdown file, including code snippets and considerations for changes. The author prefers this method over Claude's built-in features, as it allows for greater control and easier modifications. The most distinctive part of the author's workflow is the annotation cycle, where they review the generated plan, add inline notes, and send it back to Claude for updates. This iterative process can occur multiple times until the author is satisfied with the plan. By using this shared document as a reference, the author can communicate precise corrections without the ambiguity of chat messages. Finally, before starting implementation, the author requests a granular todo list to track progress, ensuring that each task is clearly defined and manageable.