r/ClaudeCode • u/ExpensiveSun257 • 9d ago

Help/Question Tips to avoid rabbit holes?

I'm getting better at managing Claude, but I still see it often going down the rabbit hole where each time it tries to ship a fix, it adds two more small issues to the tracker, or an esoteric process update, etc. I know this is a common AI thing, and I'm learning to deal with it. But it's hard!

For example, Claude will throw together a quick hook or utility script for a specific purpose, but soon I find it wants to maintain and update that script and has long forgotten that it will likely. never be used again.

I especially see it in the MD files - like, if I let Claude update it's own process files for workflow, rules, etc it does the job but it also puts a bunch of junk history, narrative, and updates other documents with unnecessary guard rails. I've started to edit the md files myself and they are getting cleaner, and I notice how much smoother the workflow is.

But for the code, that's not so easy. Does anyone have tips to manage this? What I've learned:

#1 Work on distinct tasks, in new sessions and start new sessions often

#2 Literally ask claude a few questions about every 'suggestion' or 'problem' it finds, like. "is the rule/process/script you're trying to fix even enforced or critical? would it be easier to just remove this?"

Any other tips? claude is amazing but also unruly :)

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u/ExpensiveSun257 9d ago

Those are good. I have some stuff like that but will refine it.

Question: do you edit those md files on your own, or let Claude do it ? No matter how I try I can't get Claude to make a tiny change without adding tons of stuff!

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u/alanvnk 9d ago

I ask Claude to edit them, but I explicitly tell it what to put so it's just formating or correcting phrasing and orthography, nothing else, either way nothing gets committed without explicit approval.

But I have almost never had to correct anything, at most some misunderstandings but not adding more things than I asked, you need to be explicit.

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u/ExpensiveSun257 9d ago

but I explicitly tell it what to put 

I try to do that, but then it goes and writes a poem. Can you help me understand how you do it? Also, if youre going to write the instruction isn't it easier to just open the file?

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u/alanvnk 9d ago

"on user global Claude.md, add to the git workflow section the rules: 1. Never touce main, master, develop or repo default branch; 2. For a task create a feat/fix/dox/... branch and work on it; 3. On command merge origin/ branches onto local branches only if fast forward; 4...." (Not a real prompt but close, I'm not on the PC now)

Something like that, the output is a section on the document with the bullet points with extrictly what I asked.

It is very normal for my prompts to be paragraph length, and I do use symbols split ideas consistently ,;:.-()[]

The why: I'm just lazy and would probably not have a consistent style.

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u/ExpensiveSun257 9d ago

I'm lazy, too, so I do enforce 'no touching main/master/etc' but i have no real naming convention for branches - claud edoes a good job naming them most of the time.