Claude Prompt Techniques: Getting the Most from Anthropic's AI

Claude by Anthropic processes prompts differently than other models. Understanding its unique strengths lets you unlock capabilities most users miss.

Claude's Unique Strengths

200K token context - Paste entire codebases, books, or document collections
Structured thinking - Excels at systematic analysis and reasoning
XML tag support - Use tags to clearly separate prompt sections
Honest uncertainty - Claude will tell you when it's not sure
Artifacts - Creates standalone documents, code, and visualizations

The XML Prompting Pattern

Claude responds exceptionally well to XML-structured prompts:

<context>
You are reviewing a quarterly sales report for a B2B SaaS company. Revenue is $2.4M, up 18% QoQ. Churn increased from 3.2% to 4.1%.
</context>

<instructions>
Analyze this data and provide:
1. Key insights (3-5 bullet points)
2. Concerns and risks
3. Recommended actions for next quarter
</instructions>

<formatting>
Use markdown headers. Be direct and specific with numbers.
</formatting>

Long-Context Strategies

Document Analysis

I'm providing a 50-page contract below. Please:
1. Summarize the key terms in plain language
2. Identify any unusual or potentially problematic clauses
3. List all obligations for Party A with deadlines
4. Flag any ambiguous language that could cause disputes

<document>
[PASTE FULL CONTRACT]
</document>

Codebase Review

Here is the complete source code for my Node.js API.

<codebase>
[PASTE ALL FILES]
</codebase>

<task>
1. Identify security vulnerabilities
2. Find performance bottlenecks
3. Suggest architectural improvements
4. Check for inconsistent error handling
Prioritize by severity: Critical → High → Medium → Low
</task>

Multi-Document Synthesis

I'm providing three research papers on [TOPIC].

<paper1>[...]</paper1>
<paper2>[...]</paper2>
<paper3>[...]</paper3>

Synthesize these papers:
- Where do they agree and disagree?
- What methodology does each use?
- What are the combined implications?
- What gaps remain unexplored?

Analysis & Reasoning Prompts

Decision Framework

I need to choose between AWS, GCP, and Azure for hosting our startup's infrastructure.

<requirements>
- Budget: $3,000/month initially, scaling to $15,000
- Stack: Next.js, PostgreSQL, Redis, S3-compatible storage
- Team size: 3 developers
- Priority: Developer experience > Cost > Feature breadth
</requirements>

Create a weighted decision matrix. Score each option 1-10 on: cost, DX, scaling, managed services, community support. Show your reasoning for each score.

Systematic Debugging

I have a bug I can't figure out. Walk me through diagnosing it systematically.

<symptoms>
[Describe what's happening]
</symptoms>

<expected>
[What should happen]
</expected>

<code>
[Relevant code]
</code>

<tried>
[What you've already attempted]
</tried>

Don't jump to a solution. First, list hypotheses ranked by likelihood, then suggest diagnostic steps for the top 3.

Creative & Writing Prompts

Structured Content Creation

<role>Tech journalist writing for a developer audience</role>

<task>Write an article about the rise of AI coding assistants</task>

<requirements>
- 1,200 words
- Include real tool names and specific features
- Balance optimism with honest limitations
- Include quotes from hypothetical developer interviews
- Conclude with actionable recommendations
</requirements>

<style>
Informative but conversational. Use analogies. Avoid buzzwords.
</style>

Artifacts: Claude's Secret Weapon

Ask Claude to create artifacts for standalone outputs:

"Create an artifact with a React component that..."
"Build an interactive SVG diagram showing..."
"Write a complete markdown document for..."

Artifacts are rendered separately and can be copied, iterated, and shared.

Pro Tips

Front-load context - Put the most important information at the beginning and end (not buried in the middle)
Be explicit about length - Claude can be verbose; specify "be concise" or give word limits
Ask for confidence levels - "How confident are you? What could be wrong with this analysis?"
Use thinking tags - "Before answering, think through your reasoning in <thinking> tags"
Iterate with precision - Instead of "make it better," say exactly what to change and why