Editor Workflow Patterns

The most productive editor workflows combine Claude with existing editor features. Pattern one: diagnostics-driven fixing. Your editor shows TypeScript errors in the Problems panel. You invoke Claude: "Fix all TypeScript errors in the open files." Claude reads the diagnostics, fixes each error, and you review the diffs. Total time: thirty seconds for ten errors that would have taken five minutes manually.

Pattern two: refactor-with-safety-net. Select a function. Invoke Claude: "Extract this into a separate file and update all imports." Claude creates the new file, moves the function, updates every import across the project, and runs the type checker to verify nothing broke. Pattern three: test-alongside-code. Open a source file. Invoke Claude: "Write tests for this file in a co-located test file." Claude creates Button.test.tsx next to Button.tsx with tests that cover the component's behavior. You review and run.

1. Diagnostics-Driven Fixing Let the editor accumulate errors (TypeScript, ESLint). Invoke Claude once to fix all of them. Batch fixing is faster than fixing one at a time.
2. Refactor with Safety Net Select code, tell Claude to extract/move/rename. Claude updates all references across the project and verifies with the type checker. Trust the type checker, review the diff.
3. Test Alongside Code Open a source file, ask Claude to generate co-located tests. Review, run, and iterate. The source file provides full context — Claude generates highly relevant tests.