Claude Code Can Block Its Own Bad Actions — Hooks & Workflow
Source: LinkedIn post by Khizer Abbas
Most developers stop at prompting. The ones shipping faster treat Claude Code like a system.
The 6-Part Claude Code Workflow
1. Getting Started
- One
curlcommand to install (Node 18+ required) - Run
/init— Claude scans your codebase and builds a memory file
2. CLAUDE.md
- Loads every session automatically
- Store your stack, architecture, and gotchas here
- Skip this and your results stay inconsistent
3. Daily Workflow
Shift + Tab + Tab→ Plan Mode before code gets written/compactto compress context,Esc Escto rewind- New session per feature, commit frequently
4. Hooks ⭐
- Run before or after tool use
exit code 0= allow,exit code 2= block- Your guardrails that Claude won’t override
5. 4-Layer Architecture
| Layer | What |
|---|---|
| L1 | CLAUDE.md — project context |
| L2 | Skills — reusable workflows |
| L3 | Hooks — safety guardrails |
| L4 | Agents — autonomous execution |
6. Best Practices
- Be specific, add gotchas Claude can’t infer
- Reference docs with
@filename - Commit your CLAUDE.md to Git
Key Takeaway
Hooks are the most underused feature — they let you define pre/post conditions that Claude literally cannot override (exit code 2 = hard block). This is the safety layer that lets you scale autonomy without risk.