From Engineer to AI Engineer
Commands · Recipes · Workflows

The Claude
Cookbook

179 unique commands, consolidated from three community cheat sheets and deduplicated. 8 proven workflow recipes. One practical playbook for engineers who want to think faster, write sharper, and ship more – without the noise.

179
Total Commands
8
Core Recipes
4
Mastery Levels
~12h
Saved Per Week
Your Learning Path

The Mastery Roadmap

Four progressive levels. Each one builds on the last. Start where you are – not where you think you should be. Resistance to Level 1 is where most people lose months.

I
Level 1
Apprentice
Week 1–2

Single commands, one at a time. Build the habit before building the chain.

/shorten /human /proof /sum3 /tldr /standup /eli10 /prioritize
II
Level 2
Practitioner
Week 3–6

Command pairs and short chains. Output quality jumps noticeably.

/hook /briefme /angle /wins5 /agenda /repurpose /openers /meetingnotes
III
Level 3
Architect
Month 2–3

Multi-step recipes. You stop using Claude as a tool and start using it as a thinking partner.

/blindspot /ripple /premortem /contrarian /steelman /mentalmodel
IV
Level 4
Master
Month 3+

You build your own playbook. Custom chains. Personalized templates. Shareable team recipes.

Chained Workflows Custom Recipes Your Playbook Team Sharing
The Playbook

8 Core Recipes

Each recipe is a chained workflow – commands used in sequence to produce a specific, repeatable result. Copy the chain, adapt the inputs, own the output.

Planning Level 1
⏱ 15 min / day
Morning Clarity Sequence
Start every day with a sequenced task list and a drafted standup – before email hijacks your first 90 minutes.
Command Chain
/week /prioritize /standup
Steps
01
Paste this week's priorities into /week [priorities] – Claude returns a structured weekly plan with daily focus blocks.
02
Run /prioritize [today's task dump] – reorders your list into an execution sequence by urgency and impact.
03
Draft your update with /standup [yesterday + today + blockers] – 60 seconds and your standup is written.
Pro Tip
Do this at 8am before opening email. Your first 90 minutes should be owned by you, not your inbox. Consistency here compounds over months.
Content Level 2
⏱ 20 min / post
The LinkedIn Post Factory
From a rough idea to a published post that earns the scroll-stop – and doesn't sound like it was written by an AI.
Command Chain
/hook /write /human /cuthalf /repurpose
Steps
01
Run /hook [your topic] – 5 scroll-stopping openers. Pick the one that sounds most like you, not Claude.
02
Use /write [topic + chosen hook] – generates the full post body with your hook as the anchor.
03
Apply /human [the full draft] – removes AI patterns, adds natural rhythm and breathing room.
04
If too long, run /cuthalf. LinkedIn rewards density over length. Shorter almost always performs better.
05
Finally, /repurpose [the post] – auto-generates a carousel, X thread, and short-form version from the same content.
Pro Tip
Link always goes in the first comment, not the post body. LinkedIn suppresses reach on posts with external links. This is non-negotiable.
Technical Level 3
⏱ Saves 2–3h / ADR
Architecture Decision Record
Turn a technical choice into a rigorous, documented ADR – with blind spots surfaced before stakeholders find them for you.
Command Chain
/choose /blindspot /ripple /premortem /compare
Steps
01
/choose [Option A vs B] – initial weighting. Gets the obvious trade-offs on paper so you can argue past them.
02
/blindspot [your chosen direction] – surfaces what you're not seeing. This is where most decisions fail in production.
03
/ripple [the decision] – maps second and third-order consequences. Compliance impact, team impact, cost over 18 months.
04
/premortem [the plan] – it's 6 months later and it failed. What went wrong? Do this before you commit, not after.
05
/compare [A vs B] – generates a clean decision table ready to paste into your ADR document or stakeholder deck.
Pro Tip
Use /premortem before any multi-region, compliance-critical, or vendor lock-in decision. One hour of pre-failure thinking prevents 3am incident calls.
Meetings Level 2
⏱ Saves 1h / meeting
Meeting Mastery System
Total command of every meeting – before, during, and after. Walk in prepared. Walk out with clean actions and decisions logged.
Command Chain
/briefme /agenda /questions /meetingnotes /actionitems /decisions
Steps
B1
Before: /briefme [topic + any docs] – structured pre-meeting context in 5 minutes. No excuse to walk in cold.
B2
Before: /agenda [topic + duration] – a structured agenda to share with attendees 30 min before the call.
B3
Before: /questions [topic] – the 5 questions you should be asking in the room. Most people skip this entirely.
A1
After: /meetingnotes [raw notes] – transforms messy notes or a pasted transcript into clean, shareable minutes.
A2
After: /actionitems [notes] – pulls every to-do with owner and deadline into a structured action list.
A3
After: /decisions [notes] – extracts all decisions made. Paste into your project doc or Slack thread.
Pro Tip
B-steps = 10 minutes. A-steps = 5 minutes. Total: 15 minutes of workflow saves 45 minutes of post-meeting email clarification and context rebuilding.
Content Level 3
⏱ Saves 3h / article
Research → Article Pipeline
Turn raw research into a publishable article with a real point of view – not just a summary of what everyone else already said.
Command Chain
/research /sum3 /angle /contrarian /outline /write /openers /human
Steps
01
/research [topic] – deep research. Get the full landscape before you form any opinions.
02
/sum3 [research output] – compress to 3 bullets. This is your actual signal. Everything else is noise.
03
/angle [topic] – finds the overlooked angle nobody's written. The gap between what's true and what's being said.
04
/contrarian [angle] – a sharp, defensible counter-take. Your opinion, not a neutral summary. This is what builds audiences.
05
/outline [topic + angle] – structure before writing. This is the step most people skip, and why most drafts ramble.
06
/write [outline] – generates the full draft. Section by section, not all at once.
07
/openers [draft] – replaces the first paragraph with something that earns the read in the first 10 seconds.
08
/human [full draft] – final pass. Removes AI fingerprints. Adds your voice back in.
Pro Tip
Step 4 is the differentiator. Anyone can summarize research. /contrarian gives you a position – and positions are what build trust and readership over time.
Learning Level 1
⏱ 45 min / topic
Fast Learning Sprint
Get genuinely up to speed on any new topic in under an hour – not just surface-level familiar. Ends with a quiz to prove it.
Command Chain
/prereq /primer /eli10 /myths /mentalmodel /quiz
Steps
01
/prereq [topic] – what do you need to already know? Find your actual starting point before step one wastes 20 minutes.
02
/primer [topic] – quick crash course. Core concepts in the order they need to be understood.
03
/eli10 [the part you don't get] – when something isn't clicking, simplify it completely. No shame in this step.
04
/myths [topic] – what do most people get wrong? Unlearn the wrong things before they permanently corrupt the right ones.
05
/mentalmodel [topic] – the one model that unlocks everything else. Every complex domain has one. Find it early.
06
/quiz [topic] – 5 questions. If you can't answer them without looking, go back to step 2. This is the integrity check.
Pro Tip
Always use /myths before deep study on any topic. Clearing misconceptions first makes every concept after it land faster and stick longer.
Career Level 2
⏱ 1h / quarter
Career Positioning Package
Sharpen your CV, bio, and LinkedIn presence in one focused session – rather than one panicked evening before an interview deadline.
Command Chain
/wins5 /resumebullet /bio /selfreview /reconnect
Steps
01
/wins5 [notes from the past 3 months] – paste rough notes. Get 5 polished, quantified accomplishments back.
02
/resumebullet [each bullet] – rewrites each accomplishment with stronger verbs, impact framing, and real numbers.
03
/bio [details + vibe] – short bio in 3 styles. One for LinkedIn About, one for article bylines, one for speaking.
04
/selfreview [your notes] – self-review from raw notes, formatted and ready for your manager's next performance conversation.
05
/reconnect [person + context] – warm reach-out message to 3 people in your network you've stopped talking to. Network maintenance is infrastructure.
Pro Tip
Do this every quarter, not when you need a job. Career capital compounds – but only if you're actively building and tracking it.
Content Level 4
⏱ Saves 5h / episode
Episode Production Pipeline
From a raw idea to a full episode script plus all derivative content – LinkedIn post, carousel, X thread, and newsletter subject lines. One episode, ten pieces.
Command Chain
/focus /outline /write /human /sum3 /hook /thread /caro /subject /repurpose
Steps
01
/focus [episode topic] – lock the objective before anything else. Unfocused input → unfocused episode.
02
/outline [topic + angle] – episode structure: hook → story → insight → action. Confirm before writing a single word.
03
/write [outline] – full episode script, section by section.
04
/human [full script] – removes AI patterns. Makes it sound like you on your best day.
05
/sum3 [script] – 3-bullet episode summary for the YouTube description and show notes.
06
/hook [episode topic] – 5 LinkedIn openers. Use the strongest one for the announcement post.
07
/thread [key insight] – a six-tweet / six-post X thread from the episode's core idea.
08
/caro [episode topic] – a carousel outline for LinkedIn visual distribution.
09
/subject [episode post] – 5 newsletter subject lines if you're distributing via email.
10
/repurpose [LinkedIn post] – generates 3 additional format variations automatically. The episode is the trunk. Every command after step 5 is a branch.
Pro Tip
One recording session = 10 pieces of content. Engineer content the same way you engineer systems: build once, deploy many. That's the leverage.
Command Index

Quick Reference

The highest-leverage commands from the consolidated list, organized by the job they do, with a note on when each one earns its keep. Bookmark this. The complete master list follows below.

Writing & Editing
/human [text]Removes AI-ness. Makes it sound like you wrote it on your best day.
/openers [text]Three stronger opening lines. The first sentence is the entire battle.
/hook [topic]Five scroll-stopping openers. Always run this before writing a LinkedIn post.
/cuthalf [text]Cuts length in half. Density almost always beats length.
/contrarian [topic]A sharp, defensible counter-take. Points of view build audiences.
/rewrites [sentence]Five alternative versions. Pick the one that sounds most like your voice.
/active [text]Passive to active voice. Active voice is always stronger.
/tone [text + vibe]Rewrites in a chosen tone: confident, direct, warm, formal, technical.
Thinking & Deciding
/blindspot [situation]Surfaces what you're not seeing. Run this before every major decision.
/ripple [decision]Maps second-order consequences. Where decisions usually fail isn't obvious.
/premortem [plan]Imagine the failure before it happens. The most underused command here.
/steelman [view]Best possible argument for the opposing view. Understand before rebutting.
/devil [idea]Devil's advocate. Pressure-test before presenting to stakeholders.
/choose [A vs B]Structured option weighting. Replaces vague intuition with reasoned comparison.
/mintest [project]Smallest version testable in a week. Validates before you invest weeks of build.
/mentalmodel [topic]The one model that unlocks the whole topic. Find it first, learn faster.
Meetings & Communication
/briefme [topic]Fast pre-meeting context. No excuse to walk into a meeting cold.
/meetingnotes [notes]Raw transcript or notes → clean shareable minutes.
/actionitems [notes]Extracts to-dos with owners from meeting notes. Automatic accountability.
/decisions [notes]Pulls all decisions made. Paste into doc or Slack. Removes ambiguity.
/confident [email]Removes hedging and apology from your email. Strips "I think maybe perhaps."
/sayno [request]A professional "no" that protects the relationship. Use it without guilt.
/hardmsg [person + topic]Delivers a difficult message with directness and respect. Both, not one.
/agenda [topic + time]Structured meeting agenda. Share it before the call starts, not during.
Content & Distribution
/repurpose [post]One piece of content → three formats automatically. Build once, deploy many.
/thread [idea]One idea → six-post X/Twitter thread ready to schedule.
/caro [topic]Carousel outline for LinkedIn visual posts. Slides people actually save.
/subject [post]Five subject lines that get opened. Test the best one, use the rest as backups.
/shortpost [idea]100-word post. Constraint breeds clarity. Often outperforms long-form.
/angle [topic]The overlooked angle nobody's covering. The gap between truth and what's being said.
/sum3 [text]Three-bullet summary. Your actual signal, separated from the noise.
/bio [details + vibe]Short bio in three styles. One for each context: LinkedIn, bylines, speaking.
The Master List

Every Command, Consolidated

The full reference behind the highlights above: three community cheat sheets merged into one deduplicated list, organized by the job each command does. Everything here is lowercase, because that is the format Claude actually parses; the all-caps bracket style one source used was a stylistic choice, not a requirement. Where two sources defined the same command differently, the clearer description won.

Start & Create
/newStart a fresh conversation.
/projectCreate a new project.
/uploadAttach files for Claude to read.
/pastePaste from clipboard.
/templateUse a pre-built prompt structure.
/importImport from a file.
/scanScan documents.
/voiceUse voice input.
Focus & Context
/focusTell Claude exactly what you want.
/contextAdd background so answers are sharper.
/detailsProvide more details.
/examplesGive examples, or add them to a text.
/clarifyLet Claude ask the right questions first.
/defineDefine terms.
/assumptionsList assumptions.
/prioritiesSet priorities.
/constraintsSet constraints.
Think & Decide
/analyzeBreak any problem into parts.
/compareTwo options head to head, side by side.
/pros-consList pros and cons.
/evaluateEvaluate ideas.
/recommendGet a recommendation.
/brainstormGenerate ideas fast, no filter.
/solveSolve the problem.
/challengeChallenge assumptions.
/chooseWeigh two options against each other.
/realpcPros and cons, formatted for a real decision.
/blindspotSurface what you might be missing.
/steelmanThe strongest version of an opposing view.
/devilDevil's advocate on an idea.
/skepticA skeptic's hardest questions on a plan.
/stepsWalk a problem through one step at a time.
/rippleMap the second-order consequences of a decision.
/premortemImagine how a plan may fail, before it happens.
/mintestSmallest version of a project to test in a week.
Write & Edit
/writeGenerate content from scratch.
/editClean up what you already have.
/rewriteSame message, better delivery.
/shortenCut the fluff, keep the punch.
/expandAdd more detail.
/improveImprove writing.
/summarizeSummarize text.
/paraphraseParaphrase text.
/proofreadProofread text, fix typos.
/rewritesFive alternative versions of one sentence.
/cuthalfCut a text's length in half.
/openersThree stronger opening lines.
/fillerFlag weak or filler words.
/activeRewrite passive voice as active.
/humanMake AI-sounding text read naturally.
/simplifyRewrite at a 12-year-old reading level.
/titlesGenerate title options.
/toneAdjust tone: formal, casual, bold, confident, warm.
Organize & Structure
/outlineBuild a skeleton before you write.
/structureOrganize content.
/bulletTurn walls of text into scannable points.
/numberedMake a numbered list.
/tableOrganize comparisons visually.
/summarySummarize content.
/key-pointsExtract key points.
/mindmapMap out connected ideas.
/flowchartCreate a flowchart.
Code & Tech
/codeWrite code in any language.
/debugFind and fix what's broken.
/explainExplain code.
/optimizeMake it faster and cleaner.
/refactorRefactor code.
/testWrite tests.
/convertConvert formats.
/documentationWrite docs.
/reviewReview code.
Data & Analysis
/analyze-dataFind patterns in raw data.
/visualizeTurn numbers into charts.
/insightsPull the "so what" from the data.
/forecastMake predictions.
/reportGenerate a report.
/statsCalculate statistics.
/cleanClean data.
Automate & Integrate
/workflowDesign a repeatable process.
/automateRemove manual steps entirely.
/apiConnect Claude to other tools.
/integrateIntegrate systems.
/scheduleSet reminders, or build a timed schedule for an event.
/triggerSet triggers.
/tasklistCreate a task list.
/checklistCreate a step-by-step checklist.
Personalize & Control
/preferencesSet preferences.
/memoryTell Claude what to always remember.
/styleMatch a writing voice or persona.
/lengthControl response length.
/formatChange format.
/resetReset conversation.
/clearClear context.
Learn & Research
/searchPull current info from the web.
/researchGo deep on any topic.
/learnExplain like I'm a beginner.
/tldrShortest possible summary.
/sourcesFind sources.
/fact-checkVerify before you trust it.
/exploreExplore related topics.
/eli10Explain a topic for a ten-year-old.
/primerQuick crash course on a topic.
/mythsCommon misconceptions about a topic.
/analogyReal-world comparison for a concept.
/quizFive questions to test understanding.
/prereqWhat you need to know before starting a topic.
/sum3Three-bullet summary of a text.
/glossaryDefine key terms for a topic.
/askbetterSurface the questions you should be asking.
/mentalmodelThe one model that unlocks a topic.
Plan & Organize
/weekPlan your week from a list of priorities.
/milestonesWeekly checkpoints toward a goal and deadline.
/packPacking list for a trip.
/routineDaily routine for a goal.
/prioritizeReorder a messy to-do list.
/mealsA week of dinners from ingredients or constraints.
/agendaMeeting agenda from a topic and duration.
/preptimePrep plan that fits within a deadline.
/orderSequence tasks logically.
Brainstorm
/ideas20Twenty ideas on a topic.
/giftsGift ideas from person, occasion, and budget.
/namesName ideas for a thing, given a vibe.
/unusualTen unconventional approaches to a problem.
/angleThe overlooked angle on a topic.
/combineMash two concepts into five new directions.
/metaphorA metaphor that explains a concept.
/startersNon-boring conversation openers.
/journal10Ten journal prompts on a theme.
/asSolve a problem as a specific profession would.
/childSolve a problem the way a curious kid would.
Email & Messages
/declinePolite refusal email.
/warmerMake an email less stiff.
/followupNudge for an unanswered email.
/saynoA "no" that protects the relationship.
/bullet2emailTurn bullets into a clean email.
/thanksShort, sincere thank-you note.
/confidentStrip hedging and apology from an email.
/oooOut-of-office auto-reply.
/hardmsgDeliver a hard message, respectfully.
/introDouble opt-in introduction between two people.
Work & Career
/interviewqConfident prep answers for interview questions.
/resumebulletRewrite a CV bullet.
/askinterviewerSmart questions to ask an interviewer.
/negotiateScript a negotiation.
/reconnectLinkedIn reach-out message to a contact.
/gapExplain a career gap.
/wins5Turn notes into five accomplishment bullets.
/oneononePrep talking points for a manager 1:1.
/selfreviewSelf-review draft from your own notes.
/idontknowSay "I don't know yet" professionally.
/raiseScript to ask for a raise.
Content & Social
/hookFive scroll-stopping openers for a post.
/captionShort caption for a photo or topic.
/threadOne idea turned into a six-post thread.
/caroOutlined carousel for a topic.
/repurposeOne post turned into three formats.
/ctaThree calls-to-action for a post.
/bioShort bio in three styles.
/subjectFive subject lines that get opened.
/contrarianA sharp, defensible counter-take on a topic.
/shortpostA 100-word post.
/commentThree sharp, value-adding replies to a post.
Meetings & Notes
/meetingnotesRaw notes or transcript into clean minutes.
/actionitemsPull to-dos and owners from notes.
/standupDaily standup update format.
/recapFive-line meeting recap.
/decisionsExtract decisions made from notes.
/questionsWhat to ask, going into a topic.
/statusStatus update for a project.
/briefmeFast pre-meeting briefing on a topic.
/debriefWhat went well, what to fix, after a meeting.
/retroWhat worked, what didn't, what's next, for a project.
Collaborate & Share
/shareShare the conversation.
/exportSave the output in your chosen format.
/downloadGet the file instantly.
/copyCopy to clipboard.
/emailDraft and send content directly.
/publishPublish content.
/feedbackSend feedback.
Habits That Make Every Command Better
01Add context early in the conversation. It sharpens everything after it.
02Be specific inside every bracket. Vague in, vague out.
03Chain commands in sequence for compound results.
04Iterate and refine rather than expecting a perfect first output.
05Save and reuse the chains that work for you.

A few consolidation notes, for anyone comparing back to the originals: /summarize and /summary are kept separate because one source treats them as distinct; /tldr and /tl;dr are the same command standardized to one spelling; and one source's /win55 was a typo for /wins5, corrected here. Sources: the two "Claude Command" sheets by AI For Leaders and the 99-command sheet shared by @ankush_ai_growth.

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