Here are the best tips and best practices for maximizing your Claude Code usage and avoiding those dreaded limits:

### 1. Master Your Context (The Token Saver)

Every message you send re-sends the entire conversation history to Claude, which is what eats up your tokens. The goal is to keep this history short and clean.

* **Use `/clear` Frequently:** This is the most crucial command. Use it to completely wipe the current conversation history when you finish a task, switch to an unrelated bug, or start a new feature.
    * **Tip:** When you clear, have Claude first **write a summary** of the finished work to a file (e.g., `session-notes.md`). Then, in the new session, simply reference that file to catch Claude up without re-sending the hundreds of messages.
* **Use `/compact`:** If the conversation is getting long but you still need the history, use the `/compact` command. Claude will summarize the history, reducing the token count while preserving key context.
* **Leverage `CLAUDE.md` for Long-Term Memory:** Create a `CLAUDE.md` file in your project root. Claude Code reads this automatically at the start of every session. Use it for:
    * Project architecture and tech stack.
    * Coding style guides (e.g., "Use snake\_case for APIs").
    * Common commands (e.g., `npm run test`).
    * **This saves you tokens** by preventing you from repeating the same instructions or context in every new chat.
* **Target Your Files:** Instead of letting Claude try to search for the right file, explicitly mention the files it needs to read or modify using the `@` symbol or full file paths. This prevents Claude from wasting tokens reading unnecessary parts of your codebase.

### 2. Optimize Your Workflow (The Efficiency Booster)

* **Batch Your Requests:** Group similar requests or steps into a single, detailed prompt.
    * *Instead of:* 1. "Fix the typo in the config file." 2. "Now, run the tests." 3. "Commit the change."
    * *Use:* "Fix the typo in the config file, run the unit tests, and if they pass, commit the change with the message 'fix: corrected config typo'."
* **Use the Right Model for the Job:**
    * **Claude Opus (Max Plans):** Reserve Opus for high-level, complex tasks like architecture planning, intricate debugging, or large refactors. Opus consumes your allowance much faster.
    * **Claude Sonnet:** Use Sonnet for implementation, writing boilerplate code, documentation, or routine fixes. It offers a much higher number of prompts per session.
* **Adopt a "Plan First" Approach:**
    1.  **Plan:** Ask Claude to first create a detailed, step-by-step plan for the task. You can use phrases like `"think hard"` to give it a higher computation budget for this step.
    2.  **Review:** Review and approve the plan.
    3.  **Execute:** Give the final go-ahead. This avoids wasting tokens on a long, iterative conversation if Claude was on the wrong path from the start.

### 3. Be Strategic with the 5-Hour Window (The Time Hack)

* **The Overlap Hack:** If you know you have an intensive work session coming up, you can deliberately send a very short message 2-3 hours before you start your main work. This starts the 5-hour timer for your first session. When your first session allowance is depleted, the second 5-hour session will be due for a reset, allowing you to seamlessly start fresh and continue working without a prolonged break.
* **Cycle Your Work:** When your Claude Code session runs out, switch to tasks that do **not** require the AI (e.g., meeting prep, email, manual testing, or architecture review). Come back to Claude when the 5-hour window has reset.

These strategies allow you to treat Claude Code like a powerful, highly-focused partner, giving it concentrated work blocks to maximize your session usage.