MCP, Hooks, and Tools
Claude Code has a ridiculous amount of features. Most people use 10% of what's available. If you're not experimenting, you're leaving value on the table.
MCP (Model Context Protocol)
Connect Claude to external services: Slack, GitHub, databases, APIs.
Rule of thumb: If you're constantly copy-pasting from somewhere, there's probably an MCP for it. Check marketplaces or build your own.
- Fetch data from databases directly
- Read/write to external services
- Query APIs without manual copying
Hooks
Run code automatically before or after Claude makes changes.
- Run Prettier on every file save
- Type-check after edits
- Lint before commits
- Auto-format imports
Good for reducing technical debt automatically.
Custom Slash Commands
Create reusable prompts as /commands.
Add markdown files to .claude/commands/ folder. Each file becomes
a slash command. Package repeated prompts:
/debug- Your debugging workflow/review- Code review checklist/deploy- Deployment preparation
The Mindset
If you're paying for Pro Max, try everything. Don't give up if something doesn't work the first time. Models improve weekly—re-test things that failed before.
The people getting the most value from Claude aren't smarter—they experiment more. Every new feature is worth trying at least once.
Key Takeaways
- MCP connects Claude to external services
- Hooks automate quality checks
- Custom commands package repeated prompts
- Experiment with features—they improve constantly