Now let's put this into practice. Pick a real bug from your backlog - ideally something small to medium complexity that you've been meaning to fix.

Start by asking Claude to write a plan. Don't just say "fix this bug." Instead, say "Here's the bug description. Before we fix it, write me a plan that includes: where to find the relevant code, what files to read, how to reproduce the issue, what tests we need, and the steps to fix it."

Review the plan. This is crucial. Make sure Claude's understanding is correct before you execute anything. If the plan looks good, then tell Claude to execute it step by step.

This two-phase approach - plan first, execute second - is particularly valuable in legacy code where you need to be confident about what's going to change. It also helps manage context because you're not loading unnecessary files during the planning phase.

Take some time now to try this with a real bug from your backlog.