Claude Code for Teams, CI/CD & Advanced Configuration: Exercise Pack

Practice exercises for Chapter 18 of the Agent Factory curriculum.

Prerequisites

Before starting these exercises, you need:

1. Claude Code installed and working on your machine (CLI access via claude command)
2. Chapter 14 completed: General Agents (CLAUDE.md basics, Skills, Settings hierarchy, command hooks)
3. Chapter 16 completed: Spec-Driven Development with Claude Code
4. Git and GitHub CLI (gh) installed and authenticated
5. Node.js 18+ and Python 3.11+ for starter code files
6. A text editor for viewing and modifying configuration files

Package Structure

claude-code-teams-cicd-exercises/
├── EXERCISE-GUIDE.md              # Complete guide with all 15 exercises
├── README.md                      # This file
├── module-1-configuration-architecture/
│   ├── exercise-1.1-monorepo-hierarchy/     # Build a team config hierarchy
│   └── exercise-1.2-debug-broken-config/    # Diagnose and fix broken configs
├── module-2-skills-execution-strategy/
│   ├── exercise-2.1-skills-with-frontmatter/  # Create skills with frontmatter
│   └── exercise-2.2-execution-mode-classifier/  # Classify plan vs direct mode
├── module-3-iterative-refinement/
│   ├── exercise-3.1-data-transformer/       # Test-driven iteration with messy data
│   └── exercise-3.2-technique-comparison/   # Compare refinement techniques
├── module-4-cicd-pipeline/
│   ├── exercise-4.1-github-actions-workflow/ # Build a CI review workflow
│   └── exercise-4.2-debug-broken-pipeline/  # Fix broken CI configurations
├── module-5-review-architecture/
│   ├── exercise-5.1-multi-pass-review-script/ # Design multi-pass review
│   └── exercise-5.2-self-vs-independent-review/ # Compare review strategies
├── module-6-session-mastery/
│   ├── exercise-6.1-multi-day-investigation/  # Multi-session investigation
│   └── exercise-6.2-debug-stale-context/    # Diagnose stale session context
└── module-7-capstones/
    ├── capstone-A-full-team-infrastructure/  # Complete team setup (2-4 hrs)
    ├── capstone-B-production-ci-pipeline/    # Production CI pipeline (2-4 hrs)
    └── capstone-C-audit-your-setup/         # Self-assessment audit (2 hrs)

Getting Started

1. Clone or download this exercise pack
2. Read EXERCISE-GUIDE.md for the complete walkthrough
3. Start with Module 1 and work sequentially
4. Each exercise folder contains an INSTRUCTIONS.md and starter files

Module-to-Lesson Mapping

Module	Exercise	Ch 18 Lesson	Topic
1	1.1 Monorepo Hierarchy	Lesson 1: CLAUDE.md Configuration Hierarchy	Three-level hierarchy, .claude/rules/, /memory
1	1.2 Debug Broken Config	Lesson 1 + Lesson 2: Path-Specific Rules	Precedence tracing, glob patterns
2	2.1 Skills with Frontmatter	Lesson 3: Custom Skills with Frontmatter	context:fork, allowed-tools, argument-hint
2	2.2 Execution Mode Classifier	Lesson 4: Plan Mode vs Direct Execution	Decision tree for mode selection
3	3.1 Data Transformer	Lesson 5: Iterative Refinement Techniques	Test-driven iteration, concrete examples
3	3.2 Technique Comparison	Lesson 5: Iterative Refinement Techniques	Interview pattern, single-message vs sequential
4	4.1 GitHub Actions Workflow	Lesson 6: Claude Code in CI/CD Pipelines	-p flag, --json-schema, CLAUDE.md as CI context
4	4.2 Debug Broken Pipeline	Lesson 6: Claude Code in CI/CD Pipelines	Missing flags, wrong triggers, duplicate comments
5	5.1 Multi-Pass Review Script	Lesson 7: Multi-Pass Review Architecture	Per-file + cross-file passes, session isolation
5	5.2 Self vs Independent Review	Lesson 7: Multi-Pass Review Architecture	Self-review limitations, confidence calibration
6	6.1 Multi-Day Investigation	Lesson 8: Session Management	--resume, named sessions, fork_session
6	6.2 Debug Stale Context	Lesson 8: Session Management	Stale tool results, context recovery
7	Capstone A	Lessons 1-7 combined	Full team infrastructure
7	Capstone B	Lessons 5-7 combined	Production CI pipeline
7	Capstone C	All lessons	Self-assessment audit

Recommended Exercise Order

Work through modules sequentially. Each module builds on concepts from the previous one.

• Modules 1-2 (Configuration): Foundation skills. Complete these first.
• Module 3 (Refinement): Interaction techniques. Requires Module 1-2 understanding.
• Modules 4-5 (CI/CD and Review): Pipeline engineering. Requires Modules 1-3.
• Module 6 (Sessions): Advanced session management. Can be done alongside Modules 4-5.
• Module 7 (Capstones): Integration projects. Requires all previous modules.

Time Estimates

Exercise Type	Estimated Time
Standard exercises (1.1-6.2)	15-45 minutes each
Capstone A	2-4 hours
Capstone B	2-4 hours
Capstone C	1-2 hours
Complete pack	12-20 hours

Tips for Success

• Read each exercise's INSTRUCTIONS.md completely before starting
• Use /memory frequently to verify configuration loading
• When debugging, read all configuration files before changing any
• Keep a notes file for reflection questions; they surface important patterns
• If you get stuck, re-read the corresponding Chapter 18 lesson