parallel-power

Parallel Power: Do More at Once

Pattern 1: Parallel Worktrees

Work on multiple features simultaneously with zero conflicts:

claude --worktree feature-auth     # Isolated copy, own branch
claude --worktree bug-fix-123      # Another isolated copy
claude --worktree                  # Auto-generated name

Each worktree gets its own branch from origin/HEAD. Changes are isolated. Cleanup is automatic if no changes were made.

Tip: Copy .env and other gitignored files by creating .worktreeinclude:

.env
.env.local
config/secrets.json

Pattern 2: Writer/Reviewer Split

Use SEPARATE sessions for writing and reviewing — fresh context prevents bias:

1. Session 1: Write the code
2. Session 2: claude --resume or new session → review the code
3. Fresh context means the reviewer isn't anchored to the implementation decisions

Pattern 3: Fan-Out Batch Processing

Process multiple files with the same operation:

# Generate task list
claude -p "list all controllers that need auth middleware" > tasks.txt

# Process each
while read file; do
  claude -p "add auth middleware to $file" --allowedTools "Read,Edit"
done < tasks.txt

Pattern 4: Orchestrator-Workers (Subagents)

For large features with independent subtasks:

• Create a plan with independent work items
• Ask Claude to dispatch subagents for each item
• Each subagent works in isolation, returns a summary
• Main session synthesizes results

Sweet spot: 3-5 parallel agents. More than that is hard to review.

Pattern 5: Session Per Concern

Don't mix unrelated tasks. Instead:

• claude -n "auth-refactor" — session for auth work
• claude -n "api-tests" — session for test writing
• claude -n "bug-4521" — session for a specific bug
• Resume any with claude --resume auth-refactor