This article was originally posted (and is more up to date) at https://robertmarshall.dev/blog/turning-claude-code-into-a-development-powerhouse/
I've been using Claude Code for months now, and while it's solid, I kept hitting the same frustration: context switching hell.
Claude would write decent code, but it was like working with a brilliant intern who'd never seen your codebase before. Then I discovered Model Context Protocols (MCPs) and everything changed.
Not just "this is neat" - more like "ok, this is how AI coding should work". The real magic happens when you combine the right MCPs with proper prompting strategy.
The Problem: AI with Amnesia
You're deep in a project, need to add authentication, and ask Claude for help. It spits out some generic OAuth implementation that completely ignores:
- The auth patterns you're already using elsewhere
- The latest changes in the library you're working with
- The architectural decisions your team made months ago
So you spend 20 minutes explaining context, then another 10 fixing the outdated API calls, then realize you're basically doing the work yourself anyway.
The Solution: The MCP Stack
After experimenting with different combinations, I landed on four tools that work together like a well-oiled machine:
Context7: Your Live Documentation Oracle
What it does: Pulls in real-time documentation for any third-party library
Why it matters: No more "wait, is this the old API?" moments
claude mcp add --transport sse context7 https://mcp.context7.com/sse
Context7 is basically having the maintainer of every library sitting next to you.
Serena: Your Semantic Code Archaeologist
https://github.com/oraios/serena
What it does: Semantic search and editing across your entire codebase
Why it matters: Finds patterns by intent, not just text matching
claude mcp add serena -- uvx --from git+https://github.com/oraios/serena serena start-mcp-server --context ide-assistant --project $(pwd)
This is where things get interesting. Serena doesn't just grep your code - it understands what your code does. Ask it "where do we handle user authentication?" and it'll find all the relevant pieces, even if they don't share the same variable names.
Sequential Thinking: Your AI Architect
https://www.npmjs.com/package/@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking
What it does: Structured reasoning for complex technical decisions
Why it matters: Breaks down hairy problems into logical, debuggable steps
claude mcp add sequential-thinking -s local -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking
Sequential Thinking is like having a senior architect who actually thinks before coding.
Should you refactor or rebuild? What are the dependencies? What could go wrong? It maps out the decision tree so you can see the reasoning.
Some people I spoken to say this is no longer needs as Claude does this internally. I currently don't agree (update pending), and this has helped break down problems numerous times.
WisprFlow: Your Voice-to-Code Pipeline
What it does: Real-time transcription that's better than anything else out there
Why it matters: Talk directly to Claude instead of typing out complex requirements Arguably, this is not a MCP. But it ties them all up together very nicely.
This is the game-changer for speed. Rather than typing out the scope, I can talk directly to Claude. This increase in speed means faster iterations on code, and scope out different angles in the planning phase before jumping into the code.
Far more context and useful information for the AI to work with.
And Then the Slash
The breakthrough came when I created this slash command:
Always use:
- serena for semantic code retrieval and editing tools
- context7 for up to date documentation on third party code
- sequential thinking for any decision making
Read the claude.md root file before you do anything.
#$ARGUMENTS
Before adding any prompt, now type "/go". As in: /go add a [feature spec here]
Real-World Example: Building Auth from Scratch
Let me show you how this actually works. Last week I needed to add OAuth to an existing Next.js app. Here's what happened:
The Old Way (30 minutes):
- Ask Claude for OAuth implementation
- Get generic code that doesn't match our patterns
- Explain our auth architecture
- Fix outdated API references
- Adapt to our component structure
- Debug integration issues
The New Way (8 minutes):
- Sequential Thinking mapped out the requirements and dependencies
- Serena found our existing auth patterns and user management code
- Context7 pulled the latest NextAuth.js documentation
- Claude synthesized a complete implementation that fit perfectly
The difference isn't just speed - it's quality. The new implementation followed our existing patterns, used current best practices, and integrated seamlessly.
The Compound Effect
Here's what I've noticed after a month of using this setup:
Time savings: 60-70% reduction on complex features
Quality improvements: Fewer bugs, better patterns, consistent architecture
Mental overhead: Way less context switching and "wait, how did we do this before?"
But the biggest win? I'm not babysitting the AI anymore. I can give it complex, multi-step tasks and trust it to figure out the details.
But Create a Scope...
The reason why I included WisprFlow in the stack, is that AI is not a point and shoot - one button press approach.
To make sure that the code you are writing is decent quality and structured correctly (not 20 new utility functions that were added for no reason, plus some weird transform) you need to give the machine a property documented plan.
By talking through what you want to achieve with Claude Code in plan mode, you can get everything out of your head. Then you can read it back. Tweak it until the scope is bang on, and then break it into sections.
Break it up yourself. Like you would if you are planning out an actual project. What gives you less of a headache also gives AI less of a headache.
Spend the time upfront. Then let the stack take it away.
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