Updated June 2026 · 30,000+ words · Free forever

The complete guide to Claude for knowledge work, from zero to power user.

Practical, research-backed writing on prompting, context, and real workflows, so you stop Googling and start shipping. Written by a human, aimed at humans.

Brand new to Claude? Do the 5-minute setup first →

9 guides  prompting → in action Inline trainer  learn & practice Research-backed  cited, not guessed
▸ The Path

Nine guides, in order. Pick where you are.

Most people chase clever prompt tricks. That's backwards—context beats cleverness every time. So start at the top and work down, or jump to the step that matches where you are.

Step 01 · Core skill

The Prompting Guide

From search bar to strategic partner. Eleven frameworks, research citations, and the prompt audit everyone skips.

~45 min read·12 sections
Start here
Step 02 · Setup

Claude Beginner

Your first week with Claude Cowork. ABOUT ME, CLAUDE.md, MEMORY, the files that turn it from a chatbot into a partner.

~35 min read·13 sections
Set it up
Step 03 · Level up

Claude Advanced

Projects, connectors, subagents, and the workflow patterns that actually compound over time.

~50 min read·14 sections
Go deeper
Step 04 · Real work

Claude in Action

Eight end-to-end workflows I actually use. Research digests, LinkedIn engines, meeting debriefs, copy them, make them yours.

~30 min read·8 workflows
See the plays
Step 05 · Action AI

Claude Code 2.0

Built for non-coders. The April 2026 redesign turned Claude Code into a visual workspace. Plan Mode, Routines, no terminal required.

~40 min read·9 sections
Yes, this is for you
Step 06 · Make it look good

Claude Design

The two-tool workflow for stunning decks. Brainstorm in ChatGPT Images. Polish in Claude Design. Skip Canva and Figma when you can.

~35 min read·10 sections
Make the deck
Step 07 · Execute in the file

Claude in Office

Excel, PowerPoint, and PDFs as agents. Claude edits real cells and slides inside the file, plus the tool-selection map for when to use which.

~30 min read·7 sections
Work in the file
Step 08 · Sound like youNEW

Claude Writing

Claude's default voice gets clocked in about two sentences. The eight tells, the banned list, the swap table, and how to teach it to write the way you already write.

~25 min read·8 sections
Fix the voice
Step 09 · Now on your phone

Claude Everywhere

The July 2026 release put Cowork on mobile, web, and the cloud. What syncs, what doesn't, and why connectors are the bridge that gets your work onto your phone.

~20 min read·7 sections
Take it mobile
▧ Examples of what's possible

Eight workflows Steve runs with Claude every week.

These aren't demos. They're the real, copy-paste workflows from Claude in Action, research digests, content engines, meeting debriefs, and more.

◇ Prompt Trainer

Learn a technique. Practice it live. See your score.

Pulled straight from The Prompting Guide. Each lesson teaches one tool, then drops you into a practice area that scores your prompt in real time.

The pattern is simple: teach → practice → score. No videos, no quizzes. Just one idea, one exercise, and honest feedback on the prompt you actually wrote.

  • 01
    Read the lessonA single prompting technique, role, constraints, few-shot, chain-of-thought, explained with one concrete example.
  • 02
    Do the exerciseA realistic task that requires the technique you just learned. Write it your way.
  • 03
    Get scoredClaude grades your prompt on clarity, specificity, role, constraints, and context, with honest notes on what to fix.
Read the full guide →
prompt-trainer.md lesson 1 / 4
Your turn
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▲ People Resources

The people whose work shaped these guides.

The researchers, builders, and writers who show up across the citations. If you like what you read here, follow them directly.

R
Ruben Hassid
How to AI · 400K+ subs

Step-by-step AI workflows with screenshots. His Cowork guides and Computer Use infographic directly shaped these resources.

S
Shelly Palmer
Daily Newsletter · LinkedIn Top Voice

The clearest daily thinking on where AI meets business strategy and policy. Subscribe and never miss a day.

P
Pascal Bornet
Irreplaceable with AI · 1M+ readers

Two newsletters on intelligent automation and agentic AI. Plus the Agentic Intelligence newsletter.

R
Ruben Dominguez
The AI Corner · 322K+ subs

Deep Claude Cowork setup guides, AI tool breakdowns, and practical workflows.

J
Jeff Su
YouTube · 1.6M subs

Actionable AI and productivity tips for busy professionals. The best channel for making AI practical at work.

J
Dr. Jules White
Vanderbilt · Coursera · 250K+ students

The definitive prompt engineering courses. If you want to understand why prompting works, start here.

P
Paul J Lipsky
YouTube · 323K subs

AI tools and software reviews. Built the CoWork OS plugin that powers the Claude Beginner guide.

C
Christian Pean MD
Techy Surgeon · Founder, RevelAi

Builds AI operating systems for professionals juggling roles. His workflows shaped Claude in Action.

Full list & reading recommendations →
Steve Gustafson
▸ Who's writing

"I kept watching smart people give up on AI because the first thing they found was a LinkedIn thread with 47 'prompt hacks.' This is what I wish I'd had."

No sponsors, no affiliate links, no paywall. Just what I wish I had when I started.

Read it once. Come back when you need it.

No paywall, no login, no "join the course." Open the Prompting Guide and start at the top, or pick a section from the contents.

Open the Prompting Guide