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Building Templates through the Site

Learn how to create powerful automation workflows using Cloud Coding’s web-based template building tools. Whether you prefer AI-assisted creation or manual customization, our platform makes it easy to build templates that script Claude Code for your exact needs.

Two ways to create templates: Use the “Create w/ AI” option from the templates dropdown in chat, or go to cloudcoding.ai/dashboard and select “Select Repo” without choosing a template for a blank slate.

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What Are Templates?

Templates are a way to script Claude Code - the best coding AI agent on the market. They allow you to define a series of messages that Claude Code will handle sequentially, creating sophisticated automation workflows for your development tasks.

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Template Principles

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How Templates Work:

1. Sequential Messages: Templates contain a series of instructions that Claude Code processes in order
2. Context Preservation: Each message can build on the context from previous messages
3. Tool Selection: You can specify which tools Claude Code uses at each step
4. Variable Substitution: Templates accept variables to customize behavior for different projects

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Why Script Claude Code?

• 🤖 Best-in-Class AI: Claude Code is the most advanced coding AI agent available
• 🎯 Consistent Results: Templates ensure repeatable, high-quality outcomes
• ⚡ Automation: Transform complex multi-step processes into single-click operations
• 🔧 Customization: Tailor workflows to your specific development patterns

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Two Ways to Build Templates

Cloud Coding offers two powerful methods to create templates, both accessible through our web interface at cloudcoding.ai.

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Method 1: AI-Assisted Template Creation

The fastest way to create templates using our built-in AI assistant.

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How to Access:

1. Navigate to Chat: Go to the main chat page (/chat)
2. Find Templates Dropdown: Look for the templates section in the interface
3. Click “Create w/ AI”: Select the AI creation option from the dropdown

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What the AI Assistant Does:

• 📝 Understands Your Goals: Describe what you want to accomplish in natural language
• 🧠 Designs the Workflow: AI creates an optimal sequence of messages for Claude Code
• 🔧 Configures Tools: Automatically selects the best tools for each step
• 🎛️ Sets Variables: Identifies what should be customizable in your template

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Example AI Creation Process:

You: "Create a template that adds comprehensive testing to a React project"

AI Assistant Creates:
Message 1: Analyze project structure and identify untested components
Message 2: Generate unit tests for all React components
Message 3: Create integration tests for user flows
Message 4: Set up test coverage reporting
Message 5: Run test suite and fix any issues

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Benefits of AI Creation:

• ⚡ Speed: Get professional templates in minutes
• 🧪 Best Practices: AI incorporates proven workflow patterns
• 🎯 Optimization: Templates are designed for maximum effectiveness
• 📚 Learning: See how experts structure complex workflows

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Method 2: Manual Template Builder

Complete control over template creation for advanced users and specific use cases.

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How to Access:

1. Go to Dashboard: Navigate to /dashboard on cloudcoding.ai
2. Find Template Builder: Look for the manual template creation tools
3. Start Building: Use the interface to craft your custom template

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Manual Builder Features:

Message Editor

• ✏️ Rich Text Interface: Write and edit messages with syntax highlighting
• 🔧 Tool Selection: Choose specific tools for each message step
• 📁 Working Directory: Set directory focus for each step
• 🔄 Conversation Flow: Control when to continue or start fresh conversations

Variable Management

• 📝 Custom Variables: Define what users can customize in your template
• 🏷️ Variable Types: Set up text fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, and more
• 🔗 Variable Insertion: Use variables anywhere in your message content
• ✅ Validation Rules: Ensure users provide valid inputs

Testing & Preview

• 🧪 Test Mode: Run your template against real repositories
• 👀 Preview: See exactly what Claude Code will receive
• 🐛 Debug: Identify and fix issues before publishing
• 📊 Performance: Monitor execution time and success rates

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When to Use Manual Building:

• 🎯 Specific Requirements: When you need exact control over every step
• 🔧 Complex Logic: For workflows with conditional branching or special cases
• 📚 Learning: To understand how templates work under the hood
• 🎨 Customization: When existing patterns don’t fit your needs

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Template Building Best Practices

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1. Start with Clear Goals

❌ Vague: "Improve my code"
✅ Specific: "Add TypeScript types to React components and fix linting errors"

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2. Design Sequential Steps

Structure your template as logical, progressive steps:

{
  "messages": [
    {
      "tools": ["Read", "LS", "Grep"],
      "content": "Step 1: Analyze current codebase structure"
    },
    {
      "tools": ["Edit", "Write"],
      "content": "Step 2: Implement changes based on analysis",
      "continueConversation": true
    },
    {
      "tools": ["Bash"],
      "content": "Step 3: Test and validate changes",
      "continueConversation": true
    }
  ]
}

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3. Use Meaningful Variables

Make your templates reusable with well-designed variables:

{
  "variables": {
    "framework": {
      "type": "dropdown",
      "options": ["React", "Vue", "Angular"],
      "description": "Frontend framework to target"
    },
    "testingLibrary": {
      "type": "text",
      "default": "Jest",
      "description": "Testing framework to use"
    }
  }
}

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4. Optimize Tool Selection

Choose the right tools for each step:

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5. Test Thoroughly

Before publishing your template:

• ✅ Test on Multiple Repos: Ensure it works across different codebases
• ✅ Try Different Variables: Test various input combinations
• ✅ Check Error Handling: Verify graceful failure modes
• ✅ Validate Outputs: Confirm the template produces expected results

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Template Management

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Organizing Your Templates

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Categories and Tags

• 📂 Categorize: Group templates by purpose (testing, deployment, refactoring)
• 🏷️ Tag Strategically: Use descriptive tags for easy discovery
• 📊 Track Usage: Monitor which templates are most effective

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Version Control

• 📈 Iterate: Improve templates based on usage feedback
• 🔄 Update: Keep templates current with new best practices
• 📋 Document Changes: Maintain clear version histories

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Sharing and Collaboration

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Team Templates

• 👥 Share with Team: Make successful templates available to colleagues
• 📚 Create Standards: Establish template conventions for your organization
• 🎓 Training: Use templates to teach best practices

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Community Contribution

• 🌍 Public Templates: Share useful templates with the broader community
• ⭐ Template Gallery: Browse templates created by other developers
• 🤝 Collaborative Improvement: Work together to refine popular templates

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Getting Started

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Quick Start Checklist

1. 🎯 Define Your Goal: What development task do you want to automate?

2. 🤖 Try AI Creation First:

   • Go to /chat on cloudcoding.ai
   • Find the templates dropdown
   • Click “Create w/ AI”
   • Describe your automation goal

3. 🧪 Test Your Template:

   • Run it on a test repository
   • Verify it produces expected results
   • Refine if needed

4. 🔧 Customize if Needed:

   • Switch to manual builder on /dashboard
   • Fine-tune messages and variables
   • Add advanced logic if required

5. 📚 Save and Share:

   • Save your template for future use
   • Share with your team
   • Consider contributing to the community

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Example: Creating Your First Template

Let’s walk through creating a “Code Review Preparation” template:

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Goal

Automatically prepare code for review by fixing formatting, adding documentation, and running quality checks.

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Using AI Creation:

1. Go to Chat: Navigate to /chat
2. Select “Create w/ AI” from templates dropdown
3. Describe Goal: “Create a template that prepares code for review by fixing formatting, adding missing documentation, and running linting checks”
4. Review AI Suggestion: The AI will create a multi-step workflow
5. Test & Refine: Run on a test repository and adjust as needed

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Expected AI Output:

{
  "name": "Code Review Preparation",
  "description": "Automatically prepare code for review",
  "variables": {
    "includeTests": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "default": true,
      "description": "Run test suite as part of preparation"
    }
  },
  "messages": [
    {
      "tools": ["Read", "LS"],
      "content": "Analyze codebase and identify files needing review preparation"
    },
    {
      "tools": ["Edit", "MultiEdit"],
      "content": "Fix code formatting and style issues",
      "continueConversation": true
    },
    {
      "tools": ["Edit", "Write"],
      "content": "Add missing documentation and comments",
      "continueConversation": true
    },
    {
      "tools": ["Bash"],
      "content": "Run linting and quality checks{{#if includeTests}}, including test suite{{/if}}",
      "continueConversation": true
    }
  ]
}

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Advanced Features

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Conditional Logic

Use template variables to create conditional workflows:

{
  "content": "{{#if useTypeScript}}Add TypeScript types{{else}}Add JSDoc comments{{/if}}"
}

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Dynamic Tool Selection

Adjust tools based on project characteristics:

{
  "tools": ["{{#if hasTests}}Bash{{/if}}", "Edit", "Write"]
}

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Error Handling

Build robust templates that handle edge cases:

{
  "content": "Try to implement feature X, and if it fails due to missing dependencies, install them first and retry"
}

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Support and Resources

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Getting Help

• 💬 Community Forum: Connect with other template builders
• 📧 Support Team: Contact us for complex template needs
• 📚 Documentation: Explore detailed guides and examples
• 🎥 Video Tutorials: Watch template creation in action

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Staying Updated

• 📰 Release Notes: Stay informed about new features
• 🔔 Newsletter: Get template building tips and best practices
• 🎯 Feature Requests: Suggest improvements to the template system