GStack: Install Garry Tan's Opinionated Claude Code Setup in 5 Minutes

If you're using Claude Code for ad-hoc prompts and getting inconsistent results, Garry Tan's GStack setup is the solution. It replaces random prompting with a structured, role-based system that turns Claude Code into an opinionated development team.

What GStack Does — Six Specialized Slash Commands

GStack isn't another MCP server or plugin. It's a configuration and prompt engineering system that creates six distinct workflow skills as custom slash commands:

1. Plan Review — Analyzes project plans and architecture before coding begins
2. Code Review — Provides structured, consistent feedback on pull requests
3. One-Command Shipping — Handles the entire deploy process from testing to production
4. Browser Automation — Manages web-based tasks without manual intervention
5. Engineering Retrospectives — Analyzes completed work for process improvements
6. Stop Comparing AI Outputs — Eliminates time wasted evaluating multiple AI responses

Each command has a specific role, context, and expected output format. This structure means Claude Code behaves predictably across different team members and projects.

Why This Works — Consistency Over Flexibility

The core insight behind GStack is that most developers don't need infinite flexibility — they need reliable, repeatable workflows. When you use generic prompts, you get:

• Inconsistent formatting
• Varying levels of detail
• Different assumptions about context
• Time wasted re-explaining requirements

GStack solves this by pre-defining:

• Role definitions (what "persona" Claude should adopt)
• Output templates (exact format for responses)
• Context boundaries (what information to consider)
• Success criteria (how to know the task is complete)

This approach leverages Claude Code's ability to maintain consistent behavior when given clear, structured instructions.

How To Install and Use GStack

Installation (5 Minutes)

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/garrytan/gstack.git
cd gstack

1. Configure Claude Code:
   Copy the provided CLAUDE.md template to your project root:

cp templates/CLAUDE.md ~/your-project/

1. Set up slash commands:
   Add the command definitions from commands.json to your Claude Code configuration file:

cat config/commands.json >> ~/.config/claude-code/config.json

1. Customize for your stack:
   Edit the technology-specific sections in CLAUDE.md to match your framework (React, Node.js, Python, etc.).

Daily Usage Examples

Instead of typing:

"Hey Claude, can you look at this code and tell me if there are any issues?"

You use:

/code-review path/to/file.js

Instead of:

"I need to deploy this feature, can you help me write the deployment script?"

You use:

/ship-feature feature-branch-name

Each command follows the same pattern:

1. Context loading (automatically pulls relevant files)
2. Role activation (switches to the appropriate "team member" persona)
3. Structured analysis (follows predefined checklists)
4. Formatted output (returns results in consistent templates)

The Real Benefit: Team Alignment

When your entire team uses GStack:

• Code reviews become predictable — everyone gets feedback in the same format
• Planning sessions are more thorough — the same criteria apply to all projects
• Shipping is less stressful — the same deployment checklist is followed
• Knowledge transfer happens automatically — new team members get up to speed faster

This isn't about restricting creativity. It's about automating the repetitive parts of development so you can focus on the creative work that actually matters.

Customizing GStack For Your Needs

The default GStack configuration works for most web development projects, but you should:

1. Add your team's coding standards to the code review checklist
2. Include your deployment pipeline steps in the shipping command
3. Define your retrospective format (what metrics matter to your team)
4. Set browser automation defaults (which testing frameworks you use)

These customizations take 10-15 minutes but ensure GStack works exactly how your team needs it to work.

What To Do Next

1. Try one command first — Start with /code-review on a small PR
2. Compare outputs — Run the same review with and without GStack
3. Share with your team — Get everyone using the same commands
4. Iterate on the templates — Adjust based on what works for your workflow

The biggest mistake is trying to implement all six commands at once. Pick the one that solves your most painful workflow problem and master it first.