# HTML is the new Markdown: How Anthropic engineers are building with Claude Code | Thariq Shihipar

> Source: <https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/html-is-the-new-markdown-how-anthropic>
> Published: 2026-05-18 12:02:11+00:00

**Thariq Shihipar **is an engineer at Anthropic working on the Claude Code team. He’s spent the past several months experimenting with HTML as a replacement for Markdown in planning and implementation workflows, discovering that richer visual formats lead to better human engagement—and, ultimately, better products. In this episode, filmed at Anthropic’s Code with Claude event in San Francisco, Thariq demonstrates how to use HTML artifacts to create interactive plans, build throwaway UIs for specific problems, and maintain living design systems that travel with your codebase.

**Listen or watch on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts**

### What you’ll learn:

Why HTML has replaced Markdown as the ideal format for AI agent communication and planning

How to brainstorm in HTML to get visual mockups and interactive demos instead of text lists

The technique for building throwaway micro-UIs to edit specific parts of your plan

How to create a living design system in HTML that lives in your repo and travels with every project

Why “complexity has to earn its keep” and how HTML helps you stay in the loop without over-constraining Claude

The prompting technique that gives Claude flexibility while ensuring that you get what you need

Why 99% of your AI-generated tokens should go to planning, interfaces, and communication—not production code

### Brought to you by:

** Celigo**—Intelligent automation built for AI

** Persona**—Trusted identity verification for any use case

### In this episode, we cover:

([00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0)) Introduction

([02:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=159s)) HTML as the new Markdown

([04:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=270s)) The compute allocator mindset

([05:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=351s)) How HTML makes specs more engaging

([06:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=408s)) Demo: Brainstorming in HTML with Claude Code

([09:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=564s)) From brainstorm to full implementation plan

([11:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=680s)) Prompting philosophy: Trust Claude but give it constraints

([13:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=830s)) The future of PRDs and tech specs

([18:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=1096s)) Making HTML specs editable

([20:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=1223s)) The abundance mindset

([24:17](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=1457s)) Just-in-time documentation and throwaway software

([25:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=1539s)) Using plans as artifacts for implementation

([26:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=1599s)) Demo: Living design systems in HTML

([30:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=1816s)) Adding comments and annotations to HTML plans

([31:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=1902s)) Recap: The HTML workflow

([32:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrpm7E80wQ0&t=1941s)) Lightning round and final thoughts

### Tools referenced:

• Claude Code: [https://claude.ai/code](https://claude.ai/code)

• Claude Design: [https://claude.ai/design](https://claude.ai/design)

• AWS: [https://aws.amazon.com/](https://aws.amazon.com/)

• Figma: [https://www.figma.com/](https://www.figma.com/)

• GitHub: [https://github.com/](https://github.com/)

### Other references:

• Anthropic Code with Claude event: [https://claude.com/code-with-claude](https://claude.com/code-with-claude)

• SpaceX partnership announcement: [https://www.anthropic.com/news/higher-limits-spacex](https://www.anthropic.com/news/higher-limits-spacex)

• Jevons paradox: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox)

### Where to find Thariq Shihipar:

Website: [https://www.thariq.io/](https://www.thariq.io/)

LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thariqshihipar/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/thariqshihipar/)

GitHub: [https://github.com/ThariqS](https://github.com/ThariqS)

### Where to find Claire Vo:

ChatPRD: [https://www.chatprd.ai/](https://www.chatprd.ai/)

Website: [https://clairevo.com/](https://clairevo.com/)

LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairevo/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairevo/)

Production and marketing by [https://penname.co/](https://penname.co/). For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection).