CLAUDE.md

What is CLAUDE.md?

CLAUDE.md is a Markdown file that provides persistent memory and project-specific instructions to Claude Code. It’s read automatically at the start of every conversation.

Owner: Anthropic Used by: Claude Code exclusively

How It Works

Claude Code looks for CLAUDE.md files in a hierarchy:

1. Global: ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md — applies to all projects
2. Project root: ./CLAUDE.md — project-specific
3. Subdirectory: ./src/CLAUDE.md — directory-specific overrides

Template

CLAUDE.md

## Project Overview
Brief description of what this project does.

## Commands
- `npm install` — Install dependencies
- `npm run dev` — Start development server
- `npm test` — Run test suite

## Architecture
- `/src/app/` — Next.js App Router pages
- `/src/components/` — Shared React components
- `/src/lib/` — Business logic and utilities

## Coding Conventions
- TypeScript strict mode, no `any`
- Functional components with hooks
- Server components by default

CLAUDE.md vs AGENTS.md

Aspect	CLAUDE.md	AGENTS.md
Audience	Claude Code only	All agents
Hierarchy	Global + Project + Dir	Project + Dir
Best for	Claude-specific tweaks	Universal context

Best practice: Use both. AGENTS.md for universal instructions, CLAUDE.md for Claude-specific tweaks.

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