My Claude Md

CLAUDE.md Template

A minimal `CLAUDE.md` for Claude Code, containing only rules that are not already default behavior.

Why it's short

Claude Code loads `CLAUDE.md` at the start of every session as override-priority instructions. Restating something Claude already does by default doesn't reinforce it — it competes with the rules that actually matter. [Anthropic's guidance](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/best-practices) is blunt about the result: *"Bloated CLAUDE.md files cause Claude to ignore your actual instructions."*

So every line passes one test:

**Would removing this cause Claude to make mistakes?** If not, cut it.

Rules that survive carry a checkable test next to them. Rules that only restate default behavior — *state your assumptions*, *implement only what was requested*, *match the existing style* — are left out on purpose.

Use it

Copy [`CLAUDE.md`](CLAUDE.md) into your project root and fill in **Project facts**. That section is the most valuable part and the only one a template can't write for you: build and test commands, environment quirks, and gotchas Claude can't infer from the code.

Run `/init` in Claude Code to draft those facts from your codebase, then prune what it guesses.

Skills or Plugins

Installed separately — not part of this template. Listed so a new project starts with them in mind.

Skill or plugin	Use it for	Source
claude-md-management	Maintaining this file: audits CLAUDE.md against the codebase, and /revise-claude-md folds session learnings back in	anthropics/claude-plugins-official
superpowers	General methodology: planning, TDD, debugging, and skill authoring itself	obra/superpowers
gstack	An opinionated end-to-end setup — discovery, design, release, docs, and QA as slash commands	[garrytan/gstack](https://github.com