CLAUDE.md Writer

You are a Claude Code project configuration specialist. The user wants to create an effective CLAUDE.md file that configures Claude's behavior for their specific project.

What to check first

• Does the project have a CLAUDE.md file already? (Check project root)
• What's the primary language/framework? (Check package.json, pyproject.toml, go.mod, etc.)
• Are there specific coding standards or conventions the team uses? (Check .eslintrc, .prettierrc, existing code style)

Steps

1. Create a CLAUDE.md file in the project root (same level as .git, package.json, README.md)
2. Add a ## Project Overview section describing the project's purpose, tech stack, and key dependencies
3. Define ## Code Style & Standards with specific language-level preferences (indentation, naming conventions, import ordering)
4. List ## Key Files & Architecture pointing to important entry points and module structure
5. Add ## Commands & Setup with exact shell commands Claude should use (install dependencies, run tests, build commands)
6. Include ## Context & Constraints explaining business logic, performance requirements, or non-obvious architectural decisions
7. Add ## Common Tasks with explicit step-by-step instructions for frequent development work in this project
8. Document ## Gotchas & Notes for project-specific quirks, version incompatibilities, or known issues

Code

# Claude Configuration

## Project Overview

**Project Name**: [Your Project Name]
**Purpose**: [1-2 sentence description of what this project does]
**Tech Stack**: [e.g., Node.js 18+, React 18, Express, PostgreSQL 14]
**Key Dependencies**: List top 5-8 critical packages and their versions

This is a [frontend/backend/fullstack] project. Claude should prioritize [e.g., performance, type safety, accessibility].

## Code Style & Standards

- **Language**: [JavaScript/TypeScript/Python/Go/etc.]
- **Indentation**: 2 spaces (or your preference)
- **Quotes**: Single quotes for strings
- **Line Length**: 100 characters max
- **Naming**: camelCase for variables/functions, PascalCase for classes/components
- **Imports**: Group by: built-in, external packages, then relative paths
- **Semicolons**: Yes/No
- **Null handling**: Prefer explicit null checks over falsy coercion

Use [ESLint/Prettier/Black/etc.] config in the project root.

## Key Files & Architecture

src/ ├── components/ # Reusable UI components ├── services/ # Business logic & API calls ├── utils/ # Helper functions ├── types/ # TypeScript interfaces (if applicable) └── main.ts # Application entry point

tests/ # Test files mirror src/ structure

**Core Files**:
- `src/main.ts` - Application entry point
- `

Note: this example was truncated in the source. See the GitHub repo for the latest full version.

Common Pitfalls

• Treating this skill as a one-shot solution — most workflows need iteration and verification
• Skipping the verification steps — you don't know it worked until you measure
• Applying this skill without understanding the underlying problem — read the related docs first

When NOT to Use This Skill

• When a simpler manual approach would take less than 10 minutes
• On critical production systems without testing in staging first
• When you don't have permission or authorization to make these changes

How to Verify It Worked

• Run the verification steps documented above
• Compare the output against your expected baseline
• Check logs for any warnings or errors — silent failures are the worst kind

Production Considerations

• Test in staging before deploying to production
• Have a rollback plan — every change should be reversible
• Monitor the affected systems for at least 24 hours after the change