reclaude
Refactor CLAUDE.md files to follow progressive disclosure principles.
Steps
1. Check length
Report the current line count:
- •Ideal: <50 lines
- •Acceptable: 50-100 lines
- •Needs refactoring: >100 lines (move content to
.claude/rules/files)
2. Ensure verification section exists
Check for a ## Verification section with commands Claude can run after making changes. If missing:
- •Look in package.json for test/lint/typecheck/build scripts
- •Look for Makefile, justfile, or other task runners
- •Add a
## Verificationsection with discovered commands
This is critical—Claude performs dramatically better when it can verify its work.
3. Find contradictions
Identify any instructions that conflict with each other. Ask which version to keep.
4. Check for global skill candidates
Look for content that could become a reusable global skill in ~/.claude/skills/:
- •Is about a tool/framework (not project-specific)
- •Same instructions would apply in 2+ projects
- •Is substantial (>20 lines)
If found, suggest creating a global skill.
5. Identify essentials for root CLAUDE.md
Extract only what belongs in root CLAUDE.md:
- •One-line project description
- •Package manager (if not npm)
- •Non-obvious commands only
- •Links to
.claude/rules/files - •Verification section (always required)
6. Group remaining content
Organize into .claude/rules/ files by category (TypeScript conventions, testing patterns, API design, Git workflow).
7. Flag for deletion
Remove entirely:
- •API documentation (link instead)
- •Code examples (Claude can infer from source)
- •Interface/type definitions (exist in code)
- •Generic advice ("write clean code")
- •Obvious instructions
- •Redundant info
Target Template
# Project Name One-line description. ## Commands - `command` - what it does (only non-obvious ones) ## Rules - [Topic](/.claude/rules/topic.md) — brief description ## Verification After making changes: - `npm test` - Run tests - `npm run lint` - Check linting
What to Keep vs Remove
Keep in CLAUDE.md:
- •Commands Claude can't guess
- •Non-standard patterns specific to this project
- •Project gotchas and footguns
- •Links to detailed rules files
Move to .claude/rules/:
- •Detailed conventions (>10 lines on a topic)
- •Style guides
- •Architecture decisions
Remove entirely:
- •Anything Claude can infer from codebase
- •Standard practices for the language/framework
- •Documentation that exists elsewhere