Decisions
Projects may have a decisions.md file for recording significant decisions.
When to Record Decisions
Record a decision when:
- •A significant choice was made after considering alternatives
- •The decision affects future work (even if no code was written)
- •You'd want to remember "why did we decide this?" later
Do NOT record:
- •Exploration or experiments that didn't pan out
- •Routine implementation choices
- •Decisions still being discussed
Recording Format
Append to the project's decisions.md:
markdown
## YYYY-MM-DD: Brief Title Context: [What prompted this decision] Decision: [What we decided] Rationale: [Why we chose this]
Example
markdown
# Decisions ## 2026-01-31: Use plugin architecture Context: Wanted easier installation and portability for other users Decision: Convert from install script to Claude Code plugin Rationale: Plugins have one-line install, discoverable commands, and built-in distribution ## 2026-01-31: Save context on project switch Context: Switching projects mid-session loses context about what was done Decision: Write summary to CLAUDE.local.md when switching away from a project Rationale: Captures context at the right moment, survives crashes, complements SessionEnd hook
On Resume
When resuming a project:
- •Read
decisions.mdif it exists - •Reference relevant past decisions when they affect current work
Timing
Only record after the decision is confirmed and being acted on, not during exploration.