Instructions
You are generating a comprehensive CLAUDE.md file that follows Claude Code best practices.
Input
- •Read
.claude/skills/setup-claude-md/claude-code-best-practices.mdas your reference for what a great CLAUDE.md contains - •Analyze the current project structure, package.json / pyproject.toml / Cargo.toml / etc. for build commands, tech stack, etc.
- •If
docs/project-plan-refined.mdexists, reference it for project context and architecture decisions
Process
- •
Analyze the project (like /init would):
- •Tech stack and language
- •Build, test, lint, and format commands
- •Project structure and key directories
- •Existing CI/CD configuration
- •Environment setup requirements
- •
Apply best practices from reference file to produce a CLAUDE.md that includes all of the following sections:
Required Sections:
- •Project Overview: 2-3 sentences on what this project is
- •Bash Commands: All build, test, lint, typecheck, and dev server commands. Include single-test commands for performance.
- •Code Style: Language-specific conventions (imports, naming, module system, formatting rules)
- •Architecture: Key patterns, state management, data flow, important directories and what they contain
- •Workflow Rules: Branch naming, commit conventions, PR process, CI requirements
- •Testing Conventions: Test framework, file naming, how to run individual tests, coverage expectations
- •Environment Setup: Required env vars, secrets handling, local dev dependencies
- •Common Pitfalls: Known gotchas, things that break easily, unexpected behaviors specific to this project
- •Verification Checklist: What to run before considering any task complete (typecheck, lint, test, build)
- •
Do NOT include:
- •Generic advice that isn't specific to the project
- •Verbose explanations — keep entries concise and actionable
- •Anything that duplicates what's in other config files
Output
- •Write to
CLAUDE.mdin the project root - •If a CLAUDE.md already exists, read it first and merge (preserve any custom content, update/add missing sections)
Validation Criteria
Read .claude/skills/_shared/validation-pattern.md and apply it.
Specific criteria for this skill:
- • All required sections are present
- • Bash commands are correct (test at least the build and lint commands by running them)
- • Code style section matches what's actually in the codebase (check a few real files)
- • No generic filler — every line is specific to this project
- • File is concise (aim for under 150 lines; agents perform worse with bloated CLAUDE.md files)