CLAUDE.md Starter Template

CLAUDE.md is the file Claude Code reads at the start of every session. Done well, it replaces ten minutes of context-setting per session with zero. This is the template we start every project from, with notes on why each section exists.

The template

# CLAUDE.md

## Project
One paragraph: what this is, who uses it, what "working" means.

## Stack
- Framework and version
- Database
- Test runner
- Anything unusual (monorepo layout, codegen, submodules)

## Commands
npm run dev          # local server on :3000
npm run test         # run before claiming any task done
npm run lint         # must pass before commit
npm run db:migrate   # never against production

## Structure
- src/app       routes and pages
- src/lib       shared logic, no framework imports
- src/gen       GENERATED, never edit by hand

## Rules
- Match the style of neighbouring code, not your defaults
- Every API boundary validates input
- Small commits, one concern each

## Never
- Do not add dependencies without asking
- Do not touch .env or secrets
- Do not push directly to main

Why these sections

• Commands with comments are the highest-value lines in the file. An agent that knows how to verify its own work stops shipping regressions.
• Structure notes prevent the classic failure of edits landing in generated or legacy directories.
• The Never list is your blast-radius control. Keep it short and absolute; nuance belongs in Rules.

Keeping it useful

Prune it monthly. A memory file that grows stale is worse than none, because the agent trusts it. When a rule stops being true, delete it in the same commit that changed the behaviour. For a guided start, the CLAUDE.md generator builds this structure from a form, and the getting-started guide shows the file in a live session.