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intent.md is not a documented built-in instruction filename for Claude Code. If you mean a file of persistent project instructions, use CLAUDE.md unless your repository has its own convention or configuration. Claude Code reads documented instruction files as context; they are not a mechanism for enforcing rules.
What does `intent.md` mean in Claude Code?
Anthropic’s current Claude Code documentation describes CLAUDE.md files for persistent instructions, not a special intent.md file. A file named intent.md can exist as ordinary Markdown, and a project may choose to use it, but the reviewed documentation does not establish that Claude Code automatically finds or interprets it. See Anthropic’s guide to how Claude remembers a project.
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If by “intent.md” you mean a place to explain a project’s purpose, conventions, or commands to Claude, create a CLAUDE.md file. If a repository or team has separately configured a workflow around intent.md, follow that project-specific setup rather than assuming it is a Claude Code default.
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Which instruction file should you use?
| File or location | Who it is for | How to think about it |
|---|---|---|
./CLAUDE.md or ./.claude/CLAUDE.md |
People and Claude Code working in that project | Project instructions; typically shared with the repository. |
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md |
You across projects | User-level instructions that apply beyond one repository. |
CLAUDE.local.md |
You in a particular project | Personal project preferences; intended to be gitignored rather than shared. |
| Managed instructions at system-level paths | An organization | Organization-provided guidance. Exact applicable paths depend on the managed setup; consult Anthropic’s documentation. |
AGENTS.md |
Repository users, in supported discovery conditions | Claude Code’s documented behavior reads it when no CLAUDE.md or CLAUDE.local.md is present in the working directory or above it. Do not assume every repository loads both formats. |
| Auto memory | Claude’s remembered project details | Distinct from instructions you deliberately write in CLAUDE.md. |
These files are not simply a set of mutually exclusive overrides. At launch, Claude Code loads applicable CLAUDE.md and CLAUDE.local.md files from the working directory and its ancestors, combining discovered instructions from the filesystem root toward the working directory. Instructions in subdirectories are included when Claude works on files there. Use /context in a session to inspect memory files that were loaded.
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How to create a project instruction file
- Create the file: Add
CLAUDE.mdat the repository root, or use.claude/CLAUDE.mdfor project guidance. - Write repository-specific instructions: Include verified commands, code conventions, important directories, and relevant project context. Keep it concrete and focused; Anthropic’s guide recommends treating fewer than 200 lines as a target.
- Check what Claude loaded: Start or continue a Claude Code session and run
/contextto view loaded memory files. - Refine as the project changes: Remove stale commands and split guidance that only applies to certain files into path-scoped rules under
.claude/rules/.
For an initial draft, Anthropic’s setup guide describes using /init to generate a starting CLAUDE.md from the codebase. Review the result and add project facts Claude cannot infer; generated commands and conventions are suggestions to verify, not guaranteed to fit your workflow.
Example `CLAUDE.md`
This is an illustrative outline, not a claim about any particular repository. Replace the sample commands, paths, and conventions with facts verified for your project.
# Project instructions
## Commands
- Install dependencies: `npm install`
- Run tests: `npm test`
- Run the development server: `npm run dev`
## Conventions
- Use TypeScript for application code.
- Keep API handlers in `src/api/handlers/`.
- Add input validation to each API endpoint.
## Working in this repository
- Read `README.md` for the project overview.
- Run the relevant tests after changing code.Specific instructions are more useful than vague requests: “Run npm test before committing” gives Claude an actionable command, while “Test your changes” leaves the method unclear.
When to use rules, imports, or enforcement
Use `.claude/rules/` for path-specific guidance
For a large project, keep general instructions in CLAUDE.md and put guidance that applies only to certain files in .claude/rules/. Path-scoped rules can load when Claude works with matching files, avoiding a single globally loaded file full of unrelated detail.
Use imports to reuse instruction files
In a CLAUDE.md, an @path/to/file reference imports content from another file at launch. Paths may be relative or absolute. Importing content from outside the project can prompt an approval dialog.
Use technical controls when an action must be blocked
A Markdown instruction such as “never run this command” is guidance, not a guarantee. Anthropic documents PreToolUse hooks for blocking actions regardless of Claude’s decision, and managed settings provide technical controls. See the Claude Code CLI reference for command-reference context.
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