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Save a repeat correction as a short, testable instruction in a persistent place your coding assistant actually loads. Scope it to the project or files where it applies, then confirm it is available in a fresh session. Instructions improve continuity, but they are guidance—not a guarantee. For requirements that must be enforced, use the assistant or editor’s supported permissions, hooks, or policy controls.
How do you turn a repeated mistake into a reusable rule?
- Describe the condition. Say when the rule applies, such as when editing a particular part of the project.
- State the required behavior. Replace “don’t do that again” with a concrete instruction the assistant can follow.
- Give a way to verify it. Specify the check that should show whether the correction was followed, such as a project validation command or a reviewable code change.
- Save the rule where it will persist. Choose the assistant’s supported instruction or memory feature, rather than relying on the old conversation to carry over.
For example, instead of writing “use the right tests,” document which validation command applies and when to run it. Keep stable project knowledge—architecture, conventions, and verified commands—rather than storing a transcript of the correction. Claude Code recommends recording guidance when it repeats a mistake or you have to repeat a correction from a previous session.
Where should the instruction live?
Use the narrowest durable scope that matches who needs the rule and where it applies. A team convention belongs in a repository-level instruction file supported by the tool. A personal preference belongs in a personal settings or memory feature. A rule for only certain files should go in path-specific instructions if available.
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- Path-specific: Use for guidance that matters only when working in particular directories or file types.
- Personal memory or settings: Use for individual preferences or personal context, rather than team policy.
- On-demand procedures: Keep occasional workflows out of always-loaded instructions when the assistant offers a separate mechanism.
Product filenames and discovery rules differ, so verify the mechanism for the assistant and session mode you use.
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How do the main assistants handle persistent guidance?
Claude Code
Anthropic says, “Each Claude Code session begins with a fresh context window.” Claude Code distinguishes human-maintained CLAUDE.md instructions from assistant-maintained auto memory, which can preserve learnings and patterns. It also supports multiple instruction scopes and rules in .claude/rules/, including path-specific rules. The documented default auto-memory loading limit is the first 200 lines or 25KB. Keep always-loaded guidance concise and concrete; those limits and features are product-specific, so check the documentation for your installed version and configuration.
Claude Code documents AGENTS.md support with version and configuration qualifications. Do not assume the file is loaded without checking your setup. For auditing, its documentation describes /context to check loaded files and /doctor prompt-audit on supported versions.
GitHub Copilot
GitHub documents repository-wide custom instructions, path-specific instruction files, and AGENTS.md agent instructions. Its onboarding guidance recommends covering the repository’s purpose, layout, architecture, and build and validation steps, while keeping instructions task-independent. GitHub’s guidance proposes a two-page maximum for generated repository instructions; that is a vendor recommendation, not a universal size limit. GitHub also documents controls for reviewing and managing stored Copilot memories.
VS Code
VS Code supports reusable Markdown custom instructions in multiple file types, but discovery depends on the active agent. The documentation distinguishes the Local agent from Agent Host harnesses. Check which agent is running before expecting a particular instruction file to load.
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How can you verify the rule carries into a new session?
- Start a fresh session in the assistant and mode you normally use.
- Check the product’s loaded context, instruction list, or memory view for the saved rule. For Claude Code,
/contextis documented for checking loaded files. - Give the assistant a task that would trigger the correction, then review whether it follows the rule and the specified verification step.
- Remove outdated or conflicting guidance. Overlapping instructions can make behavior unpredictable.
- Recheck current product documentation before relying on a particular command or feature, since availability can depend on version and configuration.
When are instructions not enough?
Persistent instructions shape model behavior; they do not by themselves block an action. If a mistake could cause a serious or unacceptable outcome, use a client-enforced control where the product provides one—such as permissions, hooks, or policy settings—so the restriction does not depend solely on the assistant interpreting guidance correctly.
There is no basis for treating saved instructions as a guarantee that an assistant will stop repeating a mistake. Use them to carry forward useful context, verify that they load, and reserve enforcement controls for requirements that must hold regardless of model judgment.
Quick Recap
Official documentation
- Anthropic: How Claude remembers your project
- GitHub: Adding repository custom instructions for GitHub Copilot
- Microsoft: Use custom instructions in VS Code
- GitHub: Managing Copilot Memory
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