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Keep short, project-wide instructions in CLAUDE.md, put specialist guidance in .claude/rules/, and use path-scoped rules for instructions that apply only to particular files. Use @path imports when supporting material should load at session start—but remember that imported content still uses context. Verify what Claude Code loads with /context.
Choose a file based on who needs the guidance and when
Claude Code provides several places for instructions and memory. The useful distinctions are their scope, when they load, who maintains them, and how much context they consume.
| Mechanism | Best fit | Loading behavior | Who maintains it |
|---|---|---|---|
./CLAUDE.md or ./.claude/CLAUDE.md |
Stable guidance shared by the project team | Loaded as project context at launch | Project contributors |
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md |
Personal preferences that should apply across projects | Applies across projects | You |
| Managed policy files | Organization-wide instructions administered by IT or DevOps | Set at the organization level | IT or DevOps |
CLAUDE.local.md |
Private preferences for one project worktree | Project-local; it exists only in the worktree where created | You; gitignore it |
.claude/rules/ |
Topic-specific instructions, optionally limited to matching paths | Unscoped rules load unconditionally; path-scoped rules apply when Claude uses matching files | Project contributors |
| Auto memory | Learnings and patterns Claude records, such as corrections or preferences | Loads at the start of each conversation, limited to the first 200 lines or 25KB | Claude; inspect it to keep it useful |
For a project’s shared, dependable rules, use version-controlled project instructions. Personal and organization-wide guidance belong in their respective scopes. Keep automatic notes distinct from deliberate project policy. See the official Claude Code memory documentation for the current file options and behavior.
Keep the root CLAUDE.md concise and broadly useful
Put stable facts that matter across tasks in the project’s root CLAUDE.md: architecture, naming conventions, code standards, build and test commands, and common workflows. Avoid turning it into a collection of long procedures or instructions for only one directory; those details make every session carry context it may not need.
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Claude Code’s documentation recommends keeping each CLAUDE.md under 200 lines. That is product guidance, not a guarantee of adherence: concise, concrete instructions are easier to use than broad requests. For example, name a specific test command rather than saying only “test the code.” Instructions provide context, not hard enforcement; use settings for controls such as blocking tools or commands. The official guidance puts it this way: “The more specific and concise your instructions, the more consistently Claude follows them.”
Move specialist guidance into .claude/rules/
For larger projects, divide instructions by topic in .claude/rules/. Descriptive names such as testing.md, api-design.md, and security.md make the intended scope clear. Rules can also be nested in subdirectories.
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Use an unscoped rule for genuinely universal guidance
A rule without a paths field loads unconditionally. Use this only when the instruction is relevant across the project; otherwise it adds context to unrelated work.
Use path frontmatter for file-specific instructions
Add paths frontmatter when a rule should apply only to matching files. Claude Code’s documentation says these rules trigger when Claude uses Read, Write, or Edit on a matching file. This works well when a clear file boundary separates a concern, such as API conventions from other project code. Avoid overly broad patterns: they can make specialist notes load far more often than intended.
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project/
├── CLAUDE.md
└── .claude/
├── rules/
│ ├── testing.md
│ ├── security.md
│ └── api.md
└── skills/This is an illustrative layout, not a required directory structure. Use skills for task-specific procedures that need to be available when relevant rather than in context all the time.
Understand imports and nested files before relying on them
Use an @path/to/file import in a CLAUDE.md to keep supporting material in a separate file while making it available at launch. Relative paths resolve from the file containing the import; absolute paths are also supported. Imports can recurse up to four hops.
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An import is an organization tool, not a way to reduce context use: imported content expands into context at launch. If guidance should appear only for work on certain files, use path-scoped rules instead. Also note that imports inside Markdown code spans or fenced code blocks are not evaluated, paths with spaces need escaped spaces, and external imports from project-level files require an approval dialog.
Loading differs for nested CLAUDE.md files. Files in the current directory and its ancestors load at launch, with ancestor instructions appearing before more specific working-directory instructions. Claude Code discovers files in subdirectories, but includes them when Claude reads files in those subdirectories rather than automatically loading them at launch. This lets you keep directory-specific context near the code it governs.
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Use auto memory for accumulated learnings, not core project rules
Authored CLAUDE.md files express instructions and rules; auto memory records learnings and patterns Claude accumulates, such as corrections or preferences. Both are described as loading at the start of each conversation, but auto memory’s loaded portion is limited to its first 200 lines or 25KB. Put deliberate, team-relevant policy in version-controlled project instructions, and review automatic notes so outdated or irrelevant entries do not linger.
Verify what Claude Code actually loads
- Start Claude Code from the project directory and enter
/contextto inspect loaded memory files. - Enter
/memoryto inspect or edit memory files. - If the project has no starting guidance file, run
/initto create a projectCLAUDE.mdby analyzing the codebase, then refine it with project-specific guidance Claude could not infer. - To check for stale or contradictory instructions, run
/doctor prompt-audit. The CLI reference says this audit requires Claude Code v2.1.283 or later.
These commands and current loading details are documented in the official Claude Code CLI reference. If a rule appears missing, first check whether it is nested or path-scoped: either may be intentionally absent at launch.
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