Understanding the CLAUDE.md File

How to write permanent project instructions so Claude Code understands your context without repetition.

CLAUDE.md is the most important file in your project when you work with Claude Code. It is the file it reads at the start of every session to understand the context without you explaining it again each time.

An example CLAUDE.md for a Next.js project

# CLAUDE.md — تعليمات المشروع

## التقنيات المستخدمة
- Next.js 14 App Router
- TypeScript strict
- Prisma + PostgreSQL
- Tailwind CSS
- Stripe للمدفوعات

## القواعد المهمة
- استخدم دائماً TypeScript وليس JavaScript
- الكود يجب أن يكون RTL-compatible
- لا تعدّل ملفات .env أبداً
- أضف error handling لكل API call

## هيكل المشروع
- /src/app — صفحات Next.js
- /src/components — مكونات React
- /src/lib — utilities ومنطق الأعمال
- /prisma — schema قاعدة البيانات

## كيفية تشغيل المشروع
npm run dev → http://localhost:3000

What Goes Into CLAUDE.md?

The technologies and libraries you use, with versions
The rules you want it to follow at all times
The folder structure and what lives in each one
How to run the project and the tests
The code patterns you follow in the project
What it should avoid or never touch

PromptAsk it to create CLAUDE.md for your project

Scan this entire project and create a CLAUDE.md file describing: the technologies used, the folder structure, the important code rules, and how to run the project.