Guide · Agent skill
How to use the CLAUDE.md Writer and Auditor agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The claude-md skill teaches an AI coding agent to write, improve and audit the CLAUDE.md file, a short project guide the agent reads at the start of each session. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it from the ZIP, how to trigger it, and what to check before accepting its drafts. By the end you will be able to get a concise, reviewable CLAUDE.md for an existing repository.
CLAUDE.md Writer and Auditorluongnv89/claude-howto · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Install the skill. Download the ZIP from the skill page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or into .claude/skills/ for one repository. In the Claude apps, upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- 2Open your project. Start Claude Code in the root of the repository you want to document.
- 3Ask for a create, update or audit. Use a plain request such as writing a CLAUDE.md, or auditing the existing one without editing it.
- 4Let the agent analyse the project. The agent checks existing CLAUDE.md files, the tech stack and the README and manifest files before drafting.
- 5Review the draft. Read each line and confirm it applies to every session. Remove style rules, code samples and task instructions.
- 6Verify commands and approve. Run each build, install and test command yourself. Approve the draft so the agent writes the file.
What the claude-md skill makes the agent do
A CLAUDE.md file is loaded into every conversation in a project, so it works as the main onboarding document for an AI agent. The skill's core rule is to keep it short and focused on what applies to every session. The source sets a target of under 200 lines.
Before drafting, the agent checks for existing CLAUDE.md files at the root, in subdirectories and in your user config folder. It then looks at the tech stack, project type and dev tools, and reads README.md, CONTRIBUTING.md and manifest files such as package.json or pyproject.toml. The draft is organised around what the project is, how it is built and tested, and its key gotchas.
- Create: writes a new CLAUDE.md from scratch.
- Update: reviews an existing file, removes style rules, code blocks and task-specific content, and proposes changes.
- Audit: reports on line count, how much content applies to most sessions, anti-patterns found and recommendations. It does not edit the file.
- Scoped path: creates or updates a file for one folder, for example src/api/CLAUDE.md.
What the skill leaves out on purpose
The skill removes content that makes the agent less reliable. It excludes code style rules (it says to use linters such as prettier or eslint instead), long code samples, general good-practice advice, and instructions for specific tasks. Those belong in separate files. For larger projects it suggests an agent_docs/ folder with topic files, and it recommends file:line references rather than pasted code.
Install the claude-md skill
Download the ZIP from the skill page and unzip it. The skill is a folder that contains SKILL.md. To make it available to all your projects, place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/. To limit it to one repository, place it in that project's .claude/skills/ folder.
In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal install: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/ so it is available everywhere.
- Project install: unzip into .claude/skills/ inside the repository.
- Claude apps: upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Trigger the skill with a natural request
You do not need a special command. Describe the job in plain language and name the file if it matters. The skill also accepts the keywords create, update and audit, or a path such as src/api/CLAUDE.md.
The agent is required to read your input before it starts, so a clear request gives a clearer result. Expect it to present a draft and wait for your approval before writing anything.
- "Write a CLAUDE.md for this repo. Check the README and package.json first."
- "Audit our CLAUDE.md and tell me how many lines can be removed. Don't edit it."
- "Update CLAUDE.md: remove formatting rules and move task-specific steps out."
- "Create src/api/CLAUDE.md with the rules that apply only to the API folder."
Review the draft and check the result
Read every line of the draft and ask whether it applies to all sessions. Confirm that each command actually runs, because the skill's checklist requires that commands be verified. Remove anything that duplicates your README.
The source also covers AGENTS.md. Recent Claude Code versions read AGENTS.md directly when no CLAUDE.md is present in the working directory or above it. Where that is not supported, the skill suggests importing AGENTS.md from CLAUDE.md with @AGENTS.md or symlinking the file. Subagents are defined in .claude/agents/*.md, not in AGENTS.md.
- Check the line count against the 200-line target.
- Run each listed build, test and install command yourself.
- Make sure gotchas are written down and style rules are not.
What people use it for
- Onboarding an AI agent onto an existing repository that has no CLAUDE.md yet.
- Trimming a CLAUDE.md that has grown past the 200-line target.
- Adding a scoped CLAUDE.md to a sub-folder such as src/api/.
- Producing a read-only audit report before deciding what to change.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the claude-md skill?
Download the ZIP from the skill page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does the claude-md skill cost money or require a licence?
The skill is published under the MIT licence. The source does not list any price or extra requirement, and it lists no required dependencies.
Does this skill run scripts or use the network?
According to the listing, it runs no scripts and uses no network. It consists of a single SKILL.md file that tells the agent how to write and audit CLAUDE.md.
What is the difference between CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md?
Both are project context files. CLAUDE.md is read by Claude Code, while AGENTS.md is a shared format used by several coding agents. The skill reads AGENTS.md directly in recent Claude Code versions only when no CLAUDE.md is present, and suggests importing or symlinking it otherwise.
Why does the skill say not to auto-generate CLAUDE.md?
The skill treats CLAUDE.md as the highest-leverage part of the AI setup, so it asks for manual writing with careful review. It also warns that long instruction files are less likely to be followed.
Who should not use this skill?
It is not suited to projects that want a long generated instruction file with no review, or to non-developers looking for a general writing tool, since it is specific to agent project configuration.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you are setting up Claude Code or another AI agent on an existing repository and want a short, reviewable CLAUDE.md, or if you need to trim a file that has grown bloated. Skip it if you want a long file generated automatically without review, or if you need a general writing assistant.
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