Skip to content
Get packs

CLAUDE.md Authoring Guide

Creates or audits a CLAUDE.md project instruction file so AI agents onboard quickly to a codebase

Source Download skill
Repository
luongnv89/claude-howto
Stars
46,401
Licence
MIT
Files
1 file

What it does

This skill teaches an AI coding agent how to write a CLAUDE.md file, the short instruction file an agent reads at the start of every session in a project. Once installed, the agent analyzes your project, drafts a concise file covering tech stack, commands, and non-obvious conventions, and shows it to you for approval before saving. It can also audit an existing CLAUDE.md against best practices (around 200 lines or fewer, no style rules, no code snippets) and report problems without changing anything.

Great for

  • Developers setting up Claude Code or another agent in a new repository
  • Teams whose existing CLAUDE.md has grown long, duplicated or outdated and needs trimming
  • Monorepo maintainers who want clear per-directory instruction files

Skip it if

  • Non-developers or projects without a codebase, since the guidance assumes build, test and package tooling
  • Anyone expecting it to auto-generate a full file without review, which the skill itself advises against
  • Teams that want the agent to enforce code style; the skill says style belongs in linters like prettier or eslint

Try asking

  • “Create a CLAUDE.md for this repository”
  • “Audit my current CLAUDE.md and report its line count and anti-patterns without changing it”
  • “Update the CLAUDE.md to remove style rules and duplicated README content”
  • “Create a src/api/CLAUDE.md with directory-specific instructions”
Step-by-step guide: how to use CLAUDE.md Authoring GuideInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 1 original files, the MIT licence and an attribution note.

    claude-md.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip claude-md.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip claude-md.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Run the audit mode first to see what is wrong before asking for changes
  • Review the drafted file carefully, since the skill asks for human approval before writing
  • Verify any commands the file lists actually run, as the skill itself requires

What's inside

  • SKILL.md

Redistributed unmodified from luongnv89/claude-howto under the MIT licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.