Claude Project Docs

Create well-crafted, minimal CLAUDE.md files (~60 lines) with progressive disclosure through agent_docs/.

When to Use

Invoke when user:

• Asks to “set up Claude for this project” or “create a CLAUDE.md”
• Wants to “audit” or “improve” their existing CLAUDE.md
• Needs to create agent documentation or progressive disclosure structure
• Says “help Claude understand this codebase”

Core Methodology

The 60-Line Rule

CLAUDE.md goes into EVERY session. Keep it:

• < 60 lines ideal (HumanLayer recommendation)
• < 300 lines absolute maximum
• Universally applicable – no task-specific content

WHAT/WHY/HOW Structure

# Project Name

[One sentence: what this is]

## Tech Stack
- [Framework/Language]
- [Key dependencies]

## Project Structure
[3-5 line overview of directories that matter]

## Development
[Essential commands only - build, test, run]

## Critical Rules
[2-3 non-negotiable constraints]

## Reference Documentation
When working on specific tasks, read:
- `agent_docs/[topic].md`

Progressive Disclosure

Create agent_docs/ for task-specific documentation:

Claude reads these ON DEMAND, not every session.

Anti-Patterns to Prevent

NEVER include in CLAUDE.md:

• Code style rules (use ESLint/Prettier/linters)
• Full command documentation (use agent_docs/)
• Implementation examples (point to actual code)

• 300 lines of content

• Generic boilerplate from /init

Why: LLMs follow ~150-200 instructions reliably. Every unnecessary line degrades compliance.

Workflow

1. Generate New CLAUDE.md

User: Set up Claude for this project
→ Analyze: package.json, pyproject.toml, go.mod, Makefile
→ Generate: Minimal CLAUDE.md (~60 lines)
→ Create: agent_docs/ structure

2. Audit Existing CLAUDE.md

User: Audit my CLAUDE.md
→ Check: Line count, anti-patterns, task-specific content
→ Report: Issues found with severity
→ Suggest: Specific removals and agent_docs/ migrations

3. Create Agent Docs

User: Create agent docs for testing
→ Generate: agent_docs/testing.md with project-specific content
→ Update: CLAUDE.md reference section

Output Format

When generating CLAUDE.md:

1. Show the complete file content
2. Explain what was included and why
3. List what was intentionally excluded
4. Suggest agent_docs/ files to create next

References

For templates and examples:

• references/claude-md-template.md – Minimal starter template
• references/agent-docs-catalog.md – Complete agent_docs file list
• references/anti-patterns.md – Detailed anti-pattern guide
• references/examples/ – Project-type examples

Principle: High leverage documentation. Every line in CLAUDE.md costs context across all sessions.