CLAUDE.md Writer

Write CLAUDE.md files that Claude Code actually follows. Every line must earn its place — CLAUDE.md loads every conversation turn, consuming context window tokens each time.

How CC Loads CLAUDE.md

CLAUDE.md is delivered as a user message after the system prompt — advisory context, not enforced configuration. Adherence degrades with file length and conflicting rules.

Loading order (lowest → highest priority):

1. Managed policy (/Library/Application Support/ClaudeCode/CLAUDE.md) — org-wide, cannot exclude
2. User global (~/.claude/CLAUDE.md + ~/.claude/rules/)
3. Project walkup — from working dir upward: ./CLAUDE.md + ./.claude/CLAUDE.md + ./.claude/rules/ at each level
4. Local (./CLAUDE.local.md) — personal, not git-tracked
5. Additional dirs (via CLAUDE_CODE_ADDITIONAL_DIRECTORIES_CLAUDE_MD env var)

Subdirectory CLAUDE.md files lazy-load when Claude touches files in that directory.

Compaction: CLAUDE.md survives /compact — re-read from disk and re-injected. Conversation-only instructions are lost.