claude-md-author
Installation
SKILL.md
CLAUDE.md Authoring Guide
This skill guides the creation of effective CLAUDE.md files that provide Claude with essential project context.
Core Principle
LLMs are stateless—they have no memory between sessions. The only thing Claude knows about a codebase is the tokens provided to it. CLAUDE.md enters every conversation, making it the primary tool for context management.
The WHAT-WHY-HOW Framework
Structure CLAUDE.md content around three categories:
| Category | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| WHAT | Technology stack, project structure, codebase organization | "This is a Next.js app using TypeScript and Prisma" |
| WHY | Project purpose, component functions | "The auth module handles OAuth2 flow for enterprise SSO" |
| HOW | Commands, testing procedures, verification methods | "Run npm test before commits; lint with npm run lint" |