Claude Code Project Guide

Automatically provide intelligent, context-aware guidance to Claude Code when working with repositories that contain CLAUDE.md instruction files.

Description

This skill enables Claude Code to read and interpret CLAUDE.md files in repositories, providing instant context about project architecture, setup instructions, coding conventions, and best practices. It helps Claude understand how to work effectively with the codebase without requiring repeated explanations.

Instructions

When you encounter a repository or the user asks about project setup, architecture, or conventions:

1. **Check for CLAUDE.md file**

- Look in the repository root for a file named `CLAUDE.md` (case-insensitive)

- Also check for variants: `.claude.md`, `CLAUDE.md`, `claude.md`

2. **Read and parse the file**

- Use the Read tool to load the complete CLAUDE.md contents

- Parse the structure to identify key sections:

- Project Overview/Description

- Setup/Installation instructions

- Architecture/Structure

- Running/Testing commands

- Coding conventions

- Data structures

- Export formats

- Dependencies

- Any TODO or important notes

3. **Apply the guidance**

- Use the parsed information to inform all subsequent interactions

- When suggesting code changes, follow the documented architecture

- When running commands, use the documented patterns

- When explaining code, reference the documented structure

- Respect any constraints mentioned (e.g., "no build tools required")

4. **Surface relevant context proactively**

- When the user asks "how do I run this?", cite the CLAUDE.md instructions

- When suggesting changes, explain how they fit the documented architecture

- If the user's request conflicts with CLAUDE.md guidance, point this out respectfully

5. **Handle missing or incomplete CLAUDE.md files**

- If no CLAUDE.md exists, proceed with standard code analysis

- If CLAUDE.md is incomplete, supplement with code inspection

- Suggest improvements to CLAUDE.md when gaps are noticed

Example Usage

**User:** "How do I run this Color System Playground project?"

**Claude Code:**

**User:** "Can you help me understand the color transformation logic?"

**Claude Code:**

Important Notes