Build Your First CLAUDE.md in 5 Minutes
The single most important thing you can do with Claude Code. Create the file that turns it from generic to personalized.
A CLAUDE.md file is like a briefing doc for Claude. It tells Claude who you are, what your project is, and how you like to work. Without it, Claude starts every conversation from scratch. With it, Claude already knows the deal. Let's build one.
Get to your starting point
Pick any project you're working on, a side project, a work repo, anything. We just need to get Claude looking at the right place.
cd ~/my-projectGenerate your CLAUDE.md
In the terminal, one command does it all. In the app or IDE, you describe your project and Claude writes it for you.
claude /initOpen the generated CLAUDE.md
Take a look at what Claude created. It should have your project name, the tech stack it detected, build commands, and some basic context. This is your starting point.
cat CLAUDE.mdAdd your communication preferences
This is what separates a good CLAUDE.md from a great one. Tell Claude how you like to work. Are you a senior dev who wants terse answers? A beginner who wants explanations? Add a section for it.
# Add this to the bottom of your CLAUDE.md
## Communication Preferences
- Be concise. Skip the preamble.
- When I ask for code, give me the code first, explanation second.
- Use TypeScript. Never suggest JavaScript alternatives.
- When fixing bugs, show me the root cause before the fix.
- Don't ask "would you like me to...". Just do it.Test it and see the difference
Now start Claude Code and give it a prompt. Notice how it already knows your stack, your build commands, and your preferences. No more explaining yourself.
claude "add a dark mode toggle to the header"Tell someone what you built
Pre-filled post, ready to go. Edit it before you post.
Just finished "Build Your First CLAUDE.md in 5 Minutes" on Claude Code Guide in 5 min. No coding needed. Claude does the work, you steer. 👇 Free tutorial: https://claudecodeguide.dev/tutorials/your-first-claude-md
What's next?
Read the full CLAUDE.md guideNew guides, when they ship
One email, roughly weekly. CLAUDE.md templates, workflows I actually use, and the cut-for-length stuff that does not make the public guides. One-click unsubscribe.
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