5 minbeginner

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.

Open your terminal and navigate to any project

Pick any project folder you're working on. It could be a side project, a work repo, anything. We just need a directory to work in.

bash

cd ~/my-project

Navigate to your project

Run claude /init

This is the magic command. Claude will scan your project structure, figure out your stack, and generate a CLAUDE.md file tailored to what it finds.

bash

claude /init

Claude scans your project

Open 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.

bash

cat CLAUDE.md

What your CLAUDE.md looks like

Add 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.

markdown

# 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.

Your personalized CLAUDE.md

Test it — 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.

bash

claude "add a dark mode toggle to the header"

Claude knows your project now

What's next?

Read the full CLAUDE.md guide

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