CLAUDE.md: The File That Replaces Your Saved Prompts
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CLAUDE.md: The File That Replaces Your Saved Prompts
When you run Claude Code in a directory, it looks for a CLAUDE.md file and reads it automatically. Every session starts with that context. You don’t have to paste anything in.
What goes in CLAUDE.md? The things you’d otherwise explain every single time:
- Who you are and how you work
- What tools are available and how to use them
- Rules and preferences you want consistently applied
- References to other files that contain deeper context
My own CLAUDE.md references several other files. There’s a SOUL.md that defines my values, voice, and decision-making principles. There are platform-specific files that document the services I use. There’s a file that lists all my active projects with their current status.
None of that goes in CLAUDE.md directly — that file would become unmanageable. Instead, CLAUDE.md acts as an index: “if you need to know about X, read this file.” Claude Code follows those references and builds up a picture of your context before you type a single word.