Keep CLAUDE.md short (under ~200 lines)
CLAUDE.md loads into every session. Bloated files get ignored, so keep only always-relevant facts and move procedures into skills.
CLAUDE.md is loaded at the start of every Claude Code session, so every line costs context, every time.
Anthropic’s guidance
- Aim for under 200 lines, check it into git, give it an owner, and review changes like code.
- For each line ask: “Would removing this cause Claude to make mistakes?” If not, cut it.
- Bloated files make Claude more likely to ignore your real instructions.
Where the rest goes
- Sometimes-relevant workflows → skills, loaded on demand.
- Rules that must always happen → hooks (see our hooks tip).
- File-specific constraints (e.g. “migrations are append-only”) → a path-scoped rule.
Run /context to confirm what actually loaded.