𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗘.𝗺𝗱 𝗔𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆
Stop losing time when you restart coding sessions.
One developer found that reopening a project without a CLAUDE.md file cost them up to 15 minutes of mental effort. They had to figure out where they left off. After creating a structured CLAUDE.md, that time dropped to under 1 minute.
CLAUDE.md acts as your external working memory. Claude Code reads this file automatically at the start of every session. You do not need to paste it or remind the AI it exists. It just works.
You should use two files:
- ./CLAUDE.md in your project root. Use this for project rules like your tech stack and coding conventions.
- ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md for global rules. Use this for things that apply to every project, like your preferred writing voice.
Mental energy is limited. Interruptions like Slack messages or emails clear your mental scratchpad. When you return, you waste time rebuilding your context. CLAUDE.md moves that scratchpad from your head into a file.
It solves four main problems:
- It remembers your tech stack so you do not re-explain it.
- It remembers your conventions so you stop deciding the same naming rules.
- It remembers your voice so the output sounds like you.
- It remembers your current task so you know exactly where to start.
Create a CLAUDE.md file in your project root with these four headers:
Project Name
Stack
- List your tools here.
Voice
- List how you want the AI to write.
Gotchas
- List mistakes to avoid.
Current checkpoint
- Last task completed.
- Next task to do.
- Anything blocking you.
The Current checkpoint header is the most important. It tells Claude exactly where you are. When you open a session, Claude reads the checkpoint and tells you the next step immediately.
To set this up:
- Run touch CLAUDE.md in your project root.
- Add the four headers above.
- Fill in what you know.
- Create a global file at ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md for your personal preferences.
Every time Claude asks a question you wish it already knew, write that answer in the file. The file improves every time you use it.
Keep it updated. An old CLAUDE.md file provides wrong information. Update the file as soon as you change your tech stack or workflow.
Source: https://dev.to/gentic_news/use-claudemd-as-external-working-memory-5f01
İsteğe bağlı öğrenme topluluğu: https://t.me/GyaanSetuAi