What to Put in Your CLAUDE.md: The Six Sections

A CLAUDE.md file that is too vague is almost useless. A file that says "you are a helpful AI assistant" tells Claude nothing it does not already know.

A CLAUDE.md file that is too long is also a problem. Everything you write goes into Claude's working memory. If the file is enormous, it takes up space that could be used for actual work.

The goal is to write a CLAUDE.md that is specific, compact, and covers everything Claude actually needs to know.

The best CLAUDE.md files cover six areas. Here they are with practical examples written for people who are building products, not coding for large tech companies.

Section 1: About This Project

Tell Claude what you are building and who it is for. This is the single most important section. Without it, Claude is guessing.

Include what the project is in one or two sentences, who the target audience is, what the main goal is, and what stage it is at.

Example:

About This Project

This is a portfolio website for a freelance interior designer based in London. Target audience: potential clients who want home renovation and interior design services. Goal: generate enquiries and showcase previous projects. Currently: homepage, about page, and gallery are complete. Working on the contact page.

Section 2: What Has Already Been Built

Claude cannot see your files unless you specifically ask it to read them. If you do not tell it what is already done, it might try to build things that already exist or make changes that conflict with what is there.

Include a short list of what files or sections exist, what is working and what is not, and anything Claude should not touch or rebuild.

Example:

What Is Already Built

index.html: homepage, complete, do not change the layout.

about.html: about page, complete.

gallery.html: photo gallery, complete.

style.css: all styles for the above pages.

/images/: folder with all photography.

Currently Working On

contact.html: not started yet.

Section 3: Tech and Tools

Tell Claude exactly what you are using. "A website" is not enough. "A plain HTML and CSS website with no JavaScript and no frameworks" is the kind of specificity that prevents Claude from adding something unwanted.

Include what languages or tools are being used, what is NOT being used (this is just as important), and any specific versions if you know them.

Example:

Tech and Tools

Plain HTML5 and CSS3 only.

No JavaScript unless I specifically ask.

No CSS frameworks such as Bootstrap or Tailwind.

No external fonts, use system fonts only.

No build tools, no npm, no package managers.

Section 4: Preferences and Style

This section covers how you want things to look and how you want Claude to behave. For non-developers this is one of the most valuable sections because it prevents Claude from defaulting to developer-style choices.

Include visual preferences, code preferences, communication preferences, and any specific design decisions already made.

Example:

Preferences and Style

Keep all code simple and readable. I am not a developer.

Prefer simple solutions over complex ones every time.

Dark background preferred for all pages, dark navy or black.

All colours should match the brand: dark navy #0d1b2a, white #ffffff, gold #c9a84c.

Explain what you are doing in plain language before you do it.

If there are multiple ways to do something, tell me the simplest one.

Section 5: How to Work With Me

This section describes your preferred working process with Claude. It prevents misalignment before it happens.

Include how much autonomy Claude should take, when Claude should ask versus just act, how you want to review changes, and any workflow preferences.

Example:

How to Work With Me

Always tell me what you are about to do before doing it.

Make one change at a time unless I specifically ask for a large update.

If something seems ambiguous, ask me rather than assume.

Do not add features I did not ask for.

If you are unsure whether a change might break something else, warn me first.

Section 6: Boundaries (What Claude Should Never Do)

This is the section most people skip and it is the one that saves you from the most painful moments.

Boundaries tell Claude what it must never do regardless of context. Think about the worst things that could happen in your project and write rules to prevent them.

Include files or folders Claude must never modify or delete, actions that require your explicit approval, and things Claude should never add without being asked.

Example:

Boundaries: Never Do These Without Asking

Never delete any files.

Never remove code that is already working to clean it up.

Never add JavaScript without my explicit request.

Never modify the /images/ folder or any image files.

Never change colours or fonts without showing me the change first.

Never install packages, tools, or libraries without my approval.

A complete example

Here is a full CLAUDE.md for a non-developer building a small business website. Use this as a reference for what yours should look like when it is complete.

Salt and Pepper Restaurant Website

About This Project

Website for a high-end restaurant in Lahore, Pakistan. Target audience: affluent families and professionals looking for a premium dining experience. Goal: attract reservations and communicate the brand quality. Status: homepage and menu page are complete. Building the reservations section now.

What Is Already Built

index.html: homepage, complete, do not change layout.

menu.html: food and drinks menu, complete.

style.css: all styles, complete for existing pages.

/images/: all restaurant photography.

Tech and Tools

Plain HTML5 and CSS3 only. No JavaScript unless I specifically ask. No frameworks, no libraries, no external fonts. System fonts only.

Preferences and Style

I am not a developer. Keep explanations simple and short. Design direction: dark, elegant, premium feel. Brand colours: deep charcoal #1a1a1a, white #ffffff, warm gold #b5883c. Clean whitespace, nothing cluttered. Simple is always better than complex.

How to Work With Me

Tell me what you plan to do before doing it. Make one change at a time. If something is unclear, ask me. Do not add things I did not request.

Boundaries

Never delete files. Never change colours without asking first. Never add JavaScript without my explicit request. Never touch the /images/ folder. Never clean up working code without telling me first.

How long should your CLAUDE.md be?

Aim for under 100 lines for a typical project. Long enough to be genuinely useful. Short enough that every line earns its place.

A 2,000-line CLAUDE.md is a problem. It uses up Claude's working memory on instructions rather than actual work.

Write what Claude genuinely needs to know and nothing more.

Your action right now

Open your CLAUDE.md file from the last lesson. Fill in all six sections using the examples above as a guide. Write them for your actual project or for the portfolio page you built in the Foundations course.

Do not aim for perfect. Aim for honest and specific.

If you are not sure what to write in any section, post in the community and tag Yar Malik with your question.