The claude.md File That Gives Claude Instant Context
A free guide by Kamran Imam — Instagram · TikTok · YouTube
Every time you open a fresh chat, Claude starts from zero — it doesn’t know who you are, what you’re working on, or how you like things done. A claude.md file fixes that. It’s one plain-text file you keep in a folder Claude can read, and it loads your context before you type a word. Build it once, and every chat starts smart. Below is the full template — copy it, fill in the brackets, and save it as claude.md.
How to use it
- Make a folder on your computer named claude-context.
- Inside it, create a file named claude.md.
- Paste the template below and replace every [bracket] with your real details.
- In Cowork, point Claude at the folder. In Projects, paste the file into project knowledge. Either way, Claude reads it automatically.
- Update it every few months — your work changes, the file should too.
The template (copy this)
# claude.md ## Who I am - Name: [full name, and what people call you] - Location / time zone: [city, TZ, when you actually start work] - Role: [title] — day-to-day I actually [what you really do] - Stage: [junior / senior / founder / pivoting / learning X] ## What I'm working on - Project 1: [name] — phase: [building/launching], next milestone: [date] - Project 2: [name] — phase: [...], blocker: [...] - Last updated: [date] ## How I think - Decision style: [data / gut / consensus] - Non-negotiables: [2–3 things you won't compromise on] - A view I'd defend: [a specific opinion, not "I value clarity"] ## How I communicate - Tone: [casual / formal; when it shifts] - Phrases I use: [3 real phrases you actually say] - Phrases that make me cringe (never use): [e.g. "circle back", "let's unpack", "I hope this finds you well"] - Format default: [bullets / prose / tables] ## How I want Claude to work with me - Plan first or ship first: [pick one, and when to switch] - Ask clarifying questions, or assume and go: [pick] - Response length: [tight & scannable / thorough] — pick one, they're opposites - When to push back: [always / big decisions only / never] - Hedges to never use: ["As an AI...", "Great question!", "It's important to note..."] ## What's off-limits - Topics Claude shouldn't weigh in on unprompted: [...] - Facts Claude must always verify before stating: [stats, titles, dates] - Details that never go in public drafts: [names, address, employer]
Why each section earns its place
- Who I am / What I’m working on stops Claude from guessing and giving generic answers.
- How I think / communicate is what makes Claude sound like you, not a chatbot — the cringe-phrase list does more work than anything else here.
- How I want Claude to work with me turns it from an eager assistant into a collaborator that matches your speed.
- Off-limits is the fastest way to kill the “every other AI” tone.
Keep it to one page. A tight file Claude actually uses beats a long one it drowns in.
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