How to Create a CLAUDE.md File in Claude Code

Description

**In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a CLAUDE.md configuration file in Claude Code to provide guidance and instructions to Claude when using Claude Code.

Why Do This?

To give you more control over how Claude works with your codebase in Claude Code.

🤖 What You’ll Learn:
* What is a CLAUDE.md file?
* Why use CLAUDE.md files?
* How to create CLAUDE.md files
* How to use in a real-world example

**Claude Code Shortcuts:
**
claude (Launch Claude Code)
/init (Create CLAUDE.md File)
# (Add To Memory)

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**Claude Code Best Practices:
**
https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/claude-code-best-practices

**How To Install Claude Code:
**
https://youtu.be/NRF0HoiTSiI?si=asWvpgVPr1QlwI4r

**Obsidian Knowledge Base App:
**
https://obsidian.md/

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Gear I Use:
https://mikemurphy.co/resources

**To try or buy Adobe After Effects CC 2025:
**https://mikemurphy.co/adobe (affiliate link)

**Terrapin Textures:
**https://terrapintextures.com

⭕️ **Check out my Domestika Course on Adobe Audition:
**https://mikemurphy.co/domestika

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✅ **Chapters:
**00:00 Intro: About The Tutorial

00:21 What You Will Learn
00:41 What is CLAUDE.md?
01:10 Sample CLAUDE.md File
01:42 Why Use CLAUDE.md?
02:35 How To Create CLAUDE.md Files
02:47 Open Obsidian Vault in Terminal
03:10 Run Claude Code
03:31 Tips For Getting Started
03:56 Run /INIT Command
04:30 Creating CLAUDE.md File
05:18 Save CLAUDE.md File
06:02 Review & Edit CLAUDE.md File
06:31 Adding Additional Rules
06:48 Have Claude Code Add to CLAUDE.md File
07:12 Pro Tip: Add To Memory (#)
08:20 Best Practices: Claude Code
08:39 No Required Format for CLAUDE.md
09:00 Place CLAUDE.md Files
09:45 Place in Home Folder
10:16 User vs Project Memory
10:40 Recap: Outro
11:28 Manually Creating CLAUDE.md File

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🪜 How to Create a CLAUDE.md File in Claude Code

1. Open A Directory (Folder) in Terminal (Mac) or Command Line (Win)
2. Select a Folder in FInder
3. Right-Click and go to Services
4. Select ‘New Terminal At Folder’
5. Enter ‘Claude’ in Terminal to launch Claude Code
6. Enter /init to create CLAUDE.md file
7. Commit changes by tapping the number 2 (Yes, allow all edits during this session)
8. Tap Return
9. Go to Directory/Folder in Finder to locate CLAUDE.md file
10. Open CLAUDE.md File in Typora or Markdown editor to manually edit or modify
11. Ask Claude to add to CLAUDE.md file
12. Or, enter # to add to Project Memory (CLAUDE.md)
13. Tap Exit To leave Claude Code