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Agent instruction guide

Review CLAUDE.md for Token Waste

Find vague, repeated, or unused CLAUDE.md instructions that cost tokens every Claude Code turn without improving behavior.

Direct answer

To review a CLAUDE.md for token waste, look for generic rules, repeated advice, long explanations that do not change behavior, stale project notes, and instructions that are already enforced by tooling. Keep commands, repo boundaries, concrete do-not-do rules, and workflow constraints; delete or shorten anything that only sounds helpful.

Open CLAUDE.md Reviewer

When to use this

  • Your CLAUDE.md has grown over many sessions.
  • Claude Code responses are slower or more verbose than expected.
  • The file contains generic rules such as be careful, write good code, or think step by step.

Steps

  1. Paste the full CLAUDE.md into the reviewer.
  2. Mark generic rules that do not change agent behavior.
  3. Deduplicate repeated style, testing, and safety instructions.
  4. Keep concrete commands, repo boundaries, and file ownership rules.
  5. Commit the smaller file and watch whether agent behavior stays stable.

Example review focus

CLAUDE.md excerpt
# CLAUDE.md

## Rules
- Always write high-quality code.
- Be careful and thoughtful.
- Use best practices.
- Think step by step.
- Explain clearly but be concise.

## Project
This is a TypeScript app.
What to fix
Keep the project and commands. Remove generic behavior rules that apply to every repo. Replace them with concrete instructions such as `npm run lint` before final, use `apply_patch` for edits, and do not modify generated files unless the task requires it.

Common mistakes

  • Do not delete commands or repo boundaries just because they are long.
  • Do not keep motivational rules that cannot be verified.
  • Do not optimize only for token count if the remaining file becomes ambiguous.

FAQ

What counts as token waste in CLAUDE.md?
Repeated rules, generic advice, stale project history, and long explanations that do not change what the agent should do are usually token waste.
Should CLAUDE.md be as short as possible?
No. It should be as short as it can be while still carrying the project-specific commands, boundaries, and behavior rules the agent needs.
How often should I review it?
Review it after major workflow changes, new deploy targets, new test commands, or any period where agents keep making the same mistake.

Related CLAUDE.md guides

CLAUDE.md Missing Commands Checklist

Check whether a CLAUDE.md includes the build, test, lint, dev server, deploy, and verification commands an agent needs before editing.

CLAUDE.md Repo Boundaries and Rules

Write CLAUDE.md rules that tell agents which files to edit, which files to avoid, and how to handle dirty worktrees safely.

Review CLAUDE.md Before Converting to AGENTS.md

Clean a CLAUDE.md first, then convert it into AGENTS.md, Cursor rules, GitHub Copilot instructions, or Windsurf rules.

What Should Go in a CLAUDE.md File

Decide what belongs in CLAUDE.md and what belongs in the README, a path-scoped rule, or a skill. One test per line, applied to a real file.

Claude Code Is Not Following CLAUDE.md — How to Fix It

Diagnose why Claude Code ignores your CLAUDE.md: the file never loaded, the rule is vague, two files contradict, or the rule needs a hook instead.

CLAUDE.md vs .claude/rules vs Skills — Which File Owns What

Route each instruction to the right file: always-loaded CLAUDE.md, path-scoped .claude/rules/, or on-demand skills. One question decides it.

CLAUDE.md Best Practices Checklist — Audit Your File Against 8 Rules

Run your CLAUDE.md through eight checks: size, specificity, exact commands, anti-patterns, structure, contradictions, enforcement, and staleness.

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