CLAUDE.md - Skill Development

What this is

A CLAUDE.md file lives in the root of a Claude Code project. When you run Claude Code in that folder, it reads the file automatically and treats the contents as persistent context - preferences, conventions, guardrails. It's the closest thing Claude Code has to a "system prompt" for that project.

This version is built for projects where you're writing your own Claude skills. It encodes the SKILL.md format, naming conventions, and a clear rule for when something should be a skill versus a prompt or subagent.

Who it's for

✓

Use this if you're writing your own Claude skills and want a consistent SKILL.md format and naming convention.

✓

Use this if you keep building "skills" that turn out to work better as prompts - the decision rules in this file fix that.

✓

Use this if you want a built-in testing workflow so you stop publishing skills that never trigger.

✗

Don't use this if you're using Claude Code for generic projects - grab the Creator Default starter instead.

What's inside

SKILL.md template

The exact structure every skill in your project should follow. Frontmatter, sections, examples.

When to use a skill

Clear decision rules for skill vs. prompt vs. subagent vs. CLAUDE.md instruction.

Naming + design rules

Lowercase hyphenated names, one responsibility per skill, descriptions under 200 characters.

Testing workflow

A 5-step process for confirming a skill actually triggers and produces good output before you ship it.

The file

CLAUDE-skill-development.md

CLAUDE.md - lines

Download as CLAUDE.md Claude Code docs

How to install it

Download the file using the button above. It'll save as CLAUDE.md.

Drop it into the root of your skills project. If a CLAUDE.md already exists, back it up first.

Customise the conventions. The naming and code preferences are mine. Swap them for what your project uses.

Start Claude Code in that folder. The file is read automatically. Now any new skill you write will follow your conventions.

Other CLAUDE.md starters