claude-md-improver

CLAUDE.md Improver

Audit, evaluate, and improve CLAUDE.md files across a codebase to ensure Claude Code has optimal project context.

This skill can write to CLAUDE.md files. After presenting a quality report and getting user approval, it updates CLAUDE.md files with targeted improvements.

Workflow Phase 1: Discovery

Find all CLAUDE.md files in the repository:

find . -name "CLAUDE.md" -o -name ".claude.md" -o -name ".claude.local.md" 2>/dev/null | head -50

File Types & Locations:

Type Location Purpose Project root ./CLAUDE.md Primary project context (checked into git, shared with team) Local overrides ./.claude.local.md Personal/local settings (gitignored, not shared) Global defaults ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md User-wide defaults across all projects Package-specific ./packages/*/CLAUDE.md Module-level context in monorepos Subdirectory Any nested location Feature/domain-specific context

Note: Claude auto-discovers CLAUDE.md files in parent directories, making monorepo setups work automatically.

Phase 2: Quality Assessment

For each CLAUDE.md file, evaluate against quality criteria. See references/quality-criteria.md for detailed rubrics.

Quick Assessment Checklist:

Criterion Weight Check Commands/workflows documented High Are build/test/deploy commands present? Architecture clarity High Can Claude understand the codebase structure? Non-obvious patterns Medium Are gotchas and quirks documented? Conciseness Medium No verbose explanations or obvious info? Currency High Does it reflect current codebase state? Actionability High Are instructions executable, not vague?

Quality Scores:

A (90-100): Comprehensive, current, actionable B (70-89): Good coverage, minor gaps C (50-69): Basic info, missing key sections D (30-49): Sparse or outdated F (0-29): Missing or severely outdated Phase 3: Quality Report Output

ALWAYS output the quality report BEFORE making any updates.

Format:

CLAUDE.md Quality Report

Summary

• Files found: X
• Average score: X/100
• Files needing update: X

File-by-File Assessment

1. ./CLAUDE.md (Project Root)

Score: XX/100 (Grade: X)

Issues: - [List specific problems]

Recommended additions: - [List what should be added]

2. ./packages/api/CLAUDE.md (Package-specific)

...

Phase 4: Targeted Updates

After outputting the quality report, ask user for confirmation before updating.

Update Guidelines (Critical):

Propose targeted additions only - Focus on genuinely useful info:

Commands or workflows discovered during analysis Gotchas or non-obvious patterns found in code Package relationships that weren't clear Testing approaches that work Configuration quirks

Keep it minimal - Avoid:

Restating what's obvious from the code Generic best practices already covered One-off fixes unlikely to recur Verbose explanations when a one-liner suffices

Show diffs - For each change, show:

Which CLAUDE.md file to update The specific addition (as a diff or quoted block) Brief explanation of why this helps future sessions

Diff Format:

Update: ./CLAUDE.md

Why: Build command was missing, causing confusion about how to run the project.

diff + ## Quick Start + +bash + npm install + npm run dev # Start development server on port 3000 + ```

Phase 5: Apply Updates

After user approval, apply changes using the Edit tool. Preserve existing content structure.

Templates

See references/templates.md for CLAUDE.md templates by project type.

Common Issues to Flag

1. Stale commands: Build commands that no longer work
2. Missing dependencies: Required tools not mentioned
3. Outdated architecture: File structure that's changed
4. Missing environment setup: Required env vars or config
5. Broken test commands: Test scripts that have changed
6. Undocumented gotchas: Non-obvious patterns not captured

User Tips to Share

When presenting recommendations, remind users:

• # key shortcut: During a Claude session, press # to have Claude auto-incorporate learnings into CLAUDE.md
• Keep it concise: CLAUDE.md should be human-readable; dense is better than verbose
• Actionable commands: All documented commands should be copy-paste ready
• Use .claude.local.md: For personal preferences not shared with team (add to .gitignore)
• Global defaults: Put user-wide preferences in ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md

What Makes a Great CLAUDE.md

Key principles: - Concise and human-readable - Actionable commands that can be copy-pasted - Project-specific patterns, not generic advice - Non-obvious gotchas and warnings

Recommended sections (use only what's relevant): - Commands (build, test, dev, lint) - Architecture (directory structure) - Key Files (entry points, config) - Code Style (project conventions) - Environment (required vars, setup) - Testing (commands, patterns) - Gotchas (quirks, common mistakes) - Workflow (when to do what)