One-file config that makes Claude Code follow your project conventions — "God Mode CLAUDE.md"

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Summary

A lean CLAUDE.md configuration file that enforces project conventions for Claude Code, with battle-tested rules to improve output quality without exceeding 200 lines.

A single [CLAUDE.md](http://CLAUDE.md) file with battle-tested rules that dramatically improve Claude Code output quality. Key insight: Anthropic engineers found that [CLAUDE.md](http://CLAUDE.md) files over 200 lines actually degrade performance. This file stays lean while covering thinking, safety, quality, and output rules. [https://github.com/0rnot/god-mode-claude](https://github.com/0rnot/god-mode-claude) Also works as a starting point for .cursorrules or other AI coding tools.
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@vincemask: Many people use Claude Code but only have one CLAUDE.md in their project. A truly maintainable configuration is typically broken down into layers: 1. CLAUDE.md: Project-level context and conventions 2. settings.json: Permissions, model, and hooks 3. rules/: Split rules by topic 4. commands/: Settle repeatable workflows 5. skills/: Dynamically load based on task context 6. agents/: Define dedicated sub-agents 7. hooks/: Auto-validate before and after tool calls. When you have a lot of configurations, don't cram them all into one file. The clearer the layering, the more stable Claude Code becomes, and the easier it is to maintain and reuse. Here is a project structure diagram for your reference.

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Recommended layered approach for Claude Code project configuration, splitting config into CLAUDE.md, settings.json, rules/, commands/, skills/, agents/, hooks/, etc., to improve maintainability and reusability.