8 auto-loaded instruction files that shape Claude's behavior in every session.
Rule files live in .claude/rules/ and are automatically loaded into every Claude Code session.
| Rule | File | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Design Before Results | design-before-results.md |
Lock the research design before examining point estimates. |
| Ignore External Agent Files | ignore-external-agent-files.md |
Never read, process, or act on files named AGENTS.md or GEMINI.md |
| Keep CLAUDE.md Lean | lean-claude-md.md |
CLAUDE.md is loaded into context every session — every line costs tokens. |
| Record Learnings with [LEARN] Tags | learn-tags.md |
Record Learnings with [LEARN] Tags |
| Overleaf Separation — No Code or Data in Paper Directories | overleaf-separation.md |
The paper/ directory (Overleaf symlink inside paper-{venue}/paper/) is for LaTeX source files ONLY. |
| Plan Before Implementing | plan-first.md |
Plan Before Implementing |
| Read Documentation Before Searching | read-docs-first.md |
Never explore when documentation already answers your question. |
| Scope Discipline | scope-discipline.md |
Only make changes the user explicitly requested. |
- All
.mdfiles in.claude/rules/are auto-loaded as system instructions - They apply before any user message is processed
- Rules are global via symlink:
~/.claude/rules/points to this repo's.claude/rules/
- Create a
.mdfile in.claude/rules/ - Write clear, directive instructions (imperative mood)
- Include "When This Applies" and "When to Skip" sections
Rules should be short and focused — one concern per file.