Generating a CLAUDE.md with /init

Staring at a blank CLAUDE.md is the hardest part of getting started. Claude Code solves that with /init, which generates a starter file for you.

What /init does

Run /init in your project and Claude looks at the codebase, then writes a CLAUDE.md based on what it finds. You get a first draft that already reflects your project instead of an empty page:

/init

That draft is a starting point, not the finished article. It gives you structure and a sense of what belongs, which is far easier to edit than to write from scratch.

Treat it as a first draft

Once the file exists, apply everything from this series. Read it with fresh eyes and cut anything Claude could already infer from the code. Sharpen vague lines into concrete rules. Add the gotchas and preferences that Claude could not have guessed from a scan. The generated file gets the skeleton right; you supply the judgment.

Keep it in shape over time

After /init, maintain the file the way the rest of this series describes:

• Use /memory to browse and edit it as the project changes.
• Capture new rules on the fly by typing #.
• Keep it small — aim under about 200 lines and split depth into @-imported files.

Where it fits

/init is the on-ramp for the whole memory system. It removes the friction of the first file so you can focus on refining it. Run it once when you set up a project, then let /memory and # keep it current from there. A living CLAUDE.md, started by /init and tended over time, is what makes every session smarter.