Audit and improve CLAUDE.md files in repositories. Use when user asks to check, audit, update, improve, or fix CLAUDE.md files. Scans for all CLAUDE.md files, evaluates quality against templates, outputs quality report, then makes targeted updates. Also use when the user mentions "CLAUDE.md maintena

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: 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](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actionable B (70 89) : Good coverage, minor gaps C (50 69) : Basic info, missing key sections D (30 49) : Sparse or outdated F (0 29) : Missing or severely outdated Phase 3: Quality Report Output ALWAYS output the quality report BEFORE making any updates.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: Phase 4: Targeted Updates After outputting the quality report, ask user for confirmation before updating. Update Guidelines (Critical): 1. 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 2. 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 3. 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: diff + Quick Start + + Phase 5: Apply Updates After user approval, apply changes using the Edit tool. Preserve existing content structure. Templates See [references/templates.md](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) Related Skills dependency upgrade : Include dependency hardening policies and lockfile/security workflow guidance when improving repository CLAUDE.md files

claude-md-improver