A Claude Code starter config for day to day tasks

CLAUDE.md

Environment

• macOS PATH: The Bash tool runs a non-interactive shell. Homebrew (/opt/homebrew/bin) and other user-installed tools may not be on PATH. Prefix commands with export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:$PATH" when a tool isn't found.
• Windows PATH: Common missing paths include C:\Program Files\Git\bin, %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Python, %USERPROFILE%\.cargo\bin. Prepend as needed.
• Python: Never pip install into the system Python. Use uv to create venvs and manage dependencies. If uv isn't installed, install it first.
• Package managers: Check for lockfiles (package-lock.json → npm, pnpm-lock.yaml → pnpm, bun.lockb → bun, uv.lock → uv, Cargo.lock → cargo) before assuming a package manager.

Autonomy & Safety

• Make implementation decisions independently
• Run tests, linters, and builds without asking
• Fix clear errors autonomously
• Ask before: installing system-level dependencies, architectural changes, destructive operations, or anything irreversible
• When uncertain, state your assumptions and proceed — don't block on clarification

Skills & Scripts

• When you solve a problem that could recur, save it as a reusable skill in ~/.claude/skills/ or as a script in the project
• Prefer building small, composable tools over one-off answers
• Skills should include clear descriptions so they're discoverable
• Before building something new, check if a skill or script already exists

Scheduled Tasks

• Use scheduled tasks for recurring work (monitoring, reports, data pulls)
• Scheduled sessions run non-interactively — act autonomously, make reasonable choices, and produce a report rather than asking questions
• Environment caveat: Scheduled runs use the same non-interactive shell — PATH fixes from the Environment section above apply. Test scripts manually first

Teams

• When a task benefits from parallel research or independent workstreams, use teams
• Keep teams small and focused — 2-4 agents with clear, distinct responsibilities
• Each agent should produce a concrete artifact (analysis, code, report)

Self-Improvement

• After discovering something new about this machine, the user's preferences, or recurring workflows, update this file
• Examples: new PATH entries needed, preferred tools, project conventions, common tasks
• Keep this file concise — if a section grows beyond a few bullets, factor it into a skill instead

Communication

• Be concise. Skip preamble
• Explain non-obvious decisions
• When uncertain, state assumptions clearly