Why isn’t Claude Code recognizing my Claude.md file?

Definitely make sure you used the /init command. That's key for setting everything up correctly.

Remember, Claude doesn't have unlimited memory. You might want to revise your Claude.md for clarity and relevance. I had a situation where Claude was making up syntax instead of referring to actual docs. I put together a code of ethics for him to follow, which helped with our collaboration. It's about having clear goals and ensuring he understands them before just executing tasks.

I had a similar issue yesterday! I asked Claude to update a data structure based on an image reference from my Claude.md, but it ended up creating a completely different structure. Try interrupting it with the Esc key and then prompt it to use the Claude.md again. You could also try enabling 'plan mode'. Hope that helps!

Have you checked if Claude is even reading your Claude.md? It's worth doing a quick sanity check to ensure it's in the right location and named correctly. Sometimes it's the little things that trip you up!

You can enhance Claude's understanding by creating a command in your .claude/command folder named 'context-prime.md'. Write up detailed instructions there as if you were briefing a developer, covering your whole project or specific workflows. When you launch Claude, just type / and select your command to start off on the right foot.