How do I install the Craft Memory skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add attac-t/craft-memory in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

What does the Craft Memory skill do?

Crafting effective CLAUDE.md files. Project memory that Claude won't ignore. It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.

Is Craft Memory safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Craft Memory?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Craft Memory free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Craft Memory?

attac-t (@attac-t) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Craft Memory by attac-t — Agent Skill

Name: Craft Memory
Author: attac-t

File contents

Skill: Craft Memory

"Would removing this line cause Claude to make mistakes? If not, cut it." — Anthropic

Source of Truth

Read these first. Every time. The spec evolves.

The Hierarchy

Level	Location	Purpose
Organization	macOS: `/Library/Application Support/ClaudeCode/CLAUDE.md`Linux: `/etc/claude-code/CLAUDE.md`Windows: `C:\Program Files\ClaudeCode\CLAUDE.md`	Constraints
User	`~/.claude/CLAUDE.md`	Preferences
Project	`./CLAUDE.md` or `.claude/CLAUDE.md`	Context
Local	`./CLAUDE.local.md` (auto-gitignored)	Personal
Rules	`.claude/rules/*.md`	Modular

Higher levels load first and take precedence.

The Rules

1. Under 150 Lines

Bloated files get ignored. If Claude violates a rule you wrote, the file is too long.

2. Specific Over Vague

Wrong	Right
Format code properly	Use 2-space indentation
Write good tests	Tests must cover error paths
Follow best practices	Validate input with Zod

3. Include What Claude Can't Infer

Include	Exclude
Commands Claude can't guess	Anything in package.json
Style rules that differ from defaults	Standard language conventions
Testing instructions	Detailed API docs (import instead)
Branch/PR conventions	Frequently changing info
Architectural decisions	File-by-file descriptions
Environment quirks	"Write clean code"
Common gotchas	Tutorials

Deeper


mechanism	imports, path scoping, and how nesting loads
protocol	discover, interview, generate, split
good	two files that work, whole
scoping	a monorepo, and what imports compose
bad	files that get ignored, and why

Anti-Patterns

Pattern	Why It Fails
Duplicate README	Wastes tokens, drifts
Giant monorepo file	No conditional loading
Skip `/memory`	Duplicate existing rules

---name: craft-memorydescription: Crafting effective CLAUDE.md files. Project memory that Claude won't ignore.---# Skill: Craft Memory> "Would removing this line cause Claude to make mistakes? If not, cut it." — Anthropic## Source of Truth- https://code.claude.com/docs/en/memory- https://code.claude.com/docs/en/best-practicesRead these first. Every time. The spec evolves.---## The Hierarchy| Level | Location | Purpose ||--------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------|| Organization | macOS: `/Library/Application Support/ClaudeCode/CLAUDE.md`<br>Linux: `/etc/claude-code/CLAUDE.md`<br>Windows: `C:\Program Files\ClaudeCode\CLAUDE.md` | Constraints || User | `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md` | Preferences || Project | `./CLAUDE.md` or `.claude/CLAUDE.md` | Context || Local | `./CLAUDE.local.md` (auto-gitignored) | Personal || Rules | `.claude/rules/*.md` | Modular |Higher levels load first and take precedence.---## The Rules### 1. Under 150 LinesBloated files get ignored. If Claude violates a rule you wrote, the file is too long.### 2. Specific Over Vague| Wrong | Right ||-----------------------|------------------------------|| Format code properly | Use 2-space indentation || Write good tests | Tests must cover error paths || Follow best practices | Validate input with Zod |### 3. Include What Claude Can't Infer| Include | Exclude ||---------------------------------------|------------------------------------|| Commands Claude can't guess | Anything in package.json || Style rules that differ from defaults | Standard language conventions || Testing instructions | Detailed API docs (import instead) || Branch/PR conventions | Frequently changing info || Architectural decisions | File-by-file descriptions || Environment quirks | "Write clean code" || Common gotchas | Tutorials |## Deeper| | ||---|---|| [mechanism](mechanism.md) | imports, path scoping, and how nesting loads || [protocol](protocol.md) | discover, interview, generate, split || [good](good.md) | two files that work, whole || [scoping](scoping.md) | a monorepo, and what imports compose || [bad](bad.md) | files that get ignored, and why |## Anti-Patterns| Pattern | Why It Fails ||---------------------|--------------------------|| Duplicate README | Wastes tokens, drifts || Giant monorepo file | No conditional loading || Skip `/memory` | Duplicate existing rules |

Frequently asked questions

Craft Memory