Scaffold Context

scaffold-context

Generate a CONTEXT.md for a specified subdirectory following the canonical anatomy in .claude/rules/context-md-anatomy.md. The skill exists because authoring per-area CONTEXT.md files by hand often produces stubs that violate the anatomy's own constraints — empty Skip columns, vague "Use when needed" triggers, sizes outside the 25-80 line band.

When to fire

User names a subdirectory and requests a CONTEXT.md, with phrasings such as:

• "Author a CONTEXT.md for src/payments/"
• "scaffold-context for experiments/2026-05-baseline"
• "Add context routing to tests/integration/"

Skip if:

• The subdirectory has fewer than ~5 files and one obvious purpose (over-routing).
• The routing is identical to the root CLAUDE.md (CONTEXT.md adds no information).
• The user has not named the target subdirectory and refuses to name one when asked.

Process

1. Read .claude/rules/context-md-anatomy.md if not already in context.
2. Walk the target subdirectory: enumerate files, identify workflow boundaries (e.g., output/, intermediate/, raw/, tests/), note dominant file types.
3. Classify the dominant tasks performed in this area. If unclear from the file inventory, ask the user before drafting — do not invent tasks.
4. Ask the user: "What does successful work in this area look like? (One verifiable sentence.)" Include their answer as a Done looks like: line at the end of "The Process" section in the generated CONTEXT.md.
5. Identify which skills (from .claude/skills/) wire to this area and under what trigger condition. If none, the Skills table can be omitted; do not fill it with placeholders.
6. Identify reference files this area should explicitly Skip — older directories, raw data already summarized, sibling areas with overlapping content. The Skip column must be non-empty for at least one task row.
7. Draft <subdir>/CONTEXT.md with all six required sections in this order:
   • What this area is (1-2 sentences)
   • What to Load (table: Task | Load These | Skip These)
   • Folder (this area's directory layout — NOT the project tree)
   • The Process (numbered steps for the dominant workflow)
   • Skills & Tools (table: Skill/Tool | When | Purpose) — omit entirely if no skills wire here
   • What NOT to Do (specific anti-patterns)
8. Target 25-80 lines. If the area genuinely needs more, split into multiple CONTEXT.md files for distinct sub-areas rather than bloating one.
9. Print the drafted CONTEXT.md to the user as a diff/preview.
10. Ask the user to review before writing to disk. On approval, write to <subdir>/CONTEXT.md.

Must NOT include

• Empty stubs. Anatomy constraint: CONTEXT.md must be 25-80 lines of real content. Stubs invite the model to read them as authoritative when they are not.
• Mirrored content from root CLAUDE.md. If the routing is identical, the subdirectory should not have its own CONTEXT.md.
• Vague "When" triggers. Each Skill row must have a condition like "Before validate runs" or "After every edit to src/payments/". Triggers like "Available", "Useful for X", "Use when you need" are rejected.
• Folder section that duplicates the project tree. The Folder section is for this area's layout only.

Done looks like

• <subdir>/CONTEXT.md exists, between 25 and 80 lines.
• All six required sections present (with Skills & Tools optional).
• Skip column non-empty for at least one task row.
• Every Skill row has a non-trivial When trigger.
• "The Process" section ends with a Done looks like: line from the user.
• The user has acknowledged the draft.

Source

.claude/rules/context-md-anatomy.md (the canonical template this skill operationalizes).