Claude md that follows

File Size & Performance

• Longer CloudMD files cause Cloud to compete with itself and follow instructions less reliably
• Keep files tight and concise for better compliance
• Imports organize large files but don't reduce context—everything loads upfront

Tool Selection

• Ask if CloudMD is the right tool for the job
• Hard enforcement rules (like "never push to main") belong in pre-commit hooks instead, not CloudMD

File Organization & Scope

• CloudMD files exist in four places: managed policy, user file, project file, and local
• Cloud loads all memory files together; nothing gets dropped
• Use local scope for project-specific decisions (e. g. , refactoring notes)
• Use shared project file for team-wide conventions
• Use path-to-file syntax and imports to split and organize instructions

Rule Clarity & Specificity

• Vague rules fail—be specific and checkable
• Avoid abstract phrases like "follow best practices"
• Replace with explicit, verifiable instructions (e. g. , "Put new API routes and handlers one per file")
• Name the replacement action instead of just saying what not to do

Emphasis & Priority

• Emphasis (Important, must) raises rule priority but only relative to surrounding rules
• Treat emphasis as a limited budget—spend it on 2–3 critical rules only

Maintenance

• Treat CloudMD like production code—delete lines you can't justify
• When Cloud fails, treat it as a bug report; add the missing rule to CloudMD
• Move enforcement to hooks where appropriate
• Scope path-specific conventions so rules load only when they apply

Takeaways

• Keep CloudMD files concise and tight—longer files cause Cloud to compete with itself and follow instructions less reliably
• Be specific and checkable in rules; vague instructions like "follow best practices" fail—replace with explicit, verifiable actions instead
• Use emphasis sparingly as a limited budget for only 2–3 critical rules to maintain priority signaling
• Treat CloudMD like production code by deleting unjustifiable lines and moving hard enforcement rules (like "never push to main") to pre-commit hooks instead
• Scope rules appropriately across the four file locations (managed policy, user, project, local) and use path-specific syntax so rules load only when they apply