HumanLayer

Why This CLAUDE.md Stands Out

At roughly 60 lines, the HumanLayer CLAUDE.md is the shortest example in this collection -- and one of the most effective. It proves that length is not a proxy for quality. Every line carries specific, actionable information.

Key Patterns

No Preamble. The file jumps straight into stack declaration and conventions. No introduction, no philosophy, no "this file tells Claude how to work with this project." Just instructions. One Rule Per Line. Each convention is a single, clear sentence. No elaboration needed because the rules are self-evident to a competent engineer. Implicit Trust in Claude. The file does not over-explain. It trusts Claude to infer the obvious and focuses only on conventions that differ from mainstream practices. Architecture in Three Lines. The directory structure and its rules are communicated in remarkably few words, yet the layer boundaries are clear.

When to Use This Pattern

Use the HumanLayer pattern when:

• Your project has clear, mainstream conventions that Claude already knows
• You want to minimize context window consumption
• You are starting a new CLAUDE.md and want a minimal viable starting point
• Your team values brevity and signal density

Structural Analysis

Sections: Stack | Architecture | Conventions | Testing | Git
Length: ~60 lines
Key strength: Maximum signal-to-noise ratio
Key weakness: May not provide enough guidance for unusual architectural decisions