Claude Code Starter
You are setting up Claude Code configuration for a project. Follow the flow below to analyze the project and generate all .claude/ configuration files.
Step 1: Detect Project Type
Check if this is a new project (empty or <3 source files) or an existing project.
For new projects, ask the user these questions:
- What are you building? (project description)
- Primary language? (TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, Go, Rust, Swift, Kotlin, Java, Ruby, C#, PHP, C++)
- Framework? (filtered by language — e.g. Next.js/React/Vue for TS/JS, FastAPI/Django/Flask for Python)
- Package manager? (filtered by language)
- Testing framework? (filtered by language, or "None")
- Linter/Formatter? (filtered by language, or "None")
- Project type? (Web App, API/Backend, CLI Tool, Library/Package, Mobile App, Desktop App, Monorepo, Other)
For existing projects, analyze the codebase:
- Read
package.json,pyproject.toml,Cargo.toml,go.mod,Gemfile, or equivalent - Detect languages, frameworks, package manager, testing, linting, formatting, bundler
- Identify architecture patterns, directory structure, code conventions
Step 2: Create .claude/settings.json
Generate settings.json with permissions based on detected stack. Example:
{
"$schema": "https://json.schemastore.org/claude-code-settings.json",
"permissions": {
"allow": [
"Read(**)", "Edit(**)", "Write(.claude/**)", "Bash(git:*)",
"Bash(npm:*)", "Bash(node:*)"
]
}
}
Add language/framework-specific permissions (e.g. Bash(cargo:*) for Rust, Bash(pytest:*) for Python).
Step 3: Generate CLAUDE.md
Perform deep codebase analysis and generate .claude/CLAUDE.md following this structure:
Phase 1: Discovery
Read actual project files to discover:
- Project identity (name, version, description, purpose)
- Directory structure map (depth 3)
- Tech stack deep scan (languages, frameworks, database, auth, API layer, styling, build tools, CI/CD)
- Architecture pattern recognition (MVC, Clean, Hexagonal, etc.)
- Entry points and key files
- Code conventions (naming, imports, exports, function style, error handling)
- Development workflow (scripts, env vars, pre-commit hooks, testing setup)
- Domain knowledge (entities, workflows, integrations)
Phase 2: Write CLAUDE.md
Using ONLY discovered information, write .claude/CLAUDE.md with:
- Project name + one-line description
- Overview (purpose, audience, value proposition)
- Architecture (pattern, directory structure, data flow, key files)
- Tech stack table
- Development setup (prerequisites, getting started, env variables)
- Common commands
- Code conventions (naming patterns, patterns to follow, anti-patterns)
- Testing (commands, writing patterns)
- Domain knowledge (entities, workflows)
- Gotchas & important notes
- Rules
Phase 3: Quality Check
Verify every section contains project-specific content, not generic boilerplate. Skip sections without real content.
Step 4: Generate Skills
Write each skill file to .claude/skills/ with YAML frontmatter (name, description, globs).
Core Skills (ALWAYS generate all 8):
-
.claude/skills/pattern-discovery.md— Analyze codebase to discover and document patterns. Include project-specific search strategies based on the actual directory structure and file patterns found. -
.claude/skills/systematic-debugging.md— 4-phase methodology: Reproduce, Locate, Diagnose, Fix. Tailor reproduction steps to the project's actual test runner and dev server commands. -
.claude/skills/testing-methodology.md— AAA pattern (Arrange, Act, Assert). Use the project's actual testing framework syntax (e.g.,describe/itfor Jest/Vitest,def test_for pytest). Include mocking patterns specific to the stack. -
.claude/skills/iterative-development.md— TDD workflow loop: write failing test → implement → verify → refactor. Use the project's actual test command and lint command. -
.claude/skills/commit-hygiene.md— Atomic commits, conventional commit format, size thresholds (±300 lines), when-to-commit triggers. -
.claude/skills/code-deduplication.md— Check-before-write principle. Search existing code before writing new code. Include project-specific glob patterns for common file types. -
.claude/skills/simplicity-rules.md— Function length limits (≤40 lines), file limits (≤300 lines), cyclomatic complexity constraints. Decomposition patterns. -
.claude/skills/security.md— .gitignore entries for the stack, environment variable handling patterns, OWASP checklist items relevant to the detected framework.
Framework-Specific Skills (ONLY if detected):
Generate the appropriate skill based on detected frameworks:
| Framework | Skill File | Key Content |
|---|---|---|
| Next.js | nextjs-patterns.md | App Router, Server/Client Components, data fetching, middleware |
| React (no Next.js) | react-components.md | Hooks, component patterns, state management, performance |
| FastAPI | fastapi-patterns.md | Router organization, dependency injection, Pydantic models, async |
| NestJS | nestjs-patterns.md | Modules, controllers, services, decorators, pipes, guards |
| SwiftUI | swiftui-patterns.md | Property wrappers, MVVM, navigation, previews |
| UIKit | uikit-patterns.md | View controllers, Auto Layout, delegates, MVC |
| Vapor | vapor-patterns.md | Routes, middleware, Fluent ORM, async controllers |
| Jetpack Compose | compose-patterns.md | @Composable, remember, ViewModel, navigation |
| Android Views | android-views-patterns.md | Activities, Fragments, XML layouts, ViewBinding |
| Vue/Nuxt | vue-patterns.md | Composition API, composables, Pinia, routing |
| Django | django-patterns.md | Models, views, serializers, middleware, admin |
| Rails | rails-patterns.md | MVC, ActiveRecord, concerns, service objects |
| Spring | spring-patterns.md | Beans, controllers, services, repositories, AOP |
Tailor ALL skill content to the specific project's patterns, file structure, and conventions discovered during analysis.
Step 5: Generate Agents
Write 2 agent files to .claude/agents/:
.claude/agents/code-reviewer.md
---
name: code-reviewer
description: Reviews code for quality, security issues, and best practices
tools:
- Read
- Grep
- Glob
- "Bash(biome check .)" # Use actual lint command
disallowed_tools:
- Write
- Edit
model: sonnet
---
Body: Instructions for reviewing code quality, security, naming conventions, test coverage, and adherence to project patterns.
.claude/agents/test-writer.md
---
name: test-writer
description: Generates comprehensive tests for code
tools:
- Read
- Grep
- Glob
- Write
- Edit
- "Bash(bun test)" # Use actual test command
model: sonnet
---
Body: Instructions for writing tests using the project's actual testing framework, following existing test patterns.
Step 6: Generate Rules
Write rule files to .claude/rules/:
Always Generate:
.claude/rules/code-style.md— Formatting tool, comment style, error handling, git commit conventions.
Conditional (by language):
| Language | File | YAML paths | Key Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| TypeScript | typescript.md | ["**/*.ts", "**/*.tsx"] | Strict mode, type annotations, import style |
| Python | python.md | ["**/*.py"] | Type hints, docstrings, import ordering |
| Swift | swift.md | ["**/*.swift"] | Access control, optionals, protocol-oriented |
| Go | go.md | ["**/*.go"] | Error handling, interfaces, package naming |
| Rust | rust.md | ["**/*.rs"] | Ownership, error handling, trait patterns |
Each rule file needs YAML frontmatter with paths for file matching.
Step 7: Generate Commands
Write 5 command files to .claude/commands/:
.claude/commands/task.md
---
allowed-tools: ["Read", "Write",