Trim CLAUDE.md: remove generic advice, keep project-specific content#6890
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knutwannheden wants to merge 2 commits intomainfrom
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Trim CLAUDE.md: remove generic advice, keep project-specific content#6890knutwannheden wants to merge 2 commits intomainfrom
knutwannheden wants to merge 2 commits intomainfrom
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Remove sections that restate standard Java/TypeScript conventions Claude already knows (Code Style, Best Practices, Version Control Guidelines, Error Handling, Task Management, etc.). These add context window cost every session without changing behavior. Retain all project-specific content: core architecture, build commands, project structure, AST traversal patterns, RPC test gotchas, parser extension guide, sub-module CLAUDE.md references, and conventions. Reduces file from ~240 lines to ~110 lines — roughly halving the per-session token cost while preserving all actionable, non-obvious guidance.
The RPC hang/timeout guidance is already covered with more specific detail in both rewrite-python/rewrite/CLAUDE.md (pytest --timeout) and rewrite-javascript/rewrite/CLAUDE.md (--detectOpenHandles, queue.ts). Remove the redundant generic version from the root file.
timtebeek
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Mar 23, 2026
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Summary
Reduces the file from ~240 lines to ~110 lines. Every line in CLAUDE.md costs context window tokens in every Claude Code session — generic advice that restates what the model already knows has real cost with no benefit.
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