init — Project Initialization

• Trigger: /init or keywords "initialize project", "create CLAUDE.md"
• Best for: Onboarding projects to Claude Code, documenting existing projects
• Not for: Updating existing CLAUDE.md (edit directly)

Overview

init analyzes the current project and generates a CLAUDE.md file — the core entry point for Claude Code to understand your project. It covers architecture, tech stack, conventions, and key file paths.

Trigger Conditions

init auto-triggers when you:

• Mention "initialize", "init project"
• Want to onboard a new project to Claude Code
• Use the /init command

Examples

Example 1: Initialize New Project

/init

Claude scans the project and generates a CLAUDE.md:

# Project Name

## Architecture
- Monorepo with pnpm workspaces
- Frontend: React + TypeScript
- Backend: Node.js + Express

## Key Directories
- `packages/web/` — Frontend app
- `packages/api/` — Backend API
- `packages/shared/` — Shared types and utils

## Conventions
- Use functional components, no class components
- API routes follow RESTful conventions
- Tests colocated with source files

Example 2: Specify Tech Stack

/init This is a Next.js 14 + Prisma + PostgreSQL project using App Router

Example 3: Python Project

/init FastAPI backend project using SQLAlchemy + Alembic

CLAUDE.md Content

Section	Description
Architecture	Project architecture overview
Tech Stack	Technologies and versions
Key Directories	Core directory descriptions
Conventions	Code conventions and standards
Commands	Common commands (build, test, deploy)
Gotchas	Pitfalls and exceptions to note

Notes

• CLAUDE.md should be concise — it's not a README replacement
• Avoid overly detailed API docs — Claude can learn from the code
• Conventions and gotchas are the most valuable parts — teach Claude what's counterintuitive
• Review and edit the initial generation for accuracy
• init won't overwrite an existing CLAUDE.md

Related Skills

• improve-codebase-architecture — Improve project architecture
• write-a-skill — Create project-specific Skills