ConfigDeckThe complete guide to the .claude/ folder
Most developers skip setup and just start prompting — that's the mistake. A well-configured Claude Code project lives in a .claude/ folder. Treat it like infrastructure. Here's the whole thing, with a deep-dive for each part.
What goes in .claude/
CLAUDE.mdYour instruction manual — conventions, commands and do/don'ts injected every session. As it grows, split rules into a rules/ folder.
Read the guide →skills/Context-triggered capabilities in the open agentskills.io format — portable to Codex, Cursor and Gemini too.
Read the guide →hooks (settings)Shell commands that fire on events — format on save, block risky commands, run tests.
Read the guide →settings.jsonPermissions and configuration — lock down what Claude is allowed to do.
Read the guide →Two .claude/ folders
One committed with your repo (shared with your team), and one global at ~/.claude/ for personal preferences and auto-memory across every project.
Don't build it from scratch
The fastest setup is to start from proven configs and customize. Browse 1,200+ Claude Code configs on ConfigDeck and install into .claude/ in one click — or `npx configdeck add <name>`.
Browse the marketplace →FAQ
Where does .claude/ live?
At your project root for team-shared config, and at ~/.claude/ for personal, cross-project preferences.
What's the minimum I need in .claude/?
Nothing is required, but a CLAUDE.md and one reviewer subagent is a solid starting point.
Does .claude/ get committed to git?
The project-level one typically is, so your team shares the same rules, subagents and skills.
Can I install configs without writing files by hand?
Yes — ConfigDeck installs configs straight into .claude/ in one click, or via `npx configdeck add <name>`.