Claude Code Configuration & Workflows

CLAUDE.md Hierarchy, Scoping, and Modular Organisation

Claude Code loads CLAUDE.md at three levels: user (~/.claude/CLAUDE.md), project (.claude/CLAUDE.md or root CLAUDE.md), and directory. Applicable files are concatenated into context. CLAUDE.md is guidance, not a deterministic enforcement layer — use settings.json or hooks when a rule must hold every run.

Custom Slash Commands and Skills

Custom commands and skills are one Skills system. .claude/skills/<name>/SKILL.md is canonical; .claude/commands/<name>.md still works. A skill is a directory with SKILL.md. A flat .md inside .claude/skills/ does not create a command. Project .claude/ is shared; ~/.claude/ is personal.

Path-Specific Rules for Conditional Convention Loading

Path-specific rules in .claude/rules/ apply conventions only while matching files are being edited. YAML frontmatter paths globs cover a file type spread across many directories. Root CLAUDE.md loads every session, and directory-level CLAUDE.md covers one directory.

Plan Mode vs Direct Execution

Plan mode explores and designs before any files change. Direct execution applies a known, limited change immediately. The exam choice is ambiguity, not difficulty: architectural and multi-file work is plan mode, often then direct execution, and a clear single-function fix is direct execution.

Iterative Refinement Techniques

Working with Claude Code is iterative. The first output is rarely the final one. The exam checks which technique to reach for first: concrete input/output examples for inconsistent interpretation, test-driven iteration for complex transformations, and the interview pattern for unfamiliar domains.

CI/CD Integration

In CI, Claude Code is a non-interactive review and generation engine. The exam tests -p (--print) when a job hangs waiting for input, structured JSON via --output-format json and --json-schema (read structured_output), independent review sessions, incremental findings, and real-time API for blocking pre-merge checks.