Project Instructions
Standing rules for how Claude behaves inside a Project: role, tone, format, and what to do when information is missing. They set behavior, not facts.
Exam context: Put how-to-behave rules in instructions and reference material in knowledge. Keep instructions short, specific, and checkable.
See also: 5.1 Projects: Instructions + Knowledge
Project Knowledge
Documents and reference material added to a Project that Claude can draw on when answering. Its accuracy is only as good as what you keep in it.
Exam context: Facts belong in knowledge. If an answer is wrong, check the knowledge before rewriting instructions.
See also: 5.1 Projects: Instructions + Knowledge
Uploaded Knowledge
Files added to a Project or chat. An upload is a snapshot and does not update when the original changes.
Exam context: A stale upload produces confidently wrong answers. Replace it when the source changes.
See also: 5.2 Uploaded Knowledge and Connectors
Connector
A link between Claude and an outside service such as a drive or email account, letting Claude retrieve current content you have permission to see.
Exam context: Choose a connector for fast-changing sources and an upload for stable reference material. Consider permissions and privacy before connecting.
See also: 5.2 Uploaded Knowledge and Connectors
Standing Instructions
Rules that apply to every conversation in a context, such as in a Project. Effective ones are short, specific, free of contradictions, and include a fallback for missing information.
Exam context: Choose the clear, concise instruction set over a long, vague one.
See also: 5.3 System-Level / Project Instructions
Fallback Rule
An instruction that says what Claude should do when it lacks information, such as asking a question or stating that the documents do not cover it, rather than guessing.
See also: 5.3 System-Level / Project Instructions
Stale Knowledge
Outdated or conflicting files in a Project. Claude cannot tell a file is out of date, so it answers confidently from what it has.
Exam context: You maintain Project knowledge. When answers are outdated, replace or remove the stale source.
See also: 5.4 Maintain and Update Configurations
Configuration Ownership
Naming a person responsible for keeping a Project's instructions and knowledge current, with a review date. Quality of a shared configuration is the owner's responsibility.
See also: 5.4 Maintain and Update Configurations