---
title: "The .claude Folder — Full Configuration Reference"
aliases: [dot-claude, claude-folder, claude-configuration]
tags: [claude-code, configuration, hooks, skills, agents, plugins, mcp]
sources: [raw/Claude md folder.md]
created: 2026-04-29
updated: 2026-04-29
---

# The .claude Folder — Full Configuration Reference

> "If you're using Claude Code without setting up .claude folder, you're using 10% of it."

The `.claude` folder is where Claude Code's real power lives. Most users never open it.

## Mental Model

Three tiers of execution:

| Tier | Example | Behavior |
|------|---------|----------|
| Advisory | `CLAUDE.md` | Claude reads and follows — but can be overridden |
| Deterministic | `.claude/hooks/` | Fires every time, no exceptions |
| On-demand | `.claude/skills/` | Loaded only when the task matches |

---

## Files and Folders

### `CLAUDE.md` (project root)
- Your project rulebook — coding style, conventions, gotchas
- Claude reads it before every task; stops you repeating yourself in every prompt
- **Advisory**: Claude follows it, not enforced at the system level

### `.claude/hooks/`
- Shell scripts that fire on lifecycle events (session start, after edits, before compaction, etc.)
- **Deterministic** — Claude cannot skip them
- Common uses: auto-commit after edits, load project context on startup, save state before compaction

### `.claude/skills/`
- Drop a `SKILL.md` inside any folder; Claude invokes it when the task matches
- Skills are scoped — no skill bleeds into unrelated work
- Examples: carousel generation skill, pacing drills skill

### `.claude/agents/`
- Subagents with isolated context windows
- Run in parallel; report back to the main thread
- Common patterns: code reviewer, researcher, log analyzer

### `.claude/commands/`
- Slash commands (legacy, still functional)
- Example: `/ship` → lint + build + deploy in one go

### `.claude/plugins/`
- First-class in 2026
- Bundle hooks + skills + agents + MCP servers into one shareable package
- The "real unlock" for team sharing and distribution

### `.claude/rules/`
- Path-scoped rules loaded only when files match a glob pattern
- Prevents API rules from polluting frontend context (and vice versa)

### `.mcp.json` (project root, not inside `.claude/`)
- MCP server config for the project
- Claude connects them automatically on session start

---

## Key Takeaways

- **`.claude` folder = Claude Code's brain** — ignoring it means ignoring most of the product
- **CLAUDE.md is advisory; hooks are deterministic; skills load on demand** — this is the core mental model
- **Hooks are the enforcement layer** — use them for anything that must always happen
- **Skills scope Claude's capabilities to context** — prevents wrong tools firing on wrong tasks
- **Agents keep the main context clean** — parallel subagents handle heavy lifting
- **Plugins (2026) are the distribution primitive** — bundle everything into one installable unit
- **`.mcp.json` lives at the project root**, not inside `.claude/`

---

## Related Articles

- [[wiki/claude-code/skills|Skills]] — deep dive on SKILL.md creation, scopes, and invocation
- [[wiki/claude-code/custom-subagents|Custom Subagents]] — isolated context windows, tool control, hooks
- [[wiki/claude-code/create-plugins|Create Plugins]] — plugin manifest, bundling, marketplace distribution
- [[wiki/claude-code/overview|Claude Code Overview]] — full product capabilities

---

## Sources

- `raw/Claude md folder.md`