CLAUDE.md Template Examples: 5 Ready-to-Use Setups

Updated January 2026 | 8 min read

You know you need a CLAUDE.md file. You know it's supposed to make AI remember you. But staring at a blank markdown file wondering what to write? That's where most people quit.

Here are five complete templates. Pick the one closest to your work, copy it, fill in your details, and you're done.

Why Templates Matter

A CLAUDE.md file gives AI memory. But only if it's structured right.

Too vague and AI ignores it. Too detailed and AI gets lost. Templates give you the structure that works, proven across 50+ vault setups.

Each template below includes:

• Who you are (roles, schedule, context)
• What domains you work in (areas that need different instructions)
• How to route requests (keywords that trigger specific context)
• Voice rules (how AI should write for you)
• Critical rules (things AI should never do)

Pick your template, customize the bracketed sections, save it as CLAUDE.md in your vault root. That's it.

Template 1: Business Owner

You run a business. Multiple departments, multiple roles, context switching all day. You need AI that knows whether you're talking to customers, managing team, or planning strategy.

# [Your Name]'s Business

## WHO

[Your name], [Company name] — [what you sell]

**Team:** [number] employees
**Revenue:** [stage/size]
**Customers:** [who you serve]
**My role:** [CEO/Founder/Owner] — [main responsibilities]

## WHAT (Domains)

| Domain | Context File | Load when prompt mentions... |
|--------|--------------|------------------------------|
| **Sales** | `Sales/_context.md` | lead, pipeline, customer, deal, proposal, pricing |
| **Operations** | `Operations/_context.md` | process, team, workflow, systems, efficiency |
| **Marketing** | `Marketing/_context.md` | campaign, content, ad, email, social, traffic |
| **Finance** | `Finance/_context.md` | revenue, expense, budget, forecast, cash flow |

## VOICE

Direct. No corporate speak. Write like you talk.

Use "we" when talking about the company. Use "I" for personal decisions.

If it sounds like it came from a marketing agency, rewrite it.

## RULES

1. Read before edit — never modify a file without reading it first
2. Ask if unclear — don't guess, ask
3. Date format — YYYY-MM-DD always
4. Keep responses dense — no fluff, no disclaimers
5. Customer data is sacred — never share outside prompts, never assume permission

## KEY FILES

- `Sales/Active-Deals.md` — current pipeline
- `Operations/Team.md` — who does what
- `Marketing/Campaign-Calendar.md` — what's live, what's next
- `Finance/Metrics-Dashboard.md` — key numbers

## CURRENT STATE

**Q[X] [YEAR] priorities:**
1. [Priority 1]
2. [Priority 2]
3. [Priority 3]

**Active projects:**
- [Project A] — [status]
- [Project B] — [status]

**Team updates:**
- [Recent change or important context]

How to customize: Replace bracketed sections with your details. Add your actual domain folders. List your real priorities. Update CURRENT STATE monthly.

Template 2: Consultant

You have multiple clients. Each one has different needs, different people, different communication styles. You need AI that switches client context instantly.

# [Your Name] — [Consulting Focus]

## WHO

[Your name], independent consultant
**Specialty:** [what you help with]
**Clients:** [number] active, [number] total
**Rates:** $[rate]/hour or [project basis]
**Schedule:** [typical availability]

## WHAT (Clients)

| Client | Context File | Load when prompt mentions... |
|--------|--------------|------------------------------|
| **[Client A]** | `Clients/[ClientA]/_context.md` | [ClientA], [key contact name], [project names] |
| **[Client B]** | `Clients/[ClientB]/_context.md` | [ClientB], [key contact name], [project names] |
| **[Client C]** | `Clients/[ClientC]/_context.md` | [ClientC], [key contact name], [project names] |

## CLIENT STRUCTURE

Each client folder contains:
- `_context.md` — client overview, contacts, current projects
- `Deliverables/` — work product
- `Meetings/` — notes and decisions
- `Communication/` — email drafts, status updates

## VOICE

Professional but not stiff. Clients hired me for expertise, not corporate polish.

Write tight. Clients pay by the hour. Respect their time.

## RULES

1. Client files stay separate — never mix client data
2. Read client context before writing anything — voice and needs differ
3. Track billable work — note time spent on deliverables
4. Ask before sharing anything — client work is confidential
5. Use client-specific templates when they exist

## DELIVERABLES

Standard deliverables:
- **Strategy docs:** [template location]
- **Client reports:** [template location]
- **Recommendations:** [template location]
- **Meeting recaps:** [template location]

## CURRENT STATE

**Active projects:**
- [Client A] — [project] — [due date] — [status]
- [Client B] — [project] — [due date] — [status]
- [Client C] — [project] — [due date] — [status]

**Upcoming:**
- [What's next this week/month]

**Pipeline:**
- [Prospects or proposals out]

How to customize: Add a row for each client. Create a folder for each one. Update the CURRENT STATE section after every client meeting.

Template 3: Content Creator

You write, record, or publish content. Multiple platforms, different formats, different audiences. You need AI that matches your voice and knows what's already been covered.

# [Your Name] — [Your Content Niche]

## WHO

[Your name], [creator type] focusing on [topic]

**Platforms:** [YouTube/Newsletter/Blog/Podcast/Social]
**Audience:** [who watches/reads/listens]
**Publishing schedule:** [frequency]
**Voice:** [how you describe your style]

## WHAT (Content Types)

| Type | Context File | Load when prompt mentions... |
|--------|--------------|------------------------------|
| **Articles** | `Content/Articles/_context.md` | article, blog, post, SEO, write |
| **Video** | `Content/Video/_context.md` | video, script, YouTube, thumbnail |
| **Newsletter** | `Content/Newsletter/_context.md` | newsletter, email, subscribers |
| **Social** | `Content/Social/_context.md` | tweet, post, LinkedIn, Instagram |

## VOICE RULES

**Write like I talk:**
- [Voice characteristic 1]
- [Voice characteristic 2]
- [Voice characteristic 3]

**Never use:**
- [Banned words/phrases you hate]
- [Corporate speak or buzzwords]
- [Overused creator clichés]

**Sentence rhythm:**
- [Short/long preference]
- [Contractions yes/no]
- [Technical level]

## CONTENT RULES

1. Check past content before suggesting topics — don't repeat myself
2. Match platform voice — newsletter sounds different than Twitter
3. Use my examples and stories — they're in `Stories.md`
4. Follow platform specs — character limits, formatting, best practices
5. Include CTAs where appropriate — templates in `CTAs.md`

## TOPICS I COVER

**Core topics:**
- [Topic area 1]
- [Topic area 2]
- [Topic area 3]

**Avoid:**
- [Topics you don't cover]
- [Political/controversial areas]

## CURRENT STATE

**This month's content:**
- [What's published]
- [What's in progress]
- [What's planned]

**Performance notes:**
- [What's working]
- [What's not]

**Ideas queue:**
- [Topics you're considering]

How to customize: Fill in your actual platforms. List the words you never want to see in your content. Add the topics you actually cover. Keep the Ideas queue fresh.

Template 4: Developer

You build things. Multiple projects, different stacks, different clients or employers. You need AI that knows what you're working on and how you like your code.

# [Your Name] — [Developer Type]

## WHO

[Your name], [full-stack/frontend/backend/mobile] developer
**Focus:** [primary languages/frameworks]
**Currently:** [employed/freelance/building own projects]
**Location:** [timezone for scheduling]

## WHAT (Projects)

| Project | Context File | Load when prompt mentions... |
|--------|--------------|------------------------------|
| **[Project A]** | `Projects/[ProjectA]/_context.md` | [project name], [tech stack], [client name] |
| **[Project B]** | `Projects/[ProjectB]/_context.md` | [project name], [tech stack], [client name] |
| **Personal** | `Personal/_context.md` | side project, experiment, learning |

## CODE STYLE

**Languages I use:**
- [Language 1]: [preferred style guide or conventions]
- [Language 2]: [preferred style guide or conventions]

**Principles:**
- [Code philosophy 1]
- [Code philosophy 2]
- [Code philosophy 3]

**Never:**
- [Anti-patterns you avoid]
- [Libraries/frameworks you don't use]

## RULES

1. Read project context before suggesting code — tech stack matters
2. Include error handling — don't show me happy-path-only code
3. Comment complex logic — future me needs to understand this
4. Follow project conventions — consistency beats personal preference
5. Test before claiming it works — if you can't test it, say so

## TECH STACK

**Primary:**
- [Stack you use most]

**Secondary:**
- [Stack you know but use less]

**Learning:**
- [Tech you're currently learning]

## PROJECT STRUCTURE

Each project folder contains:
- `_context.md` — tech stack, architecture, current tasks
- `README.md` — project overview and setup
- `Tasks.md` — what's next
- `Decisions.md` — why we built it this way

## CURRENT STATE

**Active work:**
- [Project A] — [current task] — [blockers if any]
- [Project B] — [current task] — [blockers if any]

**Recently solved:**
- [Problem you just figured out]

**Stuck on:**
- [What you're debugging or researching]

How to customize: List your actual projects and tech stack. Add the code conventions you follow. Update CURRENT STATE at the start of each work session.

Template 5: Educator

You teach. Multiple courses, different student levels, varied formats. You need AI that knows what you've taught and how you explain things.

# [Your Name] — [Teaching Focus]

## WHO

[Your name], [educator/instructor/teacher] specializing in [subject]

**Teaching:** [where you teach]
**Students:** [who you teach]
**Courses:** [number] active
**Format:** [in-person/online/hybrid]

## WHAT (Courses)

| Course | Context File | Load when prompt mentions... |
|--------|--------------|------------------------------|
| **[Course A]** | `Courses/[CourseA]/_context.md` | [course name], [topic], [student level] |
| **[Course B]** | `Courses/[CourseB]/_context.md` | [course name], [topic], [student level] |
| **[Course C]** | `Courses/[CourseC]/_context.md` | [course name], [topic], [student level] |

## TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

**How I explain things:**
- [Teaching principle 1]
- [Teaching principle 2]
- [Teaching principle 3]

**What I avoid:**
- [Teaching anti-pattern 1]
- [Teaching anti-pattern 2]

## RULES

1. Match student level — don't over-simplify advanced students or overwhelm beginners
2. Use examples from course materials — students need consistency
3. Build on previous lessons — check what's been covered
4. Include practice opportunities — reading isn't learning
5. Cite sources when using external materials

## COURSE STRUCTURE

Each course folder contains:
- `_context.md` — course overview, student level, current topic
- `Syllabus.md` — course outline and schedule
- `Lessons/` — individual lesson plans
- `Assessments/` — quizzes, tests, projects
- `Resources/` — readings, examples, references

## CONTENT TYPES

**I create:**
- Lesson plans: [template location]
- Lecture slides: [format preferences]
- Assessments: [types you use]
- Handouts: [style and format]
- Discussion prompts: [how you structure them]

## CURRENT STATE

**This week's teaching:**
- [Course A] — [topic] — [lesson number]
- [Course B] — [topic] — [lesson number]

**What's working:**
- [Successful lesson or approach]

**What needs work:**
- [Concept students struggle with]

**Upcoming:**
- [Major assignments or exams]
- [New material to prepare]

How to customize: Add your actual courses. Describe how you teach in the philosophy section. Update CURRENT STATE each week to keep AI synced with where students are.

How to Use These Templates

Step 1: Copy the template closest to your work.

Step 2: Replace every [bracketed section] with your actual information.

Step 3: Save as CLAUDE.md in your vault root.

Step 4: Create the domain folders referenced in the routing table.

Step 5: Add a _context.md file in each domain folder with specifics for that area.

Step 6: Test it. Ask Claude to do something in one of your domains and see if it loads the right context.

The first version won't be perfect. That's fine. You'll refine it as you use it.

Mixing Templates

Most people don't fit cleanly into one category. You might be a consultant who creates content. A developer with a side business. An educator building a course product.

Mix and match sections:

Take the Client routing from the Consultant template. Add the Voice rules from the Content Creator template. Use the Tech Stack section from the Developer template.

Your CLAUDE.md should reflect how you actually work, not fit some predefined mold.

What Happens Next

With your CLAUDE.md in place, Claude reads it at the start of every session. It knows who you are, what you work on, and how to help.

You type: "draft the client update."

Claude checks your routing table, loads the right client context, finds the template, writes in your voice, includes the relevant project details.

No copy-paste. No re-explaining. Just AI that remembers.