Anatomy of the .claude/ folder (opens in new tab)

Most Claude Code users treat the .claude folder like a black box. They know it exists. They've seen it appear in their project root. But they've never opened it, let alone understood what every file inside it does. The .claude folder is the control center for how Claude behaves in your project. It holds your instructions, your custom commands, your permission rules, and even Claude's memory across sessions. Once you understand what lives where and why, you can configure Claude Code to behave...