# CLAUDE.md Template (Founder Version)

> From NerdSmith Founder Track -- Module 0, Lesson 1: File & Project Management
> Copy everything below the divider into your project's CLAUDE.md file, then fill in the brackets.

---

## Instructions

1. Create a file called `CLAUDE.md` in your project root folder
2. Copy the template below (everything between the START and END markers)
3. Replace every `[bracketed item]` with your actual info
4. Delete the "Example:" lines once you understand the pattern
5. Save the file -- Claude reads it automatically at the start of every session

---

## --- START TEMPLATE --- Copy below this line ---

```markdown
# Project: [Your Project Name]

## What This Project Is
[1-2 sentences: What are you building or validating? What industry? What stage?]

Example: I'm a non-technical founder building a B2B SaaS tool for remote teams (10-50 people). Product: Team collaboration platform. Stage: Pre-launch, validating product-market fit.

---

## My Role
- [Your role: Founder, PM, Operator, Solo creator, etc.]
- [What you focus on: Product, strategy, marketing, ops, etc.]
- [What you DON'T do: Code, design, DevOps, etc.]

Example:
- Founder & Product Lead
- Focus: Product strategy, customer research, go-to-market
- NOT a developer (don't write code, avoid technical jargon)

---

## What I Need Help With
- [Task 1: e.g., Write product specs from rough ideas]
- [Task 2: e.g., Analyze customer feedback for patterns]
- [Task 3: e.g., Generate marketing copy]
- [Task 4: e.g., Competitive research and positioning]
- [Task 5: e.g., Prioritize features using RICE scoring]

---

## File Structure
- `specs/` -- [What goes here, e.g., Product requirement docs]
- `research/` -- [What goes here, e.g., Customer interviews, market data]
- `analysis/` -- [Claude outputs go here -- syntheses, reports, insights]
- `prompts/` -- [Your reusable prompt templates]

---

## Style Preferences
- [Length: e.g., Keep outputs concise, 1-2 pages max]
- [Tone: e.g., Use plain English, no technical jargon]
- [Reasoning: e.g., Show your reasoning, don't just give answers]
- [Format: e.g., Use bullet points and headings, not long paragraphs]
- [Extras: e.g., Include examples where helpful]
```

## --- END TEMPLATE --- Stop copying here ---

---

## Quick Customization Checklist

After pasting the template, make sure you've filled in:

- [ ] Project name and 1-2 sentence description
- [ ] Your role (what you do AND what you don't do)
- [ ] 3-5 tasks you need help with most
- [ ] Your folder structure (so Claude knows where to save outputs)
- [ ] Style preferences (length, tone, format)

---

## Testing Your CLAUDE.md

Once saved, open Claude Code in the project folder and type:

```
What do you know about this project?
```

Claude should summarize your project context without you explaining anything. If it does, your CLAUDE.md is working.

---

## Tips

- **Keep it under 500 words.** CLAUDE.md eats into your context window. Be concise.
- **Update monthly.** As your project evolves, so should CLAUDE.md.
- **Put permanent info only.** "Working on feature X this week" belongs in a prompt, not CLAUDE.md.
- **Be specific about what you're NOT.** "Not a developer" prevents Claude from suggesting code solutions when you need strategy.

---

*NerdSmith Founder Track -- Module 0: Claude Code Bootcamp*
*Download: CLAUDE.md Template (Founder Version)*