create-rule

name: create-rule description: Create a new memory rule following Claude Code best practices for project instructions, coding standards, and workflow guidelines. This skill should be used when users want to create CLAUDE.md rules, .claude/rules/ files, or memory instructions for Claude Code. metadata: author: mgiovani version: 1.0.0 source: https://github.com/mgiovani/skills

Create Rule

Cross-Platform AI Agent Skill This skill works with any AI agent platform that supports the skills.sh standard.

Create Memory Rule

Generate a new memory rule following Claude Code best practices for project instructions, coding standards, and workflow guidelines.

Note: Claude Code has merged commands into skills (v2.1.3+). This skill creates memory rules (CLAUDE.md entries and .claude/rules/ files), not skills or commands.

For the memory hierarchy and rule file specifications, see references/memory-hierarchy.md. For glob patterns and rule examples, see references/rule-examples.md.

Reference Documentation

• Claude Code memory documentation: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/memory

Anti-Hallucination Guidelines

CRITICAL: When creating rules:

1. Verify existing patterns first - Don't assume conventions, check the actual codebase
2. Reference real code - Base rules on actual patterns found in the project
3. Don't invent standards - If no convention exists, ask the user before creating one
4. Check for conflicts - Ensure new rules don't contradict existing ones
5. Validate frontmatter - Only use paths frontmatter for .claude/rules/ files

Your Task

Phase 0: Gather Up-to-Date Documentation (Use claude-code-guide Agent)

CRITICAL: Before creating any rule, fetch the latest official documentation:

Phase 1: Understand Context (Explore Codebase)

Understand the codebase context to create relevant rules:

Phase 2: Parse Arguments

1. Extract rule name from $1 or first word of command arguments
2. Extract description from remaining arguments or ask user
3. Determine rule type:

• Modular rule: .claude/rules/<name>.md (recommended for focused topics)
• CLAUDE.md entry: Add to existing ./CLAUDE.md or ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md

4. Determine scope:

• Project rule: .claude/rules/ (shared with team)
• User rule: ~/.claude/rules/ (personal, all projects)

Phase 3: Gather Rule Requirements

Ask user or infer from context:

Questions to determine:
1. What specific behavior should this rule enforce?
2. Is it path-specific? (applies only to certain file patterns)
3. Should it be project-scoped or user-scoped?
4. What category does it belong to? (code-style, testing, security, workflow, etc.)
5. Are there existing similar rules to reference or extend?
### Phase 4: Analyze Existing Rules (Use Parallel Analysis)

Spawn parallel Explore agents with model: haiku to gather patterns:

Agent 1 - Analyze Existing Memory:

• prompt: "Read any existing CLAUDE.md files and .claude/rules/*.md in the project. Extract common patterns: structure, formatting, specificity level. Return best practices observed."
• agent-type: "Explore"
• model: "haiku"

Agent 2 - Identify Rule Category:

• prompt: "Search existing rules in .claude/rules/ directory. Analyze the category structure used (code-style, testing, security, etc.). Based on '[DESCRIPTION]', which existing category best fits? Return recommended category, filename, and examples of similar rules."
• agent-type: "Explore"
• model: "haiku"

Agent 3 - Check for Conflicts:

• prompt: "Search for existing rules that might conflict with or overlap '[DESCRIPTION]'. Check CLAUDE.md files and .claude/rules/. Return any potential conflicts or opportunities to consolidate."
• agent-type: "Explore"
• model: "haiku"

Phase 5: Generate Rule Structure

Use TodoWrite to track rule creation:

TodoWrite:
- [ ] Create rule file with frontmatter (if path-specific)
- [ ] Write clear, specific instructions
- [ ] Add examples where helpful
- [ ] Validate rule syntax
- [ ] Test rule applicability
### Phase 6: Write Rule File

Generate the rule following the templates in [references/rule-examples.md](references/rule-examples.md).

**For path-specific rules** (with frontmatter):

```markdown
---
paths: src/**/*.ts, lib/**/*.ts
---

# [Rule Title]

[Brief description of what this rule enforces]

## Guidelines

- [Specific instruction 1]
- [Specific instruction 2]

## Examples

### Good
[Example of correct pattern]

### Avoid
[Example of pattern to avoid]
**For general rules** (no frontmatter):

```markdown
# [Rule Title]

[Brief description of what this rule enforces]

## Guidelines

- [Specific instruction 1]
- [Specific instruction 2]

## Examples

[Concrete examples if helpful]
### Phase 7: Validate Generated Rule

Before writing, verify:

1. Rule is specific and actionable (not vague)
2. If path-specific, glob patterns are correct
3. Instructions use imperative language ("Use X" not "You should use X")
4. No duplicate or conflicting rules exist
5. Filename is descriptive and follows kebab-case
6. Category organization makes sense
7. Examples are realistic and helpful

Phase 8: Write and Report

1. Create the rule file at appropriate location
2. Report what was created
3. Suggest testing the rule with /memory command

Rule Design Principles

• BE SPECIFIC: "Use 2-space indentation for TypeScript files" not "Format code properly"
• USE IMPERATIVE LANGUAGE: "Include JSDoc comments on exported functions" not "You should probably add comments"
• PROVIDE EXAMPLES: Show code snippets of correct patterns
• KEEP RULES FOCUSED: One file per topic (testing.md, api-design.md)
• USE PATH RESTRICTIONS SPARINGLY: Only when rules truly apply to specific file types

Usage

# Create a new rule with name only (interactive)
create-rule code-style

# Create with description
create-rule testing "Enforce 80% coverage and describe blocks for tests"

# Create in a subdirectory
create-rule frontend/react "Component patterns and hooks usage"
## Important Notes

- **Test with `/memory`**: After creating a rule, run `/memory` to verify it's loaded
- **Path patterns**: Use `paths` frontmatter only when rules apply to specific files
- **Subdirectories**: Organize rules into subdirectories for larger projects
- **Symlinks supported**: Share common rules across projects with symlinks
- **CLAUDE.local.md**: For personal project preferences not committed to git
- **Imports**: Use `@path/to/file` syntax in CLAUDE.md to import other files
- **Priority**: Project rules override user rules; more specific paths override general

## Output

After running this skill, you will have:

1. A new `.md` file in the appropriate rules directory
2. Properly structured frontmatter (if path-specific)
3. Clear, specific, actionable guidelines
4. Examples showing correct and incorrect patterns
5. Verification that rules don't conflict with existing ones

---

**Reference**: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/memory
**Output Locations**:
- Project: `.claude/rules/`
- User: `~/.claude/rules/`
- Direct: `./CLAUDE.md` or `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md`