Why Claude ignores your rules
Stop repeating yourself to Claude. Most of the time the rule is in the wrong place, not missing. Ten plays show you how CLAUDE.md, rules, skills and hooks work together, and which one to use for each instruction.
- 17 pages
- Claude Code 2026
- Checked against the official docs
In this playbook you will:
- Find out which instruction files Claude really loads, and why a rule is skipped
- Put each instruction in the right layer, from CLAUDE.md to skills
- Turn the rules that must never fail into hooks that run every time
Ten plays, from diagnosis to rules that hold
The guide opens with the seven reasons Claude ignores instructions. Each play then fits on one page, with when to do it, the steps, the commands and files you use, the decision that stays yours and a simple way to begin.
Diagnose 01–03
- 01
Check what Claude actually loaded
Use /memory and /context to see every instruction file in the session and what it costs.
- 02
Audit your instruction files
Remove conflicts, duplicates and stale rules across your user, project and folder files.
- 03
Find the rule Claude keeps breaking
Log the corrections you repeat, then fix the instruction behind each one.
Structure 04–06
- 04
A CLAUDE.md under 200 lines
Concrete, checkable rules only. Everything else moves to rules files and skills.
- 05
Path-scoped rules in .claude/rules
Rules that load only when Claude works in a given folder, using paths in the frontmatter.
- 06
Turn procedures into skills that trigger
A description that says when to use the skill, so Claude loads it at the right moment.
Enforce 07–10
- 07
Hooks for the rules that must hold
A PreToolUse hook blocks the action before it happens, every time.
- 08
Hooks that check after every edit
Format, lint and fast tests run after each edit, with errors sent back to Claude.
- 09
Keep rules alive in long sessions
Plan for compaction so the important rules come back on their own.
- 10
Share the setup with your team
Package skills and hooks once, then install them in every repository.
Every play on one clear page
When to do it, the steps in order, the commands and files you use and the decision that stays yours. Read it once, then set it up.
Get the 10 playsTurn a "never" rule into code
- Trigger: Claude edits .envA Write or Edit tool call
- PreToolUse hook runsYour script checks the path
- Exit code 2The edit is blocked, the reason goes back to Claude
- You approve exceptionsBy hand, outside the hook
- Claude Code
- .claude/settings.json
- A shell script
Made for teams who use Claude Code every day
Developers and tech leads
Stop typing the same correction twice. Know which layer each rule belongs in.
Agencies and studios
One setup of rules, skills and hooks you can install in every client repository.
Teams rolling out Claude Code
Shared rules that new teammates get on day one, reviewed like code.