Command
/init
Analyzes the current project and generates a starting CLAUDE.md — the file Claude reads at the start of every session in that repo.
CLAUDE.md is the closest thing Claude Code has to onboarding documentation for itself: project structure, conventions, commands to run tests, things not to do. /init has Claude read through your repo and draft a first version automatically, rather than you starting from a blank file.
Treat the output as a first draft, not a finished document. It's usually right about structure and commands, and usually missing the non-obvious stuff — the reason a certain pattern exists, a gotcha that isn't visible from the code alone. That context is exactly what's worth adding by hand afterward.
This is also exactly the kind of file the toolkit's own CLAUDE.md templates are meant to sit alongside — see the toolkit's app/library/monorepo templates for a structured starting shape rather than a fully auto-generated one.
/initFrequently asked questions
What does /init do in Claude Code?
Analyzes the current project and generates a starting CLAUDE.md — the file Claude reads at the start of every session in that repo.
How do I use it?
Try: /init
Any caveats to know about?
This is also exactly the kind of file the toolkit's own CLAUDE.md templates are meant to sit alongside — see the toolkit's app/library/monorepo templates for a structured starting shape rather than a fully auto-generated one.
Is this covered in the Claude Code Toolkit?
Yes — /init and patterns like it are part of the full command, hook, and template pack included with a Claude Code Toolkit subscription.
Want the full command, hook, and template pack?
This is one pattern out of the full Claude Code Toolkit — subscribe for the complete set, plus everything we add going forward.
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