Specs Driven Development for Vibe Coding

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Context Files — CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, .cursorrules

Context Files

CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, .cursorrules — persistent memory for AI

The Session Amnesia Problem

Every AI coding session starts with a blank slate. Your AI agent does not remember yesterday's decisions, your coding standards, or your technology preferences. Without persistent context, you waste time re-explaining the same constraints in every session.

Context files solve this problem. They are project-level instruction files that AI agents read automatically at the start of every session, ensuring consistent behavior across all interactions.

CLAUDE.md — Claude Code's Context File

Place CLAUDE.md in your project root. Claude reads it at the start of every session.

CLAUDE.md Example

# CLAUDE.md

## Project Overview
E-commerce platform built with Next.js 15, PostgreSQL,
and Stripe for payments.

## Coding Standards
- Use TypeScript strict mode
- All API responses use standard envelope format
- Error handling via custom AppError class

## Architecture Decisions
- Server Components by default, Client Components only
  when interactivity is required
- All database access through repository pattern

Other Context File Formats

AGENTS.md

Used by Codex and similar agents. Same concept as CLAUDE.md but with agent-specific instruction formatting. Can define multiple agent roles.

.cursorrules

Used by Cursor IDE. JSON or plain text format. Loaded automatically for every Cursor AI interaction in the project.

.github/copilot-instructions.md

GitHub Copilot's context file. Markdown format, read by Copilot in VS Code and GitHub.com.

CONVENTIONS.md

Tool-agnostic conventions file. Works with any AI tool that accepts context. Good for teams using multiple AI assistants.

What to Include in Context Files

Project Overview

Tech stack, architecture pattern, key dependencies. Give the AI the big picture so every suggestion fits the whole.

Coding Standards

Naming conventions, file structure, import ordering, error handling patterns. Be specific — 'use camelCase' not 'follow best practices'.

Architecture Decisions

Why you chose specific patterns. 'Repository pattern for database access' prevents the AI from generating raw SQL queries.

Testing Requirements

Test framework, coverage expectations, what to test and what not to. Prevents AI from skipping tests or using the wrong framework.

Do NOT Rules

Explicit prohibitions. 'Never use any: type in TypeScript' or 'Do not add new dependencies without discussion'. These are the most powerful entries.

File Conventions

Where to put things. 'Components in src/components/, API routes in src/app/api/'. Prevents the AI from creating files in wrong locations.

Context File Best Practices

✓Keep it under 500 lines — AI attention degrades with length

✓Use concrete examples, not abstract principles

✓Update it when architecture decisions change

✓Version control it alongside your code

✓Include DO NOT rules — they prevent the most common AI mistakes

✓Reference other docs instead of duplicating content

Key Insight

Context files are the bridge between sessions. Without them, every AI interaction starts from scratch. With them, your AI agent becomes a consistent team member that remembers your standards, your patterns, and your preferences.