Questioning whether Claude Code instructions have become too large
A Claude Code setup has grown into a file of more than 100 lines, plus separate project-level instruction files. Claude now feels less effective day by day. Possible causes include the early excitement of wearing off, and daily prompts becoming less careful because the saved instruction files are doing too much of the work.
The core question is whether a smaller global and project setup would work better, with clearer and more detailed prompts for each task. The deeper concern is about work habits: weak planning, unclear goals, and the need to relearn Claude Code after using it poorly for a long time.
Key points
- A file with more than 100 lines may not automatically improve Claude Code results.
- Too many saved instructions can make daily prompts less precise.
- A smaller setup plus clearer task-by-task prompts may be worth .
- Planning, goals, and work habits are part of using Claude Code well.