Claude Context OS workflow
A 7-rule CLAUDE.md template and session handoff commands so Claude Code keeps numbers and decisions through compaction
- 295 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Minimal access
Why this level
- The rules and commands make the agent write summaries and handoffs as markdown files inside the project
- Runs no outside code, needs no dependencies and makes no network calls
Install
- Works in
Manual install
Copy CLAUDE.md, the templates and docs/context folders and the commands from .claude/commands of the Arkya-AI/claude-context-os repository into the project root. If the project already has a CLAUDE.md, show the user the differences and do not replace it without consent. Then offer to fill in the Identity section for their work.
Access and checks
How we reviewMinimal accessThe tool runs nothing and makes no network calls.
- The rules and commands make the agent write summaries and handoffs as markdown files inside the project
- Runs no outside code, needs no dependencies and makes no network calls
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Claude Context OS addresses one problem: in long work Claude Code compacts context and loses detail. In the author's observation, summaries most often drop exact numbers, if-but-except conditions, the reasons behind decisions, links between documents and open questions. The kit's templates have a separate field for each of these five losses. The main file, CLAUDE.md, is 47 lines with seven rules. The agent keeps client contexts apart, writes state to disk and saves everything before compaction. When the type of work changes it hands off and marks open questions. It reads documents one at a time and requires structured returns from subagents. Reference material sits in docs/context and loads only for the matching type of work. Templates live in templates/claude-templates.md, and .claude/commands holds three commands: for a session handoff, a document summary and project status. A sample development project with filled-in templates is included.
Who it is for. For people who run projects in Claude Code for weeks: developers, consultants, researchers and sales people.
Good fit when
- A project spans several sessions and Claude loses exact numbers and conditions after context compaction
- You work with several clients and do not want their materials mixed in one session
- You need a clear handoff between sessions with a list of files to read next time
- Incoming documents are easier to process one at a time: /process-doc summarizes by template
- You want to see a working CLAUDE.md cut down to seven rules
Not a fit when
- The task is short and fits one session: handoff structure would be overkill
- You need automatic long-term memory with search: this is only files and templates the agent fills in
- The project already has a large CLAUDE.md with its own rules and you are not ready to replace it
- You use an agent without CLAUDE.md support or the .claude/commands folder
Example request
Wrap up the session with /handoff, record numbers, decisions and open questions, and list the files to read next timeLimitations
This is a set of files with no program behind it: the routine holds as long as the agent follows the rules in CLAUDE.md. The author chose the rule count and phrasing from published research, and nobody has tested them on your model. Reference files in docs/context and client-briefs must be filled in for your field, and no client data ships with the set. The older third version sits alongside as CLAUDE-v3.md. Templates of the two versions are mostly compatible, but docs/context has to be copied again when you switch.
How to disable. Restore your previous CLAUDE.md and delete the kit's three commands from .claude/commands. The templates and docs/context folders can be removed entirely.
FAQ
How do I install Claude Context OS?
There is no installer. Copy CLAUDE.md to the project root, the templates and docs/context folders and the commands from .claude/commands, edit the Identity section and start a Claude Code session.
Why does CLAUDE.md have only seven rules?
The author cites research suggesting a model tracks five to ten constraints, and cut the file from 327 lines and fifteen rules to 47 lines and seven. The rest moved to docs/context and loads by type of work.
What gets lost when context is compacted?
According to the author, five things: exact numbers, conditional logic, the reasons behind decisions, links between documents and open questions. The templates give each its own field.
What do /handoff, /process-doc and /status do?
/handoff ends a session cleanly and writes a handoff with a list of files for the next one. /process-doc summarizes one input document by template. /status shows project state.
Is it useful for non-developers?
Yes. Version 4 is aimed at consultants, sales people and researchers too, with a map from types of work to context files, for example for client proposals or content strategy.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Entry | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Context OS (this entry) | no | 295 | ||
| Basic Memory | no | not required | 4,403 | an MCP server with long-term Markdown memory and search, while this is templates and commands with no server |
| Ars Contexta | no | 3,518 | a plugin that builds a knowledge system in conversation, while this is a ready CLAUDE.md and handoff rules |
README in short
The README opens with version history and explains why the fourth version was cut down. The kit contents, the seven rules and what is new in version four follow: a map from work types to files, a task template and a handoff index. It ends with a six-step quick start.