Lesson 5 - Projects: Persistent Context Management

**Copy this template and customize for your project:** --- **Project Name:** [Your project name] **What I'm Building:** [2-3 sentence description of your product/app] **Tech Stack:** - Frontend: [e.g., Next.js 14, React, TypeScript] - Styling: [e.g., Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui] - Backend: [e.g., Supabase, tRPC, none yet] - Deployment: [e.g., Vercel] - Other: [e.g., Stripe for payments, Auth0 for auth] **Code Style Preferences:** - [e.g., 'Use functional components in React'] - [e.g., 'Prefer named exports over default exports'] - [e.g., 'Add TypeScript types for all functions'] - [e.g., 'Include helpful comments for complex logic'] **Project Constraints:** - [e.g., 'Must be mobile-responsive'] - [e.g., 'Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance'] - [e.g., 'Performance: page load under 2 seconds'] - [e.g., 'No external API dependencies unless discussed'] **When Generating Code:** - Explain what each new file does before showing code - Include error handling and loading states - Suggest testing approaches for new features - Point out potential edge cases **Target Audience:** [Who will use this? E.g., 'Non-technical founders learning to build products'] **Current Status:** [Where are you now? E.g., 'MVP launched, working on v2 features' or 'Just starting, no code yet'] --- **Example (02Ship):** **Project Name:** 02Ship Learning Platform **What I'm Building:** A course platform teaching non-programmers to build products using Claude AI. Includes video lessons, exercises, and progress tracking. **Tech Stack:** - Frontend: Next.js 14 (App Router), TypeScript, Tailwind CSS - Content: MDX (blog), JSON (courses) - Deployment: Vercel - Analytics: Vercel Analytics **Code Style Preferences:** - Use TypeScript strict mode - Prefer named exports - Mobile-first responsive design - Accessibility: include ARIA labels **Project Constraints:** - All content must be beginner-friendly (no jargon without explanation) - Fast page loads (Lighthouse score 90+) - No authentication initially (public course content) **When Generating Code:** - Explain file structure before showing code - Include accessibility attributes - Suggest SEO improvements - Keep components small and focused **Target Audience:** Non-programmers (founders, PMs, students) with zero coding experience **Current Status:** MVP live, building out course lesson structure

**Essential Documents (Priority 1):** 1. **README.md** - Project overview, setup instructions, architecture 2. **Requirements/PRD** - Original project brief, goals, scope 3. **Design Docs** - Wireframes (as PDF), design system, UI guidelines 4. **API Documentation** - For any external services you're integrating **Helpful Context (Priority 2):** 5. **package.json** - So Claude knows your dependencies 6. **Key Code Files** - Main components or utilities (not entire codebase) 7. **Database Schema** - ER diagrams, table structures, migrations 8. **Brand Guidelines** - Tone, voice, color palette, logo usage **Optional but Useful:** 9. **User Research** - Pain points, interview quotes, personas 10. **Competitor Analysis** - What exists, how yours is different 11. **Changelog** - Major decisions and their reasoning **File Format Tips:** - Markdown (.md) works best for text documents - PDFs for complex layouts (wireframes, presentations) - Code files (.ts, .tsx, .json) for technical references - Images (PNG/JPG) for UI mockups or diagrams **Size Limits:** - Individual files: 10 MB max - Total knowledge base: 100 MB per Project - If over limit, split into smaller files or summarize **What NOT to Upload:** ❌ Your entire codebase (too large, use Git instead) ❌ Secrets/API keys (use environment variables) ❌ Binary files unless necessary (use text when possible) ❌ Outdated docs (keep knowledge base current)

**Use a PROJECT when:** ✅ Building a specific product over days/weeks ✅ You have requirements that should persist (tech stack, style) ✅ Iterating on the same codebase across sessions ✅ Need Claude to reference specific docs repeatedly ✅ Working with a team (can share Project access) ✅ Want conversation history for later reference **Use REGULAR CHAT when:** 🔹 Quick one-off questions ('How do I deploy to Vercel?') 🔹 Exploring ideas before committing to build 🔹 Learning/research without a specific project 🔹 Testing different approaches before choosing 🔹 General productivity (writing emails, summaries) 🔹 Don't have Claude Pro (Projects require Pro) **Project Organization Strategy:** **Option A: One Project Per Product** - Project: "MyApp" → all features, conversations, docs - Best for: Small-medium projects, solo builders **Option B: Main + Feature Projects** - Project: "MyApp - Core" - Project: "MyApp - Auth System" - Project: "MyApp - Payment Integration" - Best for: Large projects, team collaboration **Option C: Stage-Based Projects** - Project: "MyApp - MVP" - Project: "MyApp - V2" - Best for: Versioned development, major refactors **Pro tip:** Start with Option A (one Project). Split into more only when it gets messy.

**Naming Conversations:** ✅ Good: - 'Build user profile page' - 'Debug Stripe payment integration' - 'Add dark mode toggle' - 'Refactor auth flow' ❌ Bad: - 'Help' (too vague) - 'Untitled' (default, always rename!) - 'Fix' (fix what?) - '12/25 work' (use descriptive names, not dates) **When to Start a New Conversation:** - Beginning a distinct feature or task - Previous conversation exceeded 50+ messages (gets unwieldy) - Switching to different part of the codebase - Starting a new sprint or development phase **When to Continue Existing Conversation:** - Iterating on the same feature - Debugging issues from the same work session - Following up on a question from earlier - Making related changes to what you just built **Archiving Strategy:** 1. After a feature ships → archive that conversation 2. After a major refactor → archive old implementation discussions 3. Monthly cleanup → archive anything older than 30 days you won't reference 4. Keep important decision logs even if old (tag them clearly) **Referencing Previous Conversations:** Claude can reference past conversations within a Project: - 'In our conversation about the login flow, you suggested...' - 'Remember the dark mode feature we built last week?' - 'Update the header component we created in the previous conversation' This works because Projects maintain full history!

**Project (Claude):** A workspace with persistent custom instructions, knowledge files, and conversation history **Custom Instructions:** Standing guidelines Claude follows in every conversation within a Project **Knowledge Base:** Uploaded files (docs, code, designs) that Claude can reference **Conversation History:** All past chats within a Project — Claude remembers them **Context Window:** Amount of text Claude can process at once (Projects help manage this across sessions) **Artifact:** Code/documents Claude generates (visible across all Project conversations) **Pro Tier:** Paid Claude subscription required for Projects feature