Curated CLAUDE.md system prompt variations for different coding styles and strictness levels — conservative, balanced, and aggressive modes with detailed trade-off notes.
[!important]
NEW (January 23, 2026): We've added all of Claude Code's ~40 system reminders to this list—see System Reminders.
This repository contains an up-to-date list of all Claude Code's various system prompts and their associated token counts as of Claude Code v2.1.150 (May 22nd, 2026). It also contains a CHANGELOG.md for the system prompts across 187 versions since v2.0.14. From the team behind Piebald.
This repository is updated within minutes of each Claude Code release. See the changelog, and follow @PiebaldAI on X for a summary of the system prompt changes in each release.
[!note]
⭐ Star this repository to get notified about new Claude Code versions. For each new Claude Code version, we create a release on GitHub, which will notify all users who've starred the repository.
Why multiple "system prompts?"
Claude Code doesn't just have one single string for its system prompt.
Instead, there are:
Large portions conditionally added depending on the environment and various configs.
Descriptions for builtin tools like Write, Bash, and TodoWrite, and some are fairly large.
Separate system prompts for builtin agents like Explore and Plan.
Numerous AI-powered utility functions, such as conversation compaction, CLAUDE.md generation, session title generation, etc. featuring their own systems prompts.
The result—110+ strings that are constantly changing and moving within a very large minified JS file.
[!TIP]
Want to modify a particular piece of the system prompt in your own Claude Code installation? Use tweakcc. It—
lets you customize the the individual pieces of the system prompt as markdown files, and then
patches your npm-based or native (binary) Claude Code installation with them, and also
provides diffing and conflict management for when both you and Anthropic have conflicting modifications to the same prompt file.
Extraction
This repository contains the system prompts extracted using a script from the latest npm version of Claude Code. As they're extracted directly from Claude Code's compiled source code, they're guaranteed to be exactly what Claude Code uses. If you use tweakcc to customize the system prompts, it works in a similar way—it patches the exact same strings in your local installation as are extracted into this repository.
Prompts
Note that some prompts contain interpolated bits such as builtin tool name references, lists of available sub agents, and various other context-specific variables, so the actual counts in a particular Claude Code session will differ slightly—likely not beyond ±20 tokens, however.
Agent Prompt: /code-review part 1 base finder angles (315 tks) - Shared base finder-angle instructions for the /code-review slash command covering line-by-line diff scanning, removed behavior, and cross-file tracing.
Agent Prompt: /schedule slash command (3130 tks) - Guides the user through scheduling, updating, listing, or running remote Claude Code agents on cron triggers via the Anthropic cloud API.
Agent Prompt: Auto mode rule reviewer (292 tks) - Reviews and critiques user-defined auto mode classifier rules for clarity, completeness, conflicts, and actionability.
Agent Prompt: Claude guide agent (734 tks) - System prompt for the claude-guide agent that helps users understand and use Claude Code, the Claude Agent SDK and the Claude API effectively.
Agent Prompt: Dream memory consolidation (859 tks) - Instructs an agent to perform a multi-phase memory consolidation pass — orienting on existing memories, gathering recent signal from logs and transcripts, merging updates into topic files, and pruning the index.
Agent Prompt: Dream memory pruning (456 tks) - Instructs an agent to perform a memory pruning pass by deleting stale or invalidated memory files and collapsing duplicates in the memory directory.
Agent Prompt: General purpose (285 tks) - System prompt for the general-purpose subagent that searches, analyzes, and edits code across a codebase while reporting findings concisely to the caller.
Agent Prompt: Managed Agents onboarding flow (3595 tks) - Interactive interview script that walks users through configuring a Managed Agent from scratch — selecting tools, skills, files, environment settings — and emits setup and runtime code.
Agent Prompt: Memory synthesis (449 tks) - Subagent that reads persistent memory files and returns a JSON synthesis of only the information relevant to each query, with cited filenames.
Agent Prompt: Onboarding guide draft share link workflow (323 tks) - Adds instructions for sharing the draft ONBOARDING.md before review, then updating the same ShareOnboardingGuide link after the user answers the review questions.
Agent Prompt: Onboarding guide generator (1135 tks) - Co-authors a team onboarding guide (ONBOARDING.md) for new Claude Code users by analyzing the creator's usage data, classifying session types, and iterating on the draft collaboratively.
Agent Prompt: Worker fork (254 tks) - System prompt for a forked worker sub-agent that executes a single directive from the parent agent and reports back concisely.
Agent Prompt: Workflow subagent structured output (190 tks) - Instructs an internal workflow subagent to return its final answer by calling the StructuredOutput tool exactly once with schema-valid input.
Data
The content of various template files embedded in Claude Code.
Data: Anthropic CLI (2930 tks) - Reference documentation for the ant CLI covering installation, authentication, command structure, input and output shaping, managed agents workflows, and scripting patterns.
Data: Claude Platform on AWS reference (1158 tks) - Reference documentation for using the Claude Developer Platform through AWS infrastructure, including AnthropicAWS clients, required region and workspace configuration, SigV4 authentication, and short-term API keys.
Data: Claude model catalog (2315 tks) - Catalog of current and legacy Claude models with exact model IDs, aliases, context windows, and pricing.
Data: Files API reference — Python (1360 tks) - Python Files API reference including file upload, listing, deletion, and usage in messages.
Data: HTTP error codes reference (2399 tks) - Reference for HTTP error codes returned by the Claude API with common causes and handling strategies.
Data: Live documentation sources (4075 tks) - WebFetch URLs for fetching current Claude API and Agent SDK documentation from official sources.
Data: Managed Agents client patterns (2685 tks) - Reference guide of common client-side patterns for driving Managed Agent sessions, including stream reconnection, idle-break gating, tool confirmations, interrupts, and custom tools.
Data: Managed Agents core concepts (3988 tks) - Reference documentation for the Managed Agents API covering core concepts (Agents, Sessions, Environments, Containers), lifecycle, versioning, endpoints, and usage patterns.
Data: Managed Agents endpoint reference (6888 tks) - Comprehensive reference for Managed Agents API endpoints, SDK methods, request/response schemas, error handling, and rate limits.
Data: Managed Agents environments and resources (3191 tks) - Reference documentation covering Managed Agents environments, file resources, GitHub repository mounting, and the Files API with SDK examples.
Data: Managed Agents events and steering (2747 tks) - Reference guide for sending and receiving events on managed agent sessions, including streaming, polling, reconnection, message queuing, interrupts, and event payload details.
Data: Managed Agents memory stores reference (2780 tks) - Reference documentation for Managed Agents memory stores, including store creation, session attachment, FUSE mounts, memory CRUD, concurrency, versions, redaction, and endpoint paths.
Data: Managed Agents multiagent sessions (1839 tks) - Reference documentation for Managed Agents multiagent sessions, including coordinator rosters, threads, session stream events, subagent tool permissions, and pitfalls.
Data: Managed Agents outcomes (1772 tks) - Reference documentation for Managed Agents outcomes, including user.define_outcome events, rubrics, outcome evaluation events, deliverables, and interaction rules.
Data: Managed Agents overview (2786 tks) - Provides the agent with a comprehensive overview of the Managed Agents API architecture, mandatory agent-then-session flow, beta headers, documentation reading guide, and common pitfalls.
Data: Managed Agents reference — Python (2843 tks) - Reference guide for using the Anthropic Python SDK to create and manage agents, sessions, environments, streaming, custom tools, files, and MCP servers.
Data: Managed Agents reference — TypeScript (2825 tks) - Reference guide for using the Anthropic TypeScript SDK to create and manage agents, sessions, environments, streaming, custom tools, file uploads, and MCP server integration.
Data: Managed Agents reference — cURL (2658 tks) - Provides cURL and raw HTTP request examples for the Managed Agents API including environment, agent, and session lifecycle operations.
Data: Managed Agents self-hosted sandboxes (2855 tks) - Reference documentation for running Managed Agents tool execution in self-hosted infrastructure, including environment setup, workers, webhook-driven wake, orchestration, monitoring, credentials, and security responsibilities.
Data: Managed Agents tools and skills (4101 tks) - Reference documentation covering the Managed Agents SDK's tool types (agent toolset, MCP, custom), permission policies, vault credential management, and skills API for building specialized agents.
Data: Managed Agents webhooks (1439 tks) - Reference documentation for Managed Agents webhooks, including endpoint registration, signature verification, payload envelopes, supported event types, delivery behavior, and pitfalls.
Data: Tool use concepts (4356 tks) - Conceptual foundations of tool use with the Claude API including tool definitions, tool choice, and best practices.
Data: Tool use reference — Python (5106 tks) - Python tool use reference including tool runner, manual agentic loop, code execution, and structured outputs.
Data: Tool use reference — TypeScript (5033 tks) - TypeScript tool use reference including tool runner, manual agentic loop, code execution, and structured outputs.
Data: User profile memory template (232 tks) - Template content for the user profile memory file, covering personal details, work context, schedule, and communication preferences.
System Prompt
Parts of the main system prompt.
System Prompt: Action safety and truthful reporting (144 tks) - Requires confirmation for irreversible or outward-facing actions, checking targets before destructive edits, and truthful reporting of outcomes.
System Prompt: Autonomous loop check (1071 tks) - Defines behavior for autonomous timer-based invocations, guiding Claude to continue established work, maintain PRs, and handle repeated idle checks while the user is away.
System Prompt: Background session instructions (142 tks) - Instructions for background job sessions to use the job-specific temporary directory and follow the appropriate worktree isolation guidance.
System Prompt: Communication style (297 tks) - Instructs Claude to give brief, user-facing updates at key moments during tool use, write concise end-of-turn summaries, match response format to task complexity, and avoid comments and planning documents in code.
System Prompt: Dream CLAUDE.md memory reconciliation (279 tks) - Instructs dream memory consolidation to reconcile feedback and project memories against CLAUDE.md, deleting stale memories or flagging possible CLAUDE.md drift.
System Prompt: Dream team memory handling (279 tks) - Instructions for handling shared team memories during dream consolidation, including deduplication, conservative pruning rules, and avoiding accidental promotion of personal memories.
System Prompt: Fork usage guidelines (323 tks) - Instructions for when to fork subagents and rules against reading fork output mid-flight or fabricating fork results.
System Prompt: Git status (37 tks) - System prompt for displaying the current git status at the start of the conversation.
System Prompt: Harness instructions (178 tks) - Core interactive-agent identity and harness instructions for terminal markdown output, permissions, system reminders, compaction, tool use, and code references.
System Prompt: Insights at a glance summary (569 tks) - Generates a concise 4-part summary (what's working, hindrances, quick wins, ambitious workflows) for the insights report.
System Prompt: Learning mode (1042 tks) - Main system prompt for learning mode with human collaboration instructions.
System Prompt: Memory description of user details (122 tks) - Describes the purpose and guidelines for per-user memory files that accumulate details about the user's role, goals, knowledge, and preferences across sessions.
System Prompt: Memory description of user feedback (with explicit save) (146 tks) - Describes the feedback memory type that captures user guidance on work approaches, emphasizing recording both successes and failures and explicitly instructing to save a new memory noting contradictions with team feedback.
System Prompt: Memory description of user feedback (139 tks) - Describes the user feedback memory type that stores guidance about work approaches, emphasizing recording both successes and failures and checking for contradictions with team memories.
System Prompt: Memory instructions (391 tks) - Instructions for using persistent file-based memory, including memory file format, scope, indexing, and stale-memory handling.
System Prompt: Memory staleness verification (112 tks) - Instructs the agent to verify memory records against current file/resource state and delete stale memories that conflict with observed reality.
System Prompt: Minimal mode (164 tks) - Describes the behavior and constraints of minimal mode, which skips hooks, LSP, plugins, auto-memory, and other features while requiring explicit context via CLI flags.
System Prompt: Partial compaction instructions (805 tks) - Instructions on how to compact when the user decided to compact only a portion of the conversation, with a structured summary format and analysis process.
System Prompt: REPL tool usage and scripting conventions (1049 tks) - Instructs Claude on how to use the REPL tool effectively with dense JavaScript scripts, shorthands, batching rules, and API reference for investigation tasks.
System Prompt: Remote plan mode (ultraplan) (617 tks) - System reminder injected during remote planning sessions that instructs Claude to explore the codebase, produce a diagram-rich plan via ExitPlanMode, and implement it with a pull request upon approval.
System Prompt: Remote planning session (432 tks) - System reminder that configures a remote planning session to explore the codebase, produce an implementation plan via ExitPlanMode, and handle plan approval, rejection, or teleportation back to the user's local terminal.
System Prompt: Strict proactive schedule offer gate (221 tks) - Restricts proactive /schedule offers to completed work with a named future obligation artifact, concrete timing, and no in-session follow-up available.
System Prompt: Subagent delegation examples (606 tks) - Provides example interactions showing how a coordinator agent should delegate tasks to subagents, handle waiting states, and report results.
System Prompt: Subagent prompt-writing examples (439 tks) - Provides example usage patterns demonstrating how to write self-contained, well-structured prompts when delegating tasks to subagents.
System Prompt: WSL managed settings double opt-in (152 tks) - Explains that WSL can read the Windows managed settings policy chain only when the admin-enabled flag is set, with HKCU requiring an additional user opt-in.
System Prompt: Writing subagent prompts (287 tks) - Guidelines for writing effective prompts when delegating tasks to subagents, covering context-inheriting vs fresh subagent scenarios.
System Reminder: Plan mode approval tool enforcement (236 tks) - Requires plan mode turns to end with either AskUserQuestion for clarification or ExitPlanMode for plan approval, and forbids asking for approval any other way.
System Reminder: Plan mode re-entry (236 tks) - System reminder sent when the user enters Plan mode after having previously exited it either via shift+tab or by approving Claude's plan.
System Reminder: Previously invoked skills (131 tks) - Restores skills invoked before conversation compaction as context only, warning not to re-execute their setup actions or treat prior inputs as current instructions.
System Reminder: Thinking frequency tuning (129 tks) - Instructs Claude to treat system-reminder tags as harness instructions and calibrate thinking frequency based on task complexity.
System Reminder: Ultraplan mode (437 tks) - System reminder for using Ultraplan mode to create a detailed implementation plan with multi-agent exploration and critique.
Tool Description: BrowserBatch (159 tks) - Tool description for BrowserBatch, which executes multiple browser tool calls sequentially in one round trip.
Tool Description: Computer (161 tks) - Main description for the Chrome browser computer automation tool.
Tool Description: CronCreate (850 tks) - Describes the CronCreate tool for enqueuing one-shot or recurring cron-based jobs with jitter and off-minute scheduling guidance.
Tool Description: Edit (202 tks) - Tool for performing exact string replacements in files.
Tool Description: EnterPlanMode (881 tks) - Tool description for entering plan mode to explore and design implementation approaches.
Sensible default Claude Code configuration focused on Python and ML projects — includes rules for type hints, docstrings, pytest patterns, and data science conventions.
Ready-to-use CLAUDE.md templates for popular stacks: Next.js, Django, Rails, FastAPI, Spring Boot, and more — with tech-specific rules and conventions.
Piebald.