Instruction File Size Limit

Individual instruction files must stay within size limits. Oversized files exceed context windows and degrade agent performance. The check enforces a maximum of 300 lines per file.

Antipatterns

• Monolithic instruction file: Putting all project instructions in a single CLAUDE.md that grows past 300 lines. Split into .claude/rules/*.md files by topic instead.
• Embedded large examples: Including full code samples or log output inline that push the file past the line limit. Reference external files or keep examples to 3-5 lines.
• Duplicated instructions across sections: Restating the same instruction in multiple sections inflates the file without adding information. State each instruction once.

Pass / Fail

Pass

# Project (48 lines)
## Commands
## Conventions
## Boundaries

Fail

# Project (350 lines)
## Commands (50 lines)
## Conventions (120 lines)
## Full API Reference (180 lines)

Limitations

Counts raw lines (max 300) regardless of line length or content density. A file with 300 single-word lines and one with 300 dense paragraphs are treated equally.