Root Instruction File Exists

A root instruction file must exist at the project root. This is the primary entry point for any AI coding agent.

Antipatterns

• Placing the instruction file in a subdirectory. A CLAUDE.md inside docs/ or .claude/ is not at the project root. The check verifies that a main instruction file exists at the root level.
• Using a non-standard filename. A file named instructions.md or AI-RULES.md at the root will not be recognized as the main instruction file. The file must match the expected root filename pattern for the agent.
• Empty project with no instruction file. A repository that has source code but no root instruction file fails this check. Even a minimal instruction file satisfies the requirement.

Pass / Fail

Pass

project/
  CLAUDE.md
  src/
  tests/

Fail

project/
  src/
  tests/
  docs/CLAUDE.md

Limitations

Verifies at least one root instruction file exists at known paths. Does not validate the file's content, format, or whether multiple conflicting root files are present.