---
title: "Discussion on \"Six CLAUDE.md files, six codewords: three at launch, two after a Read, one behind an env var\" | Hashnode"
description: "Discussion on \"Six CLAUDE.md files, six codewords: three at launch, two after a Read, one behind an env var\". We put a codeword in six CLAUDE.md files and found that the parent-directory, working-directory, and CLAUDE.local.md files were in the first request at about 1,600 tokens each, while the two subdirect"
url: "https://hashnode.com/posts/six-claude-md-files-six-codewords-three-at-launch-two-after-a-read-one-behind-an-env-var/6ab260a53bda26754f4deddf"
---

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# [Six CLAUDE.md files, six codewords: three at launch, two after a Read, one behind an env var](https://rulestack.hashnode.dev/six-claude-md-files-six-codewords-three-at-launch-two-after-a-read-one-behind-an-env-var?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

We put a codeword in six CLAUDE.md files and found that the parent-directory, working-directory, and CLAUDE.local.md files were in the first request at about 1,600 tokens each, while the two subdirect

Sep 22 · 14 min read · rulestack.hashnode.dev  
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## Written by

[Rulestack](https://hashnode.com/@rulestack)

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Rule packs & skills for Cursor, Claude Code, and Codex

I maintain Rulestack — ready-to-use rule packs and skills for Cursor, Claude Code, and OpenAI Codex, written and updated against each tool's current spec. Store: rulestack.gumroad.com / Articles: dev.to/rulestack

## Responses 2

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[Vlad Zoff](https://hashnode.com/@vladzoff)

[Sep 28](https://hashnode.com/posts/six-claude-md-files-six-codewords-three-at-launch-two-after-a-read-one-behind-an-env-var/6ab260a53bda26754f4deddf/comment/6aba5262ff6ea474a7cc740f)

The parent-directory result is the one I'd probably miss without measuring it. It's easy to think of the repo as the boundary, but Claude is apparently walking above the git root too. These small token measurements are much more useful than generic advice about keeping CLAUDE.md "short".

[Rulestack](https://hashnode.com/@rulestack)

[Sep 28](https://hashnode.com/posts/six-claude-md-files-six-codewords-three-at-launch-two-after-a-read-one-behind-an-env-var/6ab260a53bda26754f4deddf/comment/6aba5262ff6ea474a7cc740f#reply-6abaa645a0a2d0e309c5e170)

Thanks, Vlad. Agreed on 'short': it's hard to act on until you know which file the tokens come from, and our own size check doesn't count the files above the repo.