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What Is the First Command to Run When Starting Claude Code on a New Project?
Learn why running the /init command is the best first step when using Claude Code on a new project, as it automatically scans your codebase to generate a guiding CLAUDE.md file.
Question
You’re starting to use Claude Code on a new project. What should you run first to help Claude understand your codebase?
A. # to add notes
B. /init to scan the project
C. npm install to get dependencies
D. /clear to reset everything
Answer
B. /init to scan the project
Explanation
When launching Claude Code for the first time in a new project, running the /init command is the recommended best practice to help Claude understand your codebase. This command triggers a scan of your project directory and automatically generates a CLAUDE.md file, which serves as a centralized overview containing essential context, coding guidelines, standard commands (like build and test scripts), and high-level architectural details that future Claude instances will reference to operate productively in the repository.