# `.claude/` Directory
Project-level configuration for Claude Code. Everything here is git-tracked and available to anyone who clones the repo.
## What This Directory Contains
| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
| `settings.json` | Project settings (enabled plugins, permissions, etc.) |
| `skills/` | Local skills — context documents that Claude loads on demand |
| `commands/` | Slash commands (`/commit`, etc.) |
## Skills
Skills are markdown files (`SKILL.md`) that teach Claude how to handle specific tasks. Each skill lives in its own subdirectory under `.claude/skills/`.
```
.claude/skills/
ra-mcp-apps/SKILL.md
testing-python/SKILL.md
...
```
A skill's YAML frontmatter includes a `description` field that tells Claude when to activate it. When a user's request matches the description, Claude loads the skill automatically.
Because skills live in the repo, they're available to every contributor on clone — no extra installation needed.
## Plugins (External Skills)
Plugins are third-party skill packages installed separately. They're enabled in `settings.json` under `enabledPlugins`:
```json
{
"enabledPlugins": {
"svelte-skills@svelte-skills-kit": true,
"toolkit-skills@claude-code-toolkit": true
}
}
```
To install a plugin:
```bash
claude plugin install <package-name>
```
Enabling a plugin in `settings.json` makes it available for the project, but each developer still needs to install the plugin package locally.
## Commands
Custom slash commands live in `.claude/commands/`. Each `.md` file becomes a command named after the file (e.g., `commit.md` provides `/commit`).
Commands are prompts that get expanded when invoked — useful for standardizing workflows like commit messages, code review, or scaffolding.
## Monorepo Note
Claude resolves `.claude/` from the project root. In a monorepo with multiple packages, keep a single `.claude/` at the root. If a sub-package needs its own configuration, symlink from the sub-package into the root `.claude/` directory.
