/init in Claude Code: way more than a CLAUDE.md template

TL;DR By default /init generates a basic CLAUDE.md. With CLAUDE_CODE_NEW_INIT=1 you unlock an interactive flow that also scaffolds skills and hooks by analyzing your repo, applying the rule "only include what Claude wouldn't infer on its own."

/init is one of those built-in commands almost everyone runs once on day one and never again. And they're stuck with the poor mode: a generic CLAUDE.md that Anthropic itself considers deprecated under its current philosophy ("CLAUDE.md is loaded into every Claude Code session, so it must be concise — only include what Claude would get wrong without it").

The new flow goes further: it can also generate the project's first skills and hooks. More importantly, it applies discipline on CLAUDE.md from day one. If your CLAUDE.md is already full of junk, re-running /init with the new flow is the cleanest way to start over.

How it works internally

When you run /init, Claude Code loads one of two prompts depending on CLAUDE_CODE_NEW_INIT:

The new mode is governed by a literal rule in the prompt: "CLAUDE.md is loaded into every Claude Code session, so it must be concise — only include what Claude would get wrong without it." That means: don't list package.json dependencies, folder structure, or language conventions — Claude infers those.

How to enable it

For a single session:

CLAUDE_CODE_NEW_INIT=1 claude

Then inside the session:

/init

Permanently in your shell:

echo 'export CLAUDE_CODE_NEW_INIT=1' >> ~/.zshrc

When to re-run it

/init is not "once and forget":

• Major refactor: if you moved code to a monorepo, switched frameworks, or introduced new skills, re-init so CLAUDE.md and the hooks reflect the new state.
• After removing deprecated code: if your CLAUDE.md describes a module that no longer exists, regenerating is cleaner than patching.
• Before onboarding: a clean CLAUDE.md on day one shortens the ramp for new developers.

Bonus: /init-verifiers

There's a sibling command almost nobody knows about:

/init-verifiers

Generates skills specifically for automated verification of code changes. Useful when you want certain checks (linter, specific tests, type validation) to run consistently as auto-invocable skills after each edit.

Reference

Official docs: Claude Code commands