All your instruction files count

If you work with a coding agent for a while, you will come across them sooner or later. An AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md in your home folder. Another one in your project folder. And maybe another one in a subfolder below that. You might recognise this. Then the question arises that I also got in a vibe coding training: which file actually counts?

The answer is actually simpler than you might hope. They both count. And that is good news, as long as you know how to organise them. Because your agent does not do what you might expect. It does not choose the most important file and ignore the rest.

Copy the prompt at the bottom of this article. With that, you let your agent map out which instructions in your folder all count.

What your agent does with all those files

Your agent first looks at which folder you are working in. Then it reads the instructions that are on that path, from your home folder to your project. All those files become context. No single file disables the others. Some tools let the closest file weigh a bit more. But it all remains text in the same context window. And it tries to make something sensible out of it together.

That works fine as long as the files complement each other. Things go wrong when they contradict each other. Suppose you have a folder in your workspace with your brand style, your colours, your logo and your templates. And in one project you deliberately use different colours. If that is not explicitly stated anywhere, your agent has to guess. And an agent that guesses, sometimes guesses wrong.

Frequently asked questions

Which instruction file counts if there are multiple?

They all count. Your agent reads the instructions on the path from your home folder to your project, and everything ends up in the same context window. No single file disables the others.

How do I prevent instructions from contradicting each other?

Put what applies everywhere high up, and what applies to one project in that project. Where two layers are about the same thing, you explicitly write what takes precedence in this project.

Where do I put agreements that all my projects need?

In a separate file that your general briefing refers to, such as a list of the ports that your agents are allowed to use. That way it is in one place and every agent reads it.

Where do I learn to work with agents like this myself?

In the 'Vibe Coding with AI' and 'AI agents' training courses you set up your own workspace and instructions hands-on. You can find all dates at Workshops & Events.

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