CLAUDE.md instructions form an immutable hierarchy above user prompts

Source type	Anecdotal
Confidence	Low
Last verified	2026-03-20
Topics	claude-code

Insight: CLAUDE.md instructions are treated as immutable system rules that define operational boundaries, while user prompts are interpreted as flexible requests within those boundaries. CLAUDE.md directives are followed sequentially and maintain persistence throughout the session, while user prompts are contextual and rarely override CLAUDE.md. This hierarchy makes CLAUDE.md the single most important configuration surface for consistent Claude Code behavior.

Sources

• ClaudeLog by InventorBlack — "CLAUDE.md Supremacy" (2026-01-14)

Related: "claude-md-comprehensive-guide-builder" in this batch — COMPLEMENTS