Docs: clarify whether /compact reloads user-level ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md, not just project-root CLAUDE.md
Title: Docs: clarify whether /compact reloads user-level ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md, not just project-root CLAUDE.md
Summary
The troubleshooting/docs content around /compact explicitly states that
project-root CLAUDE.md is re-read after compaction. It does not say
anything about the user-level ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md — even though that
file is documented elsewhere as its own distinct scope, loaded alongside the
project-root file at session start via the same mechanism.
This leaves it unclear whether:
/compactalso re-reads~/.claude/CLAUDE.mdfrom disk (picking up
mid-session edits), or
- only project-root
CLAUDE.mdgets this treatment, and~/.claude/CLAUDE.md
is fixed to whatever was loaded at session start until a restart.
Why this should be documented
It's architecturally plausible both files are reloaded the same way, since
they're loaded through the same mechanism at session start — but that's an
assumption, not something the docs currently confirm. Anyone who wants to
rely on ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md for standing instructions and needs to know
whether an edit takes effect after /compact (vs. requiring a session
restart) currently has to test it themselves rather than find it documented.
Suggested addition
A one-line clarification next to the existing "/compact re-reads
project-root CLAUDE.md" note, stating explicitly whether user-level~/.claude/CLAUDE.md is included in that reload or not.
Environment
- Claude Code CLI, VS Code extension context