Updated May 14, 2026.
Andrej Karpathy Skills
is a third-party rule set for Claude Code: use the plugin path if you want a reusable install, or copy the repo’s CLAUDE.md
into one project when you want project-scoped behavior.
The useful part is not the hype around the repo. The useful part is a small instruction file that nudges Claude toward four habits: think before coding, keep the design simple, make surgical changes, and verify against the actual goal.
Install path chooser
| If you want | Use | Command / action | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reusable setup through Claude Code plugins | Plugin path from the README | In Claude Code: /plugin marketplace add forrestchang/andrej-karpathy-skills then /plugin install andrej-karpathy-skills@karpathy-skills | This page did not test the remote marketplace install; treat it as README-documented, not locally proven. |
| One repo, no plugin dependency | Direct CLAUDE.md copy | curl -o CLAUDE.md https://raw.githubusercontent.com/forrestchang/andrej-karpathy-skills/main/CLAUDE.md | Safe only if the repo does not already have CLAUDE.md. |
Existing CLAUDE.md | Merge, do not overwrite | Download to a temp file, compare, then copy the parts you want | Your project rules should win over generic taste rules. |
| Cursor-style rules | Use the repo’s Cursor guidance | Read the README and adapt the relevant rule file | Keep Claude and Cursor instructions consistent or they will fight each other. |
For the direct-file path, use this safer flow in an existing repo:
curl -o /tmp/karpathy-CLAUDE.md https://raw.githubusercontent.com/forrestchang/andrej-karpathy-skills/main/CLAUDE.md
diff -u CLAUDE.md /tmp/karpathy-CLAUDE.md
Then merge the parts that help your project. Blindly replacing a repo’s CLAUDE.md is a good way to delete the one instruction that mattered.
Local command-shape probe: this workspace has the claude plugin ... command family available, including claude plugin marketplace add <source> and claude plugin install --scope <user|project|local> <plugin>. That proves the CLI shape, not the remote plugin’s install result.
Where the rules go
Claude Code’s memory docs
describe CLAUDE.md files as memory loaded at the start of a conversation. Use scope deliberately:
| Location | Scope | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
./CLAUDE.md | Project-shared | Default for a repo. Commit it when the whole team should inherit the rules. |
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md | Personal | You want the same habits across projects. Keep it short. |
| Local/private project memory | Private to your machine | You need scratch preferences or secrets-adjacent notes. Do not commit sensitive context. |
| Split/imported files | Narrow rule packs | The main file is getting too long or needs a focused sub-rule. |
If the repo also has AGENTS.md, reconcile the two. Do not let one file say “ask before changing APIs” while the other says “move fast and refactor broadly”.
For the broader placement decision, use agent config files compared and Claude Code workflow files .
Prompt to use after setup
Start a fresh Claude Code session in the repo and paste:
Before coding, read the project instructions. Summarize the Karpathy-style rules you will apply in this task. State assumptions, ask about ambiguity, keep the diff surgical, prefer the simplest working design, define success criteria, and verify the result before saying done.
If Claude cannot summarize the rules, assume the file was not loaded or the plugin did not apply where you thought it did.
Smoke test
Run a tiny test before trusting the setup:
- Start a fresh Claude Code session from the repo root.
- Ask: “What project instructions are active, and what rules should shape this coding task?”
- Give an intentionally underspecified task, like “clean up the auth flow”.
- Pass condition: Claude asks a clarifying question or defines assumptions before editing.
- Pass condition: the proposed change is small, goal-linked, and includes a verification step.
That is the behavior you are buying: less theatrical coding, more disciplined deltas.
Caveats
- This is a third-party repo, not something published by Anthropic.
CLAUDE.mdis context, not enforcement. A model can still ignore, misunderstand, or over-apply it.- Do not paste a large rule file on top of a mature repo’s existing instructions. Merge the parts that fit.
- Keep the file concise. If a rule cannot change behavior in a real task, cut it.
- Never put secrets, private keys, customer data, or passwords into shared instruction files.
Related
| Page | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Awesome DESIGN.md | Same Markdown-as-agent-input pattern, applied to UI design systems. |
| Agent config files compared | Helps decide what belongs in CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, tool rules, or local-only notes. |
| Claude Code session preflight | A practical checklist for proving the agent saw the right project context before work starts. |
| Anthropic Skills | Adjacent official Anthropic skill surface; useful comparison, but not what this repo is. |