Thread

Claude Code reads AGENTS.md only when telemetry is on [fixed]

486 points · 284 comments · pszypowicz

mpoteat · 1790168190 · focus · HN ↗
Sorry folks, this is a rollout artifact, we needed a way to turn this off remotely via feature flags if it broke something, and with telemetry off you don't get those. It's already been fixed as part of v2.1.281 releasing today.
The mod is source available here: <a href="https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/tree/main/mods/agents-md" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/tree/main/mods/age...
Apologies again folks, this was a fully human error on my part - I should've found a better way to launch with a kill-switch.
1. mpoteat · 1790168466 · focus · HN ↗
  The AGENTS.md support was implemented via our new extensibility system for CC, called Mods, which is launching soon-ish. A mod is a plugin with a new type of hook, which we call a function hook.
  If folks play around with it, I would love feedback on the relevant issue: <a href="https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/91870" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/91870
  Mods allow quite a bit more customizability and control. I really believe in the idea.
  1. rickette · 1790168940 · focus · HN ↗
    The only difference between CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md is the filename. Do you really need a whole plugin system to support that use case? Feels like this could have been a one line change.
    locknitpicker · 1790169641 · focus · HN ↗
    > The only difference between CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md is the filename. Do you really need a whole plugin system to support that use case? Feels like this could have been a one line change.
    I don't think this is a reasonable assumption. The document format in CLAUDE.md is whatever Anthropic specifies, where AGENTS.md is a common ground format that is expected to be supported by any agent, be it from Anthropic or not.
    <a href="https://agents.md/" rel="nofollow">https://agents.md/
    You might argue that differences are small or negligible, but that is just an expectation.
    BowBun · 1790169791 · focus · HN ↗
    I think you're giving these files too much credit. There are no specs, they are freeform text. In this sense they are the same. The expectation of what could be in it by each vendor means nothing unless it's enforced.
    ljm · 1790169801 · focus · HN ↗
    It's not a format though is it? it's literally just an extension to the system prompt in plain markdown.
    There is no rhyme or reason to the structure of this file, just like with most things in AI. It's best effort human language.
    logifail · 1790170009 · focus · HN ↗
    > The document format in CLAUDE.md is whatever Anthropic specifies
    Q: Do Anthropic actually specify a document format?
    taormina · 1790170650 · focus · HN ↗
    No, they do not.
    Diti · 1790175924 · focus · HN ↗
    Nope! Claude is even able to understand AsciiDoc just fine (which is a blessing). But it will always insist on the Markdown extension.
    sunaookami · 1790172879 · focus · HN ↗
    There is no "specification", it's literally just a text file that gets loaded into context. You don't even need to write markdown. It's not that hard man.

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