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Set up a new project for smooth work
A few minutes of setup on a new project pays off in every conversation after it. Turn on version history, write a short brief, add instructions, and make sure the agent can check its work.
Every new conversation starts without the history of earlier ones. Claude Code’s documentation says it directly: “Each new session starts with a fresh context window.” A little setup on day one gives every future agent a running start.
The setup
- Turn on version history. Enjoy doesn’t set up Git, the tool that saves versions of your project, when it creates a project. Ask: “Set up Git for this project and commit everything as a first version.” Until you do, the branch button in the message box doesn’t appear, agents can’t use worktrees, and there are no View changes buttons to review their work. See Try ideas without risking your project.
- Write a short brief. Ask: “Interview me about this project, one question at a time, then write a doc called ‘Project brief’ with what we’re making, who it’s for, and what matters most.” Agents can create docs in your project, and you can mention the brief in any later conversation. See Keep project knowledge in docs.
- Make sure the agent can check its work. Ask: “Start the project and open it in the preview.” Agents can run your site and show it beside the conversation. OpenAI’s Codex guide lists “not letting the agent see its work” as a common mistake.
- Add instructions. Ask the agent: “In one or two lines, tell me how to start and test this project, so I can add them to the project instructions.” Then open Project settings, open Instructions, add those lines plus your own rules, and select Save. Every agent in the project gets them. See Write instructions your agent will follow.
An example
You’ve created a project called “Bakery site.” Your first four messages are:
- “Set up Git for this project and commit everything as a first version.”
- “Interview me about this project, one question at a time, then write a doc called ‘Project brief’.”
- “Build a first version of the home page from the brief, start it, and open it in the preview.”
- “In one or two lines, tell me how to start and test this project.”
Then you paste the answer into Instructions with two rules of your own: “Check changes at phone size before saying they’re done” and “Commit when you finish a task.”
Common pitfalls
- Skipping version history. It’s easiest to add on day one, before there’s anything to lose.
- A brief that tries to cover everything. Start with a few short paragraphs and add to it as decisions come up.
- No way to see the result. If the agent can’t run or preview the project, ask it why before building more.
- Long instructions on day one. Add rules as you notice what you keep repeating. See Write instructions your agent will follow.