Claude Code now reads AGENTS.md if there is no Claude.md

	Claude Code now reads AGENTS.md if there is no Claude.md(code.claude.com)
	715 points by datadrivenangel 25 days ago \| 269 comments
	tl;dr: Claude Code now falls back to reading AGENTS.md when no CLAUDE.md exists in a project, aligning with the emerging cross-tool convention for agent instruction files. The behavior can be toggled under "Project instructions" in /config, though it's not yet available on Bedrock, Vertex, or Foundry. The change shipped in version 2.1.276 on September 18, 2026, alongside a large batch of bug fixes and improvements.
	HN Discussion: ~Feature is long overdue and reflects Anthropic's poor responsiveness to developers ~Change is welcome but Claude Code still poorly respects instruction files compared to competitors •Anecdotal confirmation that Claude already handled AGENTS.md via workarounds like symlinks or @-imports ↑This is simply the obvious correct decision, akin to adopting an industry standard ~Broader skills/instructions ecosystem across providers remains messy and incomplete