--- title: "Write one memory file and start Claude Code without any programming" description: "A non-technical walkthrough: write a CLAUDE.md file in Obsidian, install Claude Code, and start a session that already knows your work." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/ai-memory-for-non-technical-users" date: "2026-01-28" modified: "2026-09-25" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Real estate - Real estate - [Real estate](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - Work - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Prepare your six-question brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prepare-your-six-question-brief) - Build - [Site build, content library with SEO, signal desk](https://scalewithsearch.com/work) - For your business - Trades and home services - [Auto body and collision shops](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/auto-body-and-collision-shops) - [Foundation and home repair contractors](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/foundation-and-home-repair) - 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You do not need to be a developer to give an AI assistant a memory. You do not write code, call an API, or change settings. You write a text document. If you can write a Word document, you can do this. This walkthrough uses two products. Obsidian is a free note editor for plain-text files. Claude Code is Anthropic's assistant that runs in a terminal window and reads files in a folder. The terminal part is three commands long: one to install and two to start. ## Know what you are building AI memory here is one file on your computer that describes you and your work. The file is named `CLAUDE.md`. When you start Claude Code in a folder, it reads the `CLAUDE.md` file in that folder before the conversation starts. The file is plain text in a format called Markdown. Markdown is text with a few formatting marks for headings, lists, bold, and italics. A short file looks like this: ```markdown # Who I am [Your name]. Marketing director at a B2B software company. # How I work I need quick answers. Don't explain things I already know. Use bullet points. # Current projects - Product campaign launch in Q1 - Rebuild of the email automation workflows - Training for a new marketing coordinator ``` Three sections, plain text, no code. The rest of this article shows how to create the file, open it with Claude Code, and keep it current. ## Step 1: Install Obsidian and create a vault Obsidian is free to download. You use it to write and organize Markdown files. 1. Go to [obsidian.md](https://obsidian.md). 2. Download the version for Windows, Mac, or Linux. 3. Open the downloaded file to install Obsidian. 4. Open Obsidian. On first start, Obsidian asks you to create a vault. A vault is a folder that holds your notes. Name it `AI Memory` and put it in your Documents folder. You now have the folder that Claude Code will read. ## Step 2: Write your CLAUDE.md file In Obsidian, create a new note: 1. Click **New note**, or press Ctrl+N on Windows or Cmd+N on Mac. 2. Name the note `CLAUDE`. Obsidian adds `.md` to the file name. 3. Write the four sections below. **Who you are.** Your name, job, company, and role, in one or two sentences: ```markdown # Who I am [Your name]. CFO at a mid-sized manufacturing company in Ohio. ``` **How you work.** Say how the assistant should answer you. Short or detailed? Formal or casual? Bullets or paragraphs? ```markdown # How I work Get to the point. I don't need background explanations. Use examples instead of theory. ``` **Current projects.** What you work on now. You change this section as projects start and finish: ```markdown # Current projects - Budget plan for 2027 - New accounting software rollout - Hire for an assistant controller ``` **Domain knowledge.** The basics of your field and your company, so that the assistant does not give generic advice: ```markdown # My company We manufacture industrial pumps. Main clients are chemical processing plants and water treatment facilities. Team size: 200 employees. ``` Save the note. That is the whole file for now. ## Step 3: Install Claude Code Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan. Check Anthropic's current plan page to see which plans include it; plan contents change. Anthropic publishes the install command in its Claude Code documentation. Copy the command from that page, not from an article, because the command can change. To open a terminal: - **Mac:** press Cmd+Space, type `terminal`, and press Enter. - **Windows:** open Windows Terminal or PowerShell from the Start menu. Paste the install command and press Enter. When the installer finishes, you are ready. ## Step 4: Start Claude Code in your vault This is the last technical step. You tell the terminal which folder to open, and then you start Claude Code. If your vault is in `Documents/AI Memory`, type this and press Enter: ```bash cd "Documents/AI Memory" ``` `cd` means "change directory." The quotation marks are necessary because the folder name contains a space. Then type: ```bash claude ``` Press Enter. On the first start, Claude Code opens your browser so that you can sign in. After the sign-in, it reads `CLAUDE.md` and waits for your question. It already knows who you are, how you work, and what you work on. ## Step 5: Test that the file loaded Ask a question that the file answers. Type `What do you know about me and my current projects?` and press Enter. The answer should restate your role and your project list in its own words. If the answer is generic, Claude Code probably started in the wrong folder. Type `/exit` to leave, check the folder name, and repeat Step 4. The `pwd` command prints the folder that the terminal is in. Then test one rule from the "How I work" section. If the file says "Use bullet points," ask for something that invites a long answer, such as a plan for next week. If the answer comes back as paragraphs, make the rule more specific. Save the file and start a new session. ## Learn the Markdown you need Markdown uses a few symbols for formatting: - **Headings:** start the line with `#`. One `#` is a large heading, `##` is smaller, and `###` is smaller again. - **Bold:** put two asterisks on each side: `**bold**`. - **Italic:** put one asterisk on each side: `*italic*`. - **Lists:** start each line with `-` for bullets, or with `1.` for numbered steps. - **Links:** put the text in square brackets and the address in parentheses: `[Obsidian](https://obsidian.md)`. That covers most of what you will write. You do not need to memorize it. Obsidian also has keyboard shortcuts for the common marks, such as Ctrl+B on Windows or Cmd+B on Mac for bold. ## Keep the file current Projects finish, priorities change, and preferences shift. Update the file when they do: 1. Open Obsidian. 2. Open `CLAUDE.md`. 3. Add new projects, remove finished ones, and change preferences. 4. Save the file with Ctrl+S on Windows or Cmd+S on Mac. The next time you start Claude Code in that folder, it reads the new version. For a longer structure, see the [CLAUDE.md template for business context](/articles/claude-md-template-business-context). ## See two example files **A marketing manager at a renewable energy startup** uses the assistant to draft emails, plan campaigns, and outline content: ```markdown # Who I am [Your name]. Marketing manager at a renewable energy startup. # How I work Direct, actionable answers. I prefer examples over theory. Don't over-explain. # Current projects - Solar panel campaign for the residential market - Q2 webinar series on energy efficiency - Rebuild of the email nurture sequences for lead generation # My company We sell solar panels and energy storage systems to homeowners and small businesses. Target market: suburban homeowners aged 35 to 55, environmentally conscious, middle to upper-middle income. # Voice and tone Approachable, educational, not overly technical. No jargon. Explain benefits, not features. Friendly but professional. ``` When she asks for a campaign email, the draft uses the company, the target market, and the voice rules. She does not explain the brand again. **The owner of a residential plumbing company** uses the assistant to write estimates, answer customer emails, and plan schedules: ```markdown # Who I am [Your name]. Owner of a plumbing company that has served the Denver metro area for 15 years. # How I work Keep it simple. I'm not technical. Plain language only. Short answers. # My business Residential plumbing: repairs, installations, water heater replacements, drain cleaning. No commercial work. Service area: Denver and nearby suburbs. Team: me plus 3 technicians. # Services and prices Current price ranges are in price-list.md. Read that file before you quote. Never quote a price that is not in it. # Customer communication Friendly, professional, and clear. Explain the problem in words customers understand. No plumbing jargon. ``` His price ranges live in a separate `price-list.md` file with a date at the top. Prices change more often than the rest of the file, and one dated list is easier to keep correct. When he asks for a reply to a customer, the assistant reads the service area, the price list, and the tone rules. ## Know what the file does not do The file does not make the assistant right. It gives the assistant your context; you still check each answer that matters. The file stays on your computer, but Claude Code sends its contents to Anthropic with each conversation. Retention and training terms depend on your plan. Do not put passwords, account numbers, or sensitive client details in it. [What client data belongs in AI agent memory](/articles/client-data-in-ai-agent-memory) helps you decide what to leave out. The file also works outside Claude Code. It is plain text, so you can open it in any editor or paste it into another assistant. [Why plain text is the durable layer for AI memory](/articles/plain-text-ai-memory) explains why that matters when you change tools. If a terminal is not an option for you, Claude Projects in the browser can hold similar instructions. [How to write Claude project instructions](/articles/how-to-write-claude-project-instructions) covers that route. ## Start small and let the file grow Put three things in first: who you are, what you do, and what you work on now. Add a line each time you repeat a fact to the assistant. A mistake in the file does no damage. The formatting may look odd, but the assistant still reads the text. Fix the mark and save. Make the file long enough to give the context the assistant needs. Some useful files are a few paragraphs; others run to several pages. If the file grows past what you can review in a few minutes, split it into topic files and list them in `CLAUDE.md`. ## Related: AI memory - [Give AI a context file so it knows your business without model training](/articles/ai-memory-vs-ai-training) - [Understand why Clawdbot forgets between sessions and keep what it loses in files](/articles/clawdbot-forgets-context) - [Set up an AI memory file and track what changes in your first week](/articles/first-week-with-ai-memory-system) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. Scale With Search 2026 [scalewithsearch.com](https://scalewithsearch.com) ```