Five ways to stop re-explaining your project to Claude Code and Codex

The handoff between tools gets much easier if you have the repository context in a shared place where both can read it. I suggest keeping the following artifacts:

1. A rules file. Store the repository conventions and required checks in the documents the models actually read. Confirm that they read the same instructions.

2. A separation between personal preferences and repo conventions. Keep preferences like answer length in your personal defaults, but tie deployment instructions to the project.

3. Reusable procedures. Keep a separate list of common procedures and their verification steps. Update a procedure when the workflow changes.

4. A decision log. Maintain a list of decisions made, their justification, date, and approval. This should be separate from suggestions, ideas, and plans.

5. A current handoff note. Before switching between assistants, make sure to capture the current goal, the files changed, the checks performed, the blockers, and the next step. Have the next assistant confirm that the information matches the actual repository contents.

Disclosure: I build Vilix AI, a shared memory service for supported AI tools. These habits also work with a simple document you maintain yourself. The key is to make sure that the next assistant actually reads it and updates it.

Which piece of context do you find yourself repeating the most?