Claude Token Efficient — Drop-in CLAUDE.md for Terse Output
A single CLAUDE.md file that reduces Claude Code output verbosity by 63%. Includes 5 specialized profiles for coding, benchmarks, agents, and analysis workflows.
TO
TokRepo精选 · Community
Quick Use
Use it first, then decide how deep to go
This block should tell both the user and the agent what to copy, install, and apply first.
Download and add to your project root:
```bash
curl -o CLAUDE.md https://raw.githubusercontent.com/drona23/claude-token-efficient/main/CLAUDE.md
```
Or manually create `CLAUDE.md` in your project root with this content:
```markdown
Intro
Claude Token Efficient is a single drop-in CLAUDE.md file that makes Claude Code responses terse and reduces output verbosity by approximately 63% (from 465 to 170 words on average), with 3,100+ GitHub stars. It includes 5 specialized profiles — Universal, Coding, Benchmark, Agents, and Analysis — each tuned for different workflow types. Independent benchmarks showed 17.4% cost savings compared to the next-best configuration. Zero code changes needed — just add the file to your project root.
Best for developers with high-volume Claude Code usage who want to reduce token costs and get faster responses. Works with: Claude Code. Setup time: under 30 seconds.
---
## Approach
- Think before acting. Read existing files before writing code.
- Be concise in output but thorough in reasoning.
- Prefer editing over rewriting whole files.
- Do not re-read files you have already read unless the file may have changed.
- Test your code before declaring done.
- No sycophantic openers or closing fluff.
- Keep solutions simple and direct.
- User instructions always override this file.
```
---
## Available Profiles
### Universal Profile (Default CLAUDE.md)
The base configuration that works for any project:
```markdown
## Approach
- Think before acting. Read existing files before writing code.
- Be concise in output but thorough in reasoning.
- Prefer editing over rewriting whole files.
- Do not re-read files you have already read unless the file may have changed.
- Test your code before declaring done.
- No sycophantic openers or closing fluff.
- Keep solutions simple and direct.
- User instructions always override this file.
```
### Coding Profile (`profiles/CLAUDE.coding.md`)
For dev projects, code review, and debugging. Adds code-specific rules:
- Simplest working solution first
- No over-engineering or speculative features
- For bug reports: state bug → show fix → stop
- No em dashes or smart quotes (copy-paste safe)
- No trailing summaries after code changes
### Benchmark Profile (`profiles/CLAUDE.benchmark.md`)
For token-to-green coding benchmarks. Optimized for passing tests with minimal output.
### Agents Profile (`profiles/CLAUDE.agents.md`)
For automation pipelines and multi-agent systems. Tuned for structured, parseable output.
### Analysis Profile (`profiles/CLAUDE.analysis.md`)
For data analysis, research, and reporting. Allows slightly more verbose output where detail matters.
### Versioned Config Sets
| Version | Style | Call Budget |
|---------|-------|-------------|
| J-drona23-v5 | Multi-file structured | 50 calls |
| K-drona23-v6 | One-shot execution | 50 calls |
| M-drona23-v8 | Ultra-lean | 20 calls |
### Benchmark Results
| Metric | With Token Efficient | Without |
|--------|---------------------|---------|
| Average words per response | 170 | 465 |
| Word reduction | 63% | — |
| Cost savings vs next-best | 17.4% | — |
**Note**: Best for high-output-volume workflows. At low volume, the input overhead of the CLAUDE.md file may exceed the output savings.
### FAQ
**Q: What is Claude Token Efficient?**
A: A single CLAUDE.md config file that reduces Claude Code's output verbosity by 63%, saving tokens and costs on high-volume workflows.
**Q: Is Claude Token Efficient free?**
A: Yes, fully free and open source under the MIT license.
**Q: How do I install Claude Token Efficient?**
A: Run `curl -o CLAUDE.md https://raw.githubusercontent.com/drona23/claude-token-efficient/main/CLAUDE.md` in your project root.
---
🙏
Source & Thanks
> Created by [Drona Gangarapu](https://github.com/drona23). Licensed under MIT.
>
> [claude-token-efficient](https://github.com/drona23/claude-token-efficient) — ⭐ 3,100+
Thank you for helping developers save tokens and get more concise AI responses.
Discussion
Sign in to join the discussion.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.