🤖Anthropic Shifts to AGENTS.md for Claude Code
Claude Code moves away from CLAUDE.md, embracing AGENTS.md
TL;DR
Anthropic is transitioning Claude Code to use AGENTS.md instead of CLAUDE.md. This change aims to improve collaboration with other coding agents and developers who aren't using Claude Code.
Anthropic has decided to shift Claude Code from its proprietary CLAUDE.md format to the more widely adopted AGENTS.md standard. The move, initiated on August 21, 2025, is aimed at enhancing collaboration among developers working with different coding agents like Codex and Amp. This change will likely streamline workflows for teams that integrate multiple AI tools into their development processes. The decision to switch from CLAUDE.md to AGENTS.md addresses the limitations of Claude Code's current format when collaborating with other developers who aren't using Claude Code, making it easier to share insights across different coding environments. This shift is particularly relevant for teams leveraging a mix of AI-driven tools in their development workflow. The transition involves adopting AGENTS.md as the standard Markdown file used by coding agents to understand and interact with codebases. Codex, Amp, Cursor, and others are already standardizing around this format.
Key Points
Feature request labeled as enhancement for area:core on August 21, 2025
AGENTS.md is a unified Markdown file used by coding agents to understand codebases
Codex, Amp, Cursor are standardizing around AGENTS.md for interoperability
CLAUDE.md feels too specific and doesn't work well with other developers
Transition aims to improve collaboration among teams using multiple AI tools
Why It Matters
If you're integrating Claude Code into a workflow that includes Codex or Amp, the switch to AGENTS.md simplifies cross-tool communication. However, smaller teams solely focused on Claude Code might face initial learning curves adapting to the new format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this matter?
If you're integrating Claude Code into a workflow that includes Codex or Amp, the switch to AGENTS.md simplifies cross-tool communication. However, smaller teams solely focused on Claude Code might face initial learning curves adapting to the new format.
What happened?
Anthropic is transitioning Claude Code to use AGENTS.md instead of CLAUDE.md. This change aims to improve collaboration with other coding agents and developers who aren't using Claude Code.
Comments
Be the first to comment
Enjoyed this article?
Get it daily. 7am. Free. Reads in 5 minutes.