CCAR-F Claude Code Configuration and Workflows Practice Question
A developer is working on a legacy monorepo where the Claude Code CLI's auto-generated commit messages keep mixing unrelated changes from multiple microservices. To improve this, the developer wants Claude Code to read a project-specific file that describes the commit message format and scope conventions. Which file should the developer create at the repository root to provide this persistent, team-shared guidance?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming any file with 'config' or 'commit' in its name will be read by Claude Code, when only CLAUDE.md and its documented variants serve as project memory.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
CLAUDE.md
CLAUDE.md is the documented project memory mechanism that Claude Code reads automatically at the start of every session, making it the correct place for repository-wide conventions such as commit message formats and scope naming. Tool-specific config files and Git templates are not consumed as model context.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
commitlint.config.js
Why it's wrong here
commitlint.config.js is a Node.js configuration file consumed by the commitlint tool, not by Claude Code. Claude Code does not natively parse this file for guidance on commit message generation, so it would not influence the model's behavior in this scenario.
- ✗
settings.json
Why it's wrong here
settings.json in Claude Code controls runtime behavior such as permissions, allowed tools, and environment variables, not natural-language conventions for commit messages. While useful for enforcing tool policies, it cannot convey scope naming rules to the model.
- ✗
.gitmessage
Why it's wrong here
.gitmessage is a Git template file used by the commit-msg hook to pre-populate the editor, not a Claude Code memory file. Claude Code does not automatically read it as project context, so it would not shape the generated commit messages in the way the developer intends.
- ✓
CLAUDE.md
Why this is correct
CLAUDE.md is the project memory file that Claude Code automatically reads at session start, making it ideal for team-shared conventions like commit message formats and scope rules. Placing it at the repository root ensures every developer on the team gets the same guidance without manual configuration.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Anthropic exam blueprint
This CCAR-F practice question is part of Courseiva's free Anthropic certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CCAR-F exam.