DotMDCLAUDE.md and AGENTS.mdread, edited and reviewed on your Mac.
These files tell Claude Code and Codex how to work in your project. DotMD shows them as pages, keeps every version, and can add the lines that make your agent send its specs to you for review.
macOS 14 or later. Reading is free; editing and reviews are one payment.
Quick answer
CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md are plain Markdown files, so DotMD opens them like any .md file: rendered, with an outline and every version kept. In Settings → MCP → Agent rules, Add to Claude Code or Add to Codex puts DotMD's review rules into ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md or ~/.codex/AGENTS.md, so the agent sends you every spec and waits for your comments.
Open and edit CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md
Press ⌘O and choose the project's folder: its CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md appear in the sidebar with the rest of its Markdown, and open as pages with an outline. The sidebar skips hidden folders, so for ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md press ⌘O, then ⇧⌘G in the panel and type the path.
To change a file, press ⌘E. The page turns into text that is formatted as you type, and every change is saved to the file at once. Editing is part of DotMD Editor.
When the agent edits the file
When Claude Code, Codex or git changes a file in your workspace, the open page reloads by itself and a banner shows Changed on disk with the lines added and removed. Show Changes opens the version history; with DotMD Reviewer the old text is in red and the new text in green.
If the file changes while you are typing in it, DotMD asks Load from Disk or Keep My Version, and saves your text in the history either way.
To check an agent's fixes one by one, see reviewing an agent's changes.
Add DotMD's review rules in one click
Models give your own CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md more weight than what a tool says about itself, so DotMD can put the lines that make an agent use review into them. Open Settings → MCP, expand Agent rules and press Add to Claude Code or Add to Codex. The rules go into ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md or ~/.codex/AGENTS.md:
<!-- dotmd:begin (added by DotMD; DotMD can update or remove this block) -->
## DotMD
- When you create or substantially change a spec, plan, design doc or any Markdown document for the user, your LAST step is to call the DotMD MCP tool `request_review` with the file's path and wait for the answer. While it says the user is still reviewing, call it again. Never end your turn by just saying the file is ready.
- Fix each review comment, call `resolve_review_comments`, then `request_review` again until the user approves.
- When you review a file for the user, leave your remarks with `add_review_comments` and finish with `complete_review`.
<!-- dotmd:end -->DotMD changes only the part between its two marker lines, and keeps a copy of the file from before its first change, ending in .dotmd-backup. Update replaces the block when a newer DotMD has better rules, and Remove takes it out.
For a project's own file, or for Cursor and other agents, press Copy in the same place and paste the lines where the agent reads its rules. The guides for Claude Code and Codex show a shorter set you can use too.
What the agent does with them
With the rules in place, the agent sends you every spec, plan or design doc it writes (request_review), waits while you comment on it, fixes each comment and sends it again until you approve. Reviews with agents over MCP are part of DotMD Reviewer.
Questions about CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md
What are CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md?
Markdown files with instructions for a coding agent. Claude Code reads CLAUDE.md and Codex reads AGENTS.md, in your project or, for all projects, in ~/.claude and ~/.codex.
Does DotMD change my CLAUDE.md on its own?
No. DotMD writes to the file only when you press Add or Update in Settings → MCP → Agent rules, and only between its two marker lines. It keeps a .dotmd-backup copy of the file first.
Can I edit CLAUDE.md in DotMD while the agent is running?
Yes. When an agent changes the file, the page reloads. If you were typing, DotMD asks whether to load the file from disk or keep your version.
Do I need DotMD Reviewer to edit these files?
No. Opening them is free and editing is part of DotMD Editor ($14.99 once). Reviews with agents over MCP, which the rules ask the agent to use, are part of DotMD Reviewer ($39.99 once).