Domain 3: Claude Code Configuration & Workflows
Claude Certified Architect - Foundations (CCAR-F) › Domain 3: Claude Code Configuration & Workflows
Domain 3: Claude Code Configuration & Workflows
Domain 3 is the one that names exact paths and flags, and it expects you to know them: ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md against .claude/CLAUDE.md, .claude/commands/ against ~/.claude/commands/, .claude/rules/ with a paths field, -p, --output-format json, --json-schema, /memory, /compact. Underneath the paths sits one repeated question: who is this configuration for, and when should it load? Almost every diagnosis in this domain is scope — something is in the user-level file that should have been project-level, or loaded always when it should have loaded conditionally.
Domain 3 at a glance
- 20% of scored items
- 6
- 50
- 49, one per published objective
What the guide measures here
- Configure CLAUDE.md files with appropriate hierarchy, scoping, and modular organization
- Create and configure custom slash commands and skills
- Apply path-specific rules for conditional convention loading
- Determine when to use plan mode vs direct execution
- Apply iterative refinement techniques for progressive improvement
- Integrate Claude Code into CI/CD pipelines
The order to learn them in
Working through Domain 3
The CLAUDE.md hierarchy
Learn the CLAUDE.md hierarchy cold, including which level reaches teammates through version control. The classic stem is a new team member who is not getting the instructions.