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CCAR-F · Domain 3 of 5 · 6 lessons · about 134 min
Domain 3: Claude Code Configuration & Workflows
The CLAUDE.md hierarchy, slash commands and skills, path-scoped rules, plan mode versus direct execution, and Claude Code in CI. 20% of CCAR-F.
Claude Code is Anthropic's command-line coding agent. A developer opens it inside a project and asks for changes in plain language; it reads the code, edits files, runs commands and reports back. It is configured with files, not menus, and this domain is largely about which file does what:
CLAUDE.mdholds standing instructions, and there are three levels of it: for one user, for the whole project, and for one directory..claude/rules/holds instruction files that switch on only for matching file paths..claude/commands/holds custom slash commands;.claude/skills/holds skills, with settings in aSKILL.mdfront matter block.- The command line has flags (
-p,--output-format json,--json-schema) that let it run inside an automated pipeline with no human at the keyboard.
This domain is 20% of the exam, about 12 questions, and it is the one where exact details count
most. The exam asks where a shared command lives, which frontmatter key isolates a skill, and which
flag stops a CI job from hanging. There is no reasoning your way to -p; you have to know it.
The questions come mostly from two scenarios: a team adopting Claude Code for day-to-day development
(commands, CLAUDE.md, plan mode) and Claude Code running inside a CI/CD pipeline to review pull
requests and write tests. Both reward one habit: put shared things in the project, personal things
in the home directory, and guarantees in configuration rather than in prompts.
What the exam guide tests
The official CCAR-F guide lists 6 task statements for this domain. Exam questions are written against them, and so are the lessons: each row says where it is covered.
| # | Task statement | Lesson |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Configure CLAUDE.md files with appropriate hierarchy, scoping, and modular organization | 3.1 |
| 3.2 | Create and configure custom slash commands and skills | 3.2 |
| 3.3 | Apply path-specific rules for conditional convention loading | 3.3 |
| 3.4 | Determine when to use plan mode vs direct execution | 3.4 |
| 3.5 | Apply iterative refinement techniques for progressive improvement | 3.5 |
| 3.6 | Integrate Claude Code into CI/CD pipelines | 3.6 |
Lessons
- 3.1 CLAUDE.md: hierarchy, scoping and modular organisationThe three CLAUDE.md levels, why a teammate never sees ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md, @import and .claude/rules/ for modular standards, and /memory to diagnose sessions.23 min
- 3.2 Custom slash commands and skillsWhere a shared /review command lives, what the SKILL.md front matter keys context: fork, allowed-tools and argument-hint do, and when a skill beats CLAUDE.md.22 min
- 3.3 Path-specific rules: conventions that follow the fileHow .claude/rules/ files with a YAML paths field load only for matching files, how glob patterns pick files by type, and when they beat a directory CLAUDE.md.20 min
- 3.4 Plan mode versus direct executionWhen Claude Code should explore and plan before editing, when it should just make the change, and how the Explore subagent keeps discovery out of your context.23 min
- 3.5 Iterative refinement: examples, tests and the interview patternHow to steer Claude Code from a first attempt to a right one with input/output examples, tests written first, the interview pattern and well-batched fixes.23 min
- 3.6 Claude Code in CI/CD pipelinesRun Claude Code in a CI pipeline: -p so jobs never hang, --json-schema for PR comments, prior findings and CLAUDE.md for context, a separate reviewer.23 min
Practice question
From the CCAR-F bank, tagged to this domain. Every answer option is explained. Nothing is stored, nothing to sign up for.
72 CCAR-F questions on this domain, free
The domain quiz in the question bank draws 10 random questions from the 72 tagged to Claude Code Configuration & Workflows, scores them and explains every option. Repeat it until the weak spots are gone, then sit the 60-question timed simulator.
Open the CCAR-F question bank → Start lesson 3.1 →
The question bank is free. It asks for an account only because the quiz engine has to store answers to score them and show which domains are weak. The questions on this page need nothing.