You can add instructions in the CLAUDE.md/AGENTS.md file to modify output behavior like:
# Response Style
Keep routine answers concise. Lead with the result, include material caveats and the next action, and omit introductions, repetition, generic reassurance, and optional background. Expand only when the task requires explanation.
While writing a document I got good mileage out of doing something like this for every paragraph:
Let's analyze this paragraph:
- List the main points.
- Can any points be removed? (Do any points need to be added?)
- Reword each point. Be as succinct and clear as possible.
I'm not sure how many extra tokens it would consume to do this for every output. But it may be better than just asking for "TLDR pls"
(I've actually never used Claude Code. I've never had problems with verbosity in harnesses like OpenCode or T3-code. And recently I've been using Codex, not Claude models.)
Comments
You can add instructions in the CLAUDE.md/AGENTS.md file to modify output behavior like:
While writing a document I got good mileage out of doing something like this for every paragraph: I'm not sure how many extra tokens it would consume to do this for every output. But it may be better than just asking for "TLDR pls"(I've actually never used Claude Code. I've never had problems with verbosity in harnesses like OpenCode or T3-code. And recently I've been using Codex, not Claude models.)
no, you can't. Opus 5 decides by itself that it is better to ignore those instructions.
I've noticed Opus 5 repeatedly ignored my Claude.md in several ways. Particularly when it comes to verbosity of comments in code.