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Description #
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Type of Behavior Issue
Claude modified files I didn't ask it to modify
What You Asked Claude to Do
Description
Claude Code adds far too many code comments by default. The comments are mostly redundant, restating what the adjacent code already makes obvious. It happens on every language, every model.
Crucially, this default persists even when explicitly told to stop:
- A clear, mandatory rule in
CLAUDE.md
does not reliably suppress it. - Reinforcing the rule via the memory system does not stop it either.
I suppose the core problem is that verbose commenting is the out-of-the-box default, and that default is strong enough to override explicit user instructions. Users shouldn't have to stack a CLAUDE.md rule + memory entries + enforcement hooks just to get clean code.
Environment
- Claude Code
- Model: claude-opus-4-8
What Claude Actually Did
Contant verbose code commenting.
Expected Behavior
Expected behavior
Restrained commenting as the default — comment only genuinely non-obvious constraints or "why" decisions, not self-evident "what." And when a project instruction says to minimize comments, that instruction should be reliably respected.
Actual behavior
Reflexive explanatory comments on most code output, even when instructed otherwise. Requires constant manual cleanup .
Files Affected
all
Permission Mode
Accept Edits was ON (auto-accepting changes)
Can You Reproduce This?
Yes, every time with the same prompt
Steps to Reproduce
No response
Claude Model
Opus
Relevant Conversation
Impact
High - Significant unwanted changes
Claude Code Version
2.1.17
Platform
Anthropic API
Additional Context
No response