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# instruction-file-valid

Instruction files (AGENTS.md and tool-compatible alternatives) must be valid and non-empty

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | warning (auto) |
| **Autofix** | - |
| **Since** | v0.1.0 |
| **Repo Types** | agents-md, claude-md, coderabbit, copilot, cursor, devin, gemini, kiro, qwen |
| **Category** | [Instruction Files](instruction-files.md) |

## Why

An instruction file (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, GEMINI.md, QWEN.md) that is empty
or unreadable provides no value — the agent loads it, spends overhead
processing it, and gets nothing. This usually indicates a file that
was created as a placeholder but never filled in.

## Examples

**Bad:**

An empty `CLAUDE.md` file (0 bytes).

**Good:**

```markdown
# Project Rules

Run `make test` before committing.
Use Go 1.22+.
```

## How to fix

Add meaningful content to the file, or delete it if it is not needed.
An absent file is better than an empty one — it avoids wasted
processing overhead.

## Configuration

```yaml
rules:
  instruction-file-valid:
    enabled: auto  # true | false | auto
    severity: warning
```


*Run `skillsaw explain instruction-file-valid` to see this documentation and the rule's effective configuration in your terminal.*