What do you type at the start of every Claude Code session? For many developers, it's the same block of preferences: preferred test framework, naming conventions, how errors should be handled. Claude Code's new Routines feature offers a way to save and reuse those instruction sets by name.
A Routine is a saved set of instructions for Claude Code that you invoke on demand, rather than re-entering your preferences at the start of each session. You could create a "strict TypeScript" Routine, a "write tests first" Routine, or a "refactor for readability" Routine - each captures a specific working style and makes it repeatable across any project.
The difference between Routines and a CLAUDE.md file (the project-level instructions file Claude Code already supports) is portability. A CLAUDE.md lives in a specific directory and applies to that project automatically. A Routine you invoke explicitly, which means it works across unrelated codebases without copying files around.
Documentation went live on April 14. Developers who work across multiple client projects or switch frequently between different tech stacks will likely find the most use here - anyone who has been solving the same problem by pasting the same paragraph of context at the start of every session.