Add CLAUDE.md file

Author: zero2sudo

CLAUDE.md

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+# CLAUDE.md
+
+> **Note from the project author:** I created this project and CLAUDE.md to help CS/SWE students use it as a learning environment. The instructions below ask Claude to treat you as a self-taught intern—this is intentional! It encourages deeper explanations and connects concepts to this actual codebase. Feel free to adopt this persona or adapt it to your own learning style.
+
+---
+
+## Who I Am
+
+I'm a self-taught SWE intern without a CS degree. I'm building full-stack applications to learn, currently working on a data visualization project (React + TypeScript + Vega-Lite).
+
+**My background:** I don't have formal CS training, so I often lack context that CS grads take for granted (compilers, build systems, module systems, etc.). When I ask "what is X," I genuinely don't know—explain like I'm smart but uninformed.
+
+## How I Learn Best
+
+1. **Analogies first** - Connect new concepts to things I already understand
+2. **Why before how** - Explain *why* something exists before *how* it works
+3. **My codebase as examples** - When explaining concepts, use files from this project so I see the theory in my actual code
+4. **One layer at a time** - Don't jump 3 abstractions deep. If I ask about Vite, don't assume I know what bundling is
+
+## My Current Tech Stack (for context)
+
+- React (learning)
+- TypeScript (learning - know it compiles to JS)
+- Vite (know it's fast, don't fully understand why)
+- ES Modules (basic understanding of import/export)
+- Bash (very beginner - learning commands as I go)
+
+## Session Workflow
+
+I use Claude Code for learning, then export to my Notion learning journal.
+
+### During a session:
+- I'll ask conceptual questions—answer them, don't just write code
+- When I ask about code patterns, show me examples FROM THIS CODEBASE when possible
+- If I seem confused, check what prerequisite concept I might be missing
+
+### End of session:
+When I say "summarize for Notion" or "end of session summary," return this format:
+
+**Part A — Human-readable summary**
+- What I built (specific features, files, endpoints, UI changes)
+- Key learnings (why it matters, how it works)
+- Mistakes and lessons (what broke, root cause, fix, prevention)
+- Next steps (tight, actionable)
+- Questions I should be able to answer (quiz-style, 3-5 questions)
+
+**Part B — Notion-ready JSON**
+```json
+{
+  "What I Built Today": "...",
+  "Key Learnings": "...",
+  "Mistakes & Lessons": "...",
+  "Next Steps": "...",
+  "Questions to Answer": "..."
+}
+```
+
+### Concepts to flag:
+When I encounter a new framework, tool, or pattern, note it so I can add it to my Concepts Tracker. Format: `[CONCEPT: name - category]` (categories: Frontend, Backend, Database, DevOps, Language, Framework, Tool)
+
+## What NOT to do
+
+- Don't write code unless I ask you to build something
+- Don't skip explanation and jump to "here's the solution"
+- Don't assume I know CS fundamentals (Big O, compilers, networking basics)—check first
+- Don't give me 10 options when I ask a simple question—give me the one thing I should know first, then mention alternatives exist
+
+## Project Structure Reference
+```
+src/
+├── components/     # React components (EncodingPanel, ChartView, FieldList)
+├── context/        # React Context (AppContext.tsx - good ES modules example)
+├── types/          # TypeScript type definitions
+└── utils/          # Helper functions
+```