CLAUDE.md

This file provides guidance to Claude Code (claude.ai/code) when working with code in this repository.

Project Overview

This is a Jekyll-based website for Axolotl Systems, a solo consultancy run by Anne Schuth (PhD in Search Algorithms). The site specializes in presenting search algorithms, recommender systems, and platform engineering consulting services.

Development Commands

Local Development

# Install dependencies
bundle install

# Serve site locally with live reload (default port 4000)
bundle exec jekyll serve --livereload

# Build for production
bundle exec jekyll build

Common Tasks

# Clean generated files
bundle exec jekyll clean

# Build and watch for changes
bundle exec jekyll build --watch

# Serve with drafts
bundle exec jekyll serve --drafts

# Check if Jekyll dependencies need updating
bundle outdated

# Update Jekyll dependencies
bundle update

Architecture

Site Structure

  • Jekyll 4.x static site generator
  • Sass for styling with modular approach (_sass/ directory)
  • Dark theme only using custom color palette
  • Mobile-first responsive design
  • SEO optimization with jekyll-seo-tag plugin

Key Directories

  • _layouts/: Page templates (default.html)
  • _includes/: Reusable components (header.html, footer.html)
  • _sass/: Modular Sass files (base, layout, components, utilities)
  • assets/: Static assets (CSS, JS, images)
  • .well-known/: Security and discovery files (included in build)
  • _config.yml: Site configuration and navigation

Key Files

  • index.html: Homepage with all content sections
  • about.html, services.html, contact.html: Individual page content
  • legal/privacy.html, legal/terms.html: Legal pages
  • 404.html: Custom 404 error page

Design System

  • Color Palette: Dark theme with accent blue (#3B82F6)
    • Primary background: #1F2937
    • Secondary background: #374151
    • Text: #F9FAFB / #D1D5DB
  • Typography: Inter font family
  • Components: Modular CSS with BEM-like naming

Content Structure

  • Homepage: Hero section with services overview
  • About: Personal background emphasizing Anne’s experience at Spotify, Google, DPG Media, Blendle
  • Services: Three core areas (Search, Recommender Systems, Platform Engineering)
  • Contact: Contact form with business positioning

Content Guidelines

Tone and Voice

  • Personal, not corporate: Solo consultant, not company language
  • Opinionated but professional: Strong technical opinions backed by experience
  • Direct and honest: Less marketing hype, more European/Dutch directness
  • Technical expertise: PhD-level knowledge with practical application

Business Positioning

  • Anne Schuth as individual consultant (not “we” language)
  • Focus on software development, not just search/recommendations
  • Emphasis on practical results over theoretical approaches
  • Experience at scale (Spotify, Google) with startup agility

Technical Notes

Responsive Breakpoints

  • Mobile: < 640px
  • Tablet: 640px - 1024px
  • Desktop: > 1024px

Key Features

  • Sticky navigation with mobile toggle
  • Contact form with client-side validation
  • Hero image integration
  • Card-based service presentation
  • SEO meta tags and structured data

Performance Considerations

  • Sass compilation with compression
  • Optimized images in assets/images/
  • Minimal JavaScript for navigation and forms
  • Jekyll plugins for sitemap and SEO

Jekyll Configuration

Dependencies (Gemfile)

  • Jekyll ~> 4.3.0
  • Minima theme ~> 2.5
  • Plugins: jekyll-feed, jekyll-sitemap, jekyll-seo-tag
  • Webrick for development server

Build Configuration

  • Output directory: _site/
  • Excludes: Gemfile, README.md, vendor directories
  • Includes: .well-known directory for security files
  • Sass output: compressed