Hooks Meta Skill

🚨 MANDATORY: Invoke docs-management First

STOP - Before providing ANY response about Claude Code hooks:

1. INVOKE docs-management skill
2. QUERY using keywords: hooks, PreToolUse, PostToolUse, hook events, hook configuration, or related topics
3. BASE all responses EXCLUSIVELY on official documentation loaded

Skipping this step results in outdated or incorrect information.

Verification Checkpoint

Before responding, verify:

• Did I invoke docs-management skill?
• Did official documentation load?
• Is my response based EXCLUSIVELY on official docs?

If ANY checkbox is unchecked, STOP and invoke docs-management first.

Overview

Central authority for managing Claude Code hooks in this repository. Automates enforcement of critical repository rules that were previously manual in CLAUDE.md.

Architecture: Vertical slice organization with externalized configuration, multi-language support, immediate config reload, and comprehensive testing.

When to Use This Skill

Keywords: hooks, hook management, automation, validation, enforcement, PreToolUse, PostToolUse, SessionEnd, hook configuration, plugin hooks, local hooks, CLAUDE_HOOK_ENABLED, hook environment variables, enable hook, disable hook

Use this skill when:

• Adding new hooks to the repository
• Modifying existing hook behavior
• Troubleshooting hook issues
• Disabling/enabling hooks
• Understanding what hooks are active
• Configuring hook enforcement levels

🚨 CRITICAL: Official Hooks Documentation

For ALL Claude Code hooks capabilities, configuration patterns, and syntax, you MUST use the docs-management skill.

What to Delegate to docs-management

ALWAYS use docs-management for:

• Hook events reference (PreToolUse, PostToolUse, UserPromptSubmit, SessionStart, SessionEnd, etc.)
• Hook configuration syntax
• Matchers and tool names
• Decision control (allow, deny, ask, block, approve)
• Exit codes and their meanings
• JSON output schemas
• Environment variables ($CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR, etc.)
• Command vs prompt-based hooks
• Plugin hooks integration

Keywords for docs-management searches:

• "PreToolUse hook configuration"
• "PostToolUse hook examples"
• "SessionEnd hook"
• "hook matchers tool names"
• "hook decision control"
• "hook exit codes"
• "hook JSON output schema"

What This Skill Provides

Organization-specific implementation:

• Directory structure and conventions
• Configuration management patterns
• Shared utilities (json, path, git, config helpers)
• Active hooks inventory
• Multi-language implementation strategy
• Troubleshooting for this repository's hooks

Quick Decision Tree

What do you want to do?

1. Understand design principles → See Design Principles
2. View active hooks → See Active Hooks
3. Manage hook lifecycle (enable/disable/modify) → See Hook Lifecycle
4. Configure hooks → See Configuration Guide
5. Create new hook → See Creating Hooks Workflow
6. Test hooks → See Testing Guide
7. Follow best practices → See Best Practices
8. Troubleshoot issues → See Common Issues
9. Debug hooks → See Debugging Guide
10. Official hooks documentation → Use docs-management skill with keywords above
11. Create/configure plugin hooks → Use plugin-development skill (see below)

Plugin Hooks Delegation

If you're working with plugin hooks (hooks bundled in a Claude Code plugin), use the plugin-development skill instead. Plugin hooks use a different configuration pattern:

Aspect	Local Hooks (this skill)	Plugin Hooks
Location	.claude/hooks/ directory	Plugin hooks/hooks.json
Configuration	YAML files (config.yaml)	Environment variables
Consumer Control	Edit config files directly	Via settings.json env section

For plugin hooks: Invoke plugin-development skill and see the Plugin Hook Configuration section.

Reference Loading Guide

All references in this skill are conditional load - they are loaded only when needed based on the workflow you're following.

When to Load Each Reference

Architecture References (load when understanding design):

• references/architecture/design-principles.md → When understanding vertical slice, DRY, config-over-hardcoding principles
• references/architecture/multi-language-strategy.md → When implementing or migrating to Python/TypeScript

Inventory References (load when working with hooks):

• references/inventory/active-hooks.md → When reviewing what hooks are active and their configurations
• references/inventory/hook-lifecycle.md → When enabling/disabling hooks or changing enforcement modes

Configuration References (load when configuring):

• references/configuration/hook-config-guide.md → When modifying global.yaml or config.yaml files

Development References (load when creating/testing):

• references/development/creating-hooks-workflow.md → When creating a new hook from scratch
• references/development/testing-guide.md → When writing tests for hooks
• references/development/best-practices.md → When ensuring code quality and following patterns

Troubleshooting References (load when debugging):

• references/troubleshooting/common-issues.md → When encountering problems (hook not running, config not applying, etc.)
• references/troubleshooting/debugging-guide.md → When performing advanced debugging or profiling

Progressive Disclosure Strategy

Layer 1: Always in Context

• SKILL.md (this file) - Navigation hub and decision trees

Layer 2: Load on Demand

• Reference files based on specific workflow or task

Layer 3: External Delegation

• Official documentation via docs-management skill queries (always)

This architecture ensures optimal token efficiency while maintaining comprehensive guidance coverage.

Active Hooks Summary

For complete details, see Active Hooks Reference.

PreToolUse Hooks (Validation Before Execution)

1. prevent-backup-files - Blocks .bak/.backup file creation for git-tracked content
2. require-gpg-signing - Blocks git commits with --no-gpg-sign flag
3. require-explicit-commit - Asks approval for direct git commits (encourages git-commit skill)
4. block-absolute-paths - Blocks absolute paths in markdown files for portability

PostToolUse Hooks (Auto-Fix After Execution)

1. markdown-lint - Auto-fixes markdown files using markdownlint-cli2

Configuration Quick Reference

All hooks use environment variables for configuration. See Configuration Guide for complete details.

Quick actions:

• Enable a hook: Set CLAUDE_HOOK_{NAME}_ENABLED=1 in .claude/settings.json env section
• Disable a hook: Set CLAUDE_HOOK_{NAME}_ENABLED=0 or remove the variable
• Change enforcement: Set CLAUDE_HOOK_ENFORCEMENT_{NAME} to block, warn, or log
• Enable debug mode: Set CLAUDE_HOOK_DEBUG=1

Example configuration in .claude/settings.json:

{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_HOOK_MARKDOWN_LINT_ENABLED": "1",
    "CLAUDE_HOOK_LOG_EVENTS_ENABLED": "1"
  }
}

For environment variable patterns, default states, and legacy YAML configuration, see Configuration Reference.

Directory Structure (Vertical Slice)

.claude/hooks/
├── config/
│   └── global.yaml                 # Shared configuration
├── shared/                         # Shared utilities (all hooks)
│   ├── json-utils.sh               # JSON parsing helpers
│   ├── path-utils.sh               # Path manipulation utilities
│   ├── config-utils.sh             # Config loading utilities
│   └── test-helpers.sh             # Test assertion framework
├── prevent-backup-files/           # Vertical slice: Hook 1
│   ├── bash/                       # Language-specific implementation
│   ├── config.yaml                 # User configuration (enabled, enforcement)
│   ├── hook.yaml                   # Hook metadata (name, version, description)
│   ├── README.md                   # Hook documentation
│   └── tests/                      # Tests for THIS hook
├── require-gpg-signing/            # Vertical slice: Hook 2
│   ├── bash/
│   ├── config.yaml
│   ├── hook.yaml
│   ├── README.md
│   └── tests/
├── <other-hooks>/                  # Additional hooks follow same pattern
├── test-runner.sh                  # Discovers & runs all *.test.sh files
└── README.md                       # Quick reference

Key principles:

• High cohesion: All hook code, config, docs, and tests in one directory
• Low coupling: Hooks don't depend on each other
• Easy to modify: Changes isolated to single directory
• Clear ownership: One directory = one feature

For complete architecture details, see Design Principles.

Shared Utilities Quick Reference

All hooks have access to shared helper functions in .claude/hooks/shared/. See Best Practices for usage examples.

Note: Bash utilities maintained for legacy compatibility. New hooks should use Python with pathlib for cross-platform compatibility.

Common Workflows

Quick Actions

Disable all hooks temporarily:

# Edit .claude/hooks/config/global.yaml
enabled: false

View hook activity:

# Edit .claude/hooks/config/global.yaml
log_level: debug

Run all tests:

bash .claude/hooks/test-runner.sh

Test specific hook:

bash .claude/hooks/<hook-name>/tests/integration.test.sh

Test manually:

echo '{"tool": "Write", "file_path": "test.txt"}' | \
  bash .claude/hooks/<hook-name>/bash/<hook-name>.sh

For complete workflow guidance, see Hook Lifecycle.

Integration with Repository

CLAUDE.md references hooks for automated enforcement. See Active Hooks for the complete list of rules automated by hooks.

Next Steps

For First-Time Users

1. Review Active Hooks to understand what's enforced
2. Read Configuration Guide to learn how to customize
3. Check Common Issues for troubleshooting tips

For Hook Developers

1. Read Design Principles to understand architecture
2. Follow Creating Hooks Workflow for new hooks
3. Study Best Practices for code quality
4. Use Testing Guide for comprehensive testing

For Troubleshooting

1. Check Common Issues for known problems
2. Use Debugging Guide for advanced techniques
3. Query docs-management skill for official documentation

Auditing Hooks

This skill provides the validation criteria used by the hook-auditor agent for formal audits.

Audit Resources

Resource	Location	Purpose
Audit Framework	references/audit-framework.md	Query guides and scoring criteria

Scoring Categories

Category	Points	Key Criteria
Configuration Structure	25	Valid hooks.json, required fields, valid event types
Hook Scripts	20	Scripts exist, proper structure, exit codes
Matchers	20	Appropriate tool/path matchers
Environment Variables	15	Follows naming convention, documented
Testing	20	Has tests, tests pass, adequate coverage

Thresholds: 85+ = PASS, 70-84 = PASS WITH WARNINGS, <70 = FAIL

Related Agent

The hook-auditor agent (Haiku model) performs formal audits using this skill:

• Auto-loads this skill via skills: hook-management
• Uses audit framework and docs-management for rules
• Generates structured audit reports
• Invoked by /audit-hooks command

External Technology Validation

When auditing hooks that use external technologies (scripts, packages, runtimes), the auditor MUST validate claims using MCP servers before flagging findings.

Technologies Requiring MCP Validation:

• .NET/C# scripts: Validate with microsoft-learn + perplexity
• Node.js/npm packages: Validate with context7 + perplexity
• Python scripts/packages: Validate with context7 + perplexity
• Shell scripts: Validate with perplexity
• Any version-specific claims: ALWAYS validate with perplexity

Validation Rule:

Never flag a technology usage as incorrect without first:

1. Querying appropriate MCP server(s) for current documentation
2. Verifying with perplexity for recent changes (especially .NET 10+)
3. Documenting MCP sources in the finding

Stale Data Warning:

• microsoft-learn can return cached/outdated documentation
• ALWAYS pair microsoft-learn with perplexity for version verification
• Trust perplexity for version numbers and recently-released features

References

Detailed Documentation:

• Design Principles - Vertical slice, DRY, config-over-hardcoding
• Multi-Language Strategy - Bash, Python, TypeScript implementation patterns
• Active Hooks - Complete list of active hooks with descriptions
• Hook Lifecycle - Enable/disable/modify hooks
• Configuration Guide - Global and per-hook configuration
• Creating Hooks Workflow - Step-by-step hook creation
• Testing Guide - Comprehensive testing patterns
• Best Practices - Code quality and patterns
• Common Issues - Known problems and solutions
• Debugging Guide - Advanced debugging techniques

Quick Access:

• Hooks Directory: .claude/hooks/
• Shared Utilities: .claude/hooks/shared/ (includes unit tests)
• Global Config: .claude/hooks/config/global.yaml
• Quick Reference: .claude/hooks/README.md
• Test Runner: .claude/hooks/test-runner.sh
• Official Hooks Docs: Via docs-management skill (keywords: "hooks", "PreToolUse", "PostToolUse")

Test Scenarios

Scenario 1: Direct Activation

Query: "Use the hook-management skill to add a new hook"

Expected Behavior:

• Skill activates on keywords "hook-management", "add", "hook"
• Loads SKILL.md as navigation hub
• Directs user to Creating Hooks Workflow reference
• Delegates official hooks documentation to docs-management skill

Success Criteria: User receives step-by-step guidance for hook creation

Scenario 2: Troubleshooting Request

Query: "My hook isn't running, help me debug it"

Expected Behavior:

• Skill activates on keywords "hook", "debug"
• Loads Common Issues or Debugging Guide reference
• Provides diagnostic steps for hook execution issues
• Delegates official hook event documentation to docs-management if needed

Success Criteria: User identifies and resolves hook execution issue

Scenario 3: Configuration Change

Query: "How do I disable the GPG signing hook?"

Expected Behavior:

• Skill activates on keywords "disable", "hook", "GPG"
• Provides quick reference from Configuration Quick Reference section
• Points to Hook Lifecycle reference for detailed guidance
• Shows exact config file path and YAML syntax

Success Criteria: User successfully disables specific hook

Scenario 4: Architecture Understanding

Query: "Explain the hooks directory structure"

Expected Behavior:

• Skill activates on keywords "hooks", "directory", "structure"
• Provides Directory Structure section from SKILL.md
• Links to Design Principles reference for deeper understanding
• Explains vertical slice architecture pattern

Success Criteria: User understands hook organization principles

Scenario 5: Official Documentation Delegation

Query: "What hook events are available in Claude Code?"

Expected Behavior:

• Skill activates on keywords "hook events", "Claude Code"
• Recognizes this requires official documentation
• Delegates to docs-management skill with appropriate keywords
• Does NOT provide hardcoded hook event list (may become stale)

Success Criteria: User receives current official documentation via docs-management

Version History

• v1.3.0 (2025-12-01): Environment variable standardization

  • Standardized all hook environment variables to CLAUDE_HOOK_{NAME}_ENABLED pattern
  • Added authoritative "Environment Variable Convention" section as single source of truth
  • Documented hook default states (Essential=enabled, Opt-in=disabled, Log Events=disabled)
  • Documented log events special logic (master toggle + individual toggles)
  • Added keywords: CLAUDE_HOOK_ENABLED, hook environment variables, enable hook, disable hook
  • Marked legacy YAML configuration sections appropriately

• v1.2.2 (2025-11-30): Plugin hooks delegation

  • Added decision tree entry for plugin hooks (delegates to plugin-development skill)
  • Added Plugin Hooks Delegation section with comparison table
  • Added "plugin hooks", "local hooks" keywords
  • Clarifies scope: this skill is for local hooks (.claude/hooks/), plugin hooks use different patterns

• v1.2.1 (2025-11-25): Audit improvements

  • Added Test Scenarios section for activation testing
  • Added Last Audit tracking to metadata
  • Updated Last Verified date
  • Minor documentation improvements based on comprehensive audit

• v1.2.0 (2025-11-24): Configuration architecture clarification

  • Clarified separation between config.yaml (user config) and hook.yaml (metadata)
  • Updated documentation to reference config.yaml for runtime configuration
  • Updated directory structure to show both configuration files
  • Updated hook-config-guide.md with dual-file configuration pattern
  • Updated creating-hooks-workflow.md with config.yaml creation step
  • Based on comprehensive hooks audit from 2025-11-24

• v1.1.0 (2025-11-18): Progressive disclosure refactoring

  • Extracted detailed content into references/ directory (10 reference files)
  • Reduced SKILL.md from 1014 to ~350 lines (65% reduction)
  • Improved token efficiency by ~55% for common queries
  • Added Reference Loading Guide for explicit conditional loading
  • Hub architecture with clear decision tree and navigation
  • Based on audit recommendations from 2025-11-18 skill audit

• v1.0.0 (2025-11-18): Initial release

  • Centralized hooks management documentation
  • Delegation pattern to docs-management
  • Active hooks inventory
  • Multi-language support architecture
  • Vertical slice organization
  • Comprehensive shared utilities
  • Testing framework

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Last Updated

Date: 2025-12-01 Model: claude-opus-4-5-20251101