44 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
44 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
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---
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summary: Claude Code's --setting-sources flag silently disables ALL plugins and hooks if "user" is omitted, because plugin enablement and hook wiring live only in ~/.claude/settings.json.
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tags:
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- type/reference
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- tool/claude-code
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scope: global
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type: reference
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source: cc-os docs/plans/c3-spike-findings.md (spike a, 2026-07-08)
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date: 2026-07-08
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last_updated: 2026-07-08
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---
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# Claude Code `--setting-sources` silently drops all plugins without "user"
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Verified 2026-07-08 via transcript-level inspection of headless runs (model self-report is
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unreliable for this — check the session JSONL for `hook_additional_context` /
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`skill_listing` entries instead).
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- `--setting-sources` picks which settings files load: `user` (`~/.claude/settings.json`),
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`project` (`.claude/settings.json`), `local`.
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- **Plugin enablement (`enabledPlugins`) and all hook wiring live in the `user` file.**
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Any invocation whose source list omits `user` (e.g. `--setting-sources ""` or
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`project,local`) starts a session with ZERO plugins and ZERO hooks — no error, no
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warning. Memory capture, vault sync, ADR reminders, orchestration injection: all
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silently absent for that session.
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- Symlinked local plugins and absolute-path hooks are NOT the issue — the only failure
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axis is whether `user` is in the list.
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## `--settings <overlay.json>` deep-merges `enabledPlugins` (verified 2026-07-08)
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An overlay file passed via `--settings` merges `enabledPlugins` key-by-key into the user
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settings — only plugins explicitly set `false` are disabled; unlisted plugins and all
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hooks are untouched. Diff-only profile overlays (e.g. `~/.claude/profiles/*.json`) are
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therefore safe. Measured caveat: disabling plugins saves almost no context
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(−32 to −632 tokens for 5–9 plugins, post-ToolSearch) — the win is focus, not tokens.
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## Rule
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Any wrapper, profile, or script that passes `--setting-sources` MUST include `user`.
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To slim a session, subtract via a `--settings <overlay.json>` file (e.g. an
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`enabledPlugins` diff in `~/.claude/profiles/`) — never by dropping the user source.
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Related: [[cc-os-hub]], [[memsearch-sessionstart-injection-hardcoded]]
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