leo-claude-mktplace/plugins/claude-config-maintainer/skills/settings-optimization.md

Settings Optimization Skill

This skill provides comprehensive knowledge for auditing and optimizing Claude Code settings.local.json permission configurations.

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Section 1: Settings File Locations & Format

Claude Code uses two configuration formats for permissions:

Newer Format (Recommended)

Primary target: .claude/settings.local.json (project-local, gitignored)

Secondary locations:

• .claude/settings.json (shared, committed)
• ~/.claude.json (legacy global config)

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": ["Edit", "Write(plugins/**)", "Bash(git *)"],
    "deny": ["Read(.env*)", "Bash(rm *)"],
    "ask": ["Bash(pip install *)"]
  }
}

Field meanings:

• allow: Operations auto-approved without prompting
• deny: Operations blocked entirely
• ask: Operations that always prompt (overrides allow)

Legacy Format

Found in ~/.claude.json with per-project entries:

{
  "projects": {
    "/path/to/project": {
      "allowedTools": ["Read", "Write", "Bash(git *)"]
    }
  }
}

Detection strategy:

1. Check .claude/settings.local.json first (primary)
2. Check .claude/settings.json (shared)
3. Check ~/.claude.json for project entry (legacy)
4. Report which format is in use

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Section 2: Permission Rule Syntax Reference

Pattern	Meaning
Tool or Tool(*)	Allow all uses of that tool
Bash(npm run build)	Exact command match
Bash(npm run test *)	Prefix match (space+asterisk = word boundary)
Bash(npm*)	Prefix match without word boundary
Write(plugins/**)	Glob — all files recursively under plugins/
Write(plugins/projman/*)	Glob — direct children only
Read(.env*)	Pattern matching .env, .env.local, etc.
mcp__gitea__*	All tools from the gitea MCP server
mcp__netbox__list_*	Specific MCP tool pattern
WebFetch(domain:github.com)	Domain-restricted web fetch

Important Nuances

Word boundary matching:

• Bash(ls *) (with space) matches ls -la but NOT lsof
• Bash(ls*) (no space) matches both ls -la AND lsof

Precedence rules:

• deny rules take precedence over allow rules
• ask rules override both (always prompts even if allowed)
• More specific patterns do NOT override broader patterns

Command operators:

• Piped commands (cmd1 | cmd2) may not match individual command rules (known Claude Code limitation)
• Shell operators (&&, ||) — Claude Code is aware of these and won't let prefix rules bypass them
• Commands with redirects (>, >>, <) are evaluated as complete strings

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Section 3: Pattern Consolidation Rules

The audit detects these optimization opportunities:

Issue	Example	Recommendation
Exact duplicates	Write(plugins/**) listed twice	Remove duplicate
Subset redundancy	Write(plugins/projman/*) when Write(plugins/**) exists	Remove the narrower pattern — already covered
Merge candidates	Write(plugins/projman/*), Write(plugins/git-flow/*), Write(plugins/pr-review/*) ... (4+ similar patterns)	Merge to Write(plugins/**)
Overly broad	Bash (no specifier = allows ALL bash)	Flag as security concern, suggest scoped patterns
Stale patterns	Write(plugins/old-plugin/**) for a plugin that no longer exists	Remove stale entry
Missing MCP permissions	MCP servers in .mcp.json but no mcp__servername__* in allow	Suggest adding if server is trusted
Conflicting rules	Same pattern in both allow and deny	Flag conflict — deny wins, but allow is dead weight

Consolidation Algorithm

1. Deduplicate: Remove exact duplicates from each array
2. Subset elimination: For each pattern, check if a broader pattern exists
   • Write(plugins/projman/*) is subset of Write(plugins/**)
   • Bash(git status) is subset of Bash(git *)
3. Merge detection: If 4+ patterns share a common prefix, suggest merge
   • Threshold: 4 patterns minimum before suggesting consolidation
4. Stale detection: Cross-reference file patterns against actual filesystem
5. Conflict detection: Check for patterns appearing in multiple arrays

---

Section 4: Review-Layer-Aware Recommendations

This is the key section. Map upstream review processes to directory scopes:

Directory Scope	Active Review Layers	Auto-Allow Recommendation
plugins/*/commands/*.md	Sprint approval, PR review	Write(plugins/*/commands/**) — 2 layers cover this
plugins/*/skills/*.md	Sprint approval, PR review	Write(plugins/*/skills/**) — 2 layers
plugins/*/agents/*.md	Sprint approval, PR review	Write(plugins/*/agents/**) — 2 layers
mcp-servers/*/mcp_server/*.py	Code-sentinel PreToolUse, sprint approval, PR review	Write(mcp-servers/**) + Edit(mcp-servers/**) — sentinel catches secrets
docs/*.md	PR review	Write(docs/**) + Edit(docs/**) — with caution flag
.claude-plugin/*.json	validate-marketplace.sh, PR review	Write(.claude-plugin/**)
scripts/*.sh	Code-sentinel, PR review	Write(scripts/**) — with caution flag
CLAUDE.md, CHANGELOG.md, README.md	PR review	Write(CLAUDE.md), Write(CHANGELOG.md), Write(README.md)

Critical Rule: Hook Verification

Before recommending auto-allow for a scope, the agent MUST verify the hook is actually configured.

Read the relevant plugins/*/hooks/hooks.json file:

• If code-sentinel's hook is missing or disabled, do NOT recommend auto-allowing mcp-servers/** writes
• If git-flow's hook is missing, do NOT recommend auto-allowing Bash(git *) operations
• If cmdb-assistant's hook is missing, do NOT recommend auto-allowing MCP netbox create/update operations
• Count the number of verified review layers before making recommendations

Minimum threshold: Only recommend auto-allow for scopes with ≥2 verified review layers.

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Section 5: Permission Profiles

Three named profiles for different project contexts:

conservative (Default for New Users)

Minimal permissions, prompts for most write operations:

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "Read",
      "Glob",
      "Grep",
      "LS",
      "Write(docs/**)",
      "Edit(docs/**)",
      "Bash(git status *)",
      "Bash(git diff *)",
      "Bash(git log *)",
      "Bash(cat *)",
      "Bash(ls *)",
      "Bash(head *)",
      "Bash(tail *)",
      "Bash(wc *)",
      "Bash(grep *)"
    ],
    "deny": [
      "Read(.env*)",
      "Read(./secrets/**)",
      "Bash(rm -rf *)",
      "Bash(sudo *)"
    ]
  }
}

reviewed (Projects with ≥2 Upstream Review Layers)

This is the target profile for projects using the marketplace's multi-layer review architecture:

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "Read",
      "Glob",
      "Grep",
      "LS",
      "Edit",
      "Write",
      "MultiEdit",
      "Bash(git *)",
      "Bash(python *)",
      "Bash(pip install *)",
      "Bash(cd *)",
      "Bash(cat *)",
      "Bash(ls *)",
      "Bash(head *)",
      "Bash(tail *)",
      "Bash(wc *)",
      "Bash(grep *)",
      "Bash(find *)",
      "Bash(mkdir *)",
      "Bash(cp *)",
      "Bash(mv *)",
      "Bash(touch *)",
      "Bash(chmod *)",
      "Bash(source *)",
      "Bash(echo *)",
      "Bash(sed *)",
      "Bash(awk *)",
      "Bash(sort *)",
      "Bash(uniq *)",
      "Bash(diff *)",
      "Bash(jq *)",
      "Bash(npm *)",
      "Bash(npx *)",
      "Bash(node *)",
      "Bash(pytest *)",
      "Bash(python -m *)",
      "Bash(./scripts/*)",
      "WebFetch",
      "WebSearch"
    ],
    "deny": [
      "Read(.env*)",
      "Read(./secrets/**)",
      "Bash(rm -rf *)",
      "Bash(sudo *)",
      "Bash(curl * | bash*)",
      "Bash(wget * | bash*)"
    ]
  }
}

autonomous (Trusted CI/Sandboxed Environments Only)

Maximum permissions for automated environments:

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "Read",
      "Glob",
      "Grep",
      "LS",
      "Edit",
      "Write",
      "MultiEdit",
      "Bash",
      "WebFetch",
      "WebSearch"
    ],
    "deny": [
      "Read(.env*)",
      "Read(./secrets/**)",
      "Bash(rm -rf /)",
      "Bash(sudo *)"
    ]
  }
}

Warning: The autonomous profile allows unscoped Bash — only use in fully sandboxed environments.

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Section 6: Scoring Criteria (Settings Efficiency Score — 100 points)

Category	Points	What It Measures
Redundancy	25	No duplicates, no subset patterns, merged where possible
Coverage	25	Common tools allowed, MCP servers covered, no unnecessary gaps
Safety Alignment	25	Deny rules cover secrets, destructive commands; review layers verified
Profile Fit	25	How close to recommended profile for the project's review layer count

Scoring Breakdown

Redundancy (25 points):

• 25: No duplicates, no subsets, patterns are consolidated
• 20: 1-2 minor redundancies
• 15: 3-5 redundancies or 1 merge candidate group
• 10: 6+ redundancies or 2+ merge candidate groups
• 5: Significant redundancy (10+ issues)
• 0: Severe redundancy (20+ issues)

Coverage (25 points):

• 25: All common tools allowed, MCP servers covered
• 20: Missing 1-2 common tool patterns
• 15: Missing 3-5 patterns or 1 MCP server
• 10: Missing 6+ patterns or 2+ MCP servers
• 5: Significant gaps causing frequent prompts
• 0: Minimal coverage (prompts on most operations)

Safety Alignment (25 points):

• 25: Deny rules cover secrets + destructive ops, review layers verified
• 20: Minor gaps (e.g., missing one secret pattern)
• 15: Overly broad allow without review layer coverage
• 10: Missing deny rules for secrets or destructive commands
• 5: Unsafe patterns without review layer justification
• 0: Security concerns (e.g., unscoped Bash without review layers)

Profile Fit (25 points):

• 25: Matches recommended profile exactly
• 20: Within 90% of recommended profile
• 15: Within 80% of recommended profile
• 10: Within 70% of recommended profile
• 5: Significant deviation from recommended profile
• 0: No alignment with any named profile

Score Interpretation

Score Range	Status	Meaning
90-100	Optimized	Minimal prompt interruptions, safety maintained
70-89	Good	Minor consolidation opportunities
50-69	Needs Work	Significant redundancy or missing permissions
Below 50	Poor	Likely getting constant approval prompts unnecessarily

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Section 7: Hook Detection Method

To verify which review layers are active, read these files:

File	Hook Type	Tool Matcher	Purpose
plugins/code-sentinel/hooks/hooks.json	PreToolUse	Write|Edit|MultiEdit	Blocks hardcoded secrets
plugins/git-flow/hooks/hooks.json	PreToolUse	Bash	Branch naming + commit format
plugins/cmdb-assistant/hooks/hooks.json	PreToolUse	MCP create/update	NetBox input validation
plugins/clarity-assist/hooks/hooks.json	UserPromptSubmit	(all prompts)	Vagueness detection

Verification Process

1. Read each hooks.json file
2. Parse the JSON to find hook configurations
3. Check the type field — must be "command" (not "prompt")
4. Check the event field — maps to when hook runs
5. Check the tools array — which operations are intercepted
6. Verify plugin is in marketplace — check .claude-plugin/marketplace.json

Example Hook Structure

{
  "hooks": [
    {
      "event": "PreToolUse",
      "type": "command",
      "command": "./hooks/security-check.sh",
      "tools": ["Write", "Edit", "MultiEdit"]
    }
  ]
}

Review Layer Count

Count verified review layers for each scope:

Layer	Verification
Sprint approval	Check if projman plugin is installed (milestone workflow)
PR review	Check if pr-review plugin is installed
code-sentinel PreToolUse	hooks.json exists with PreToolUse on Write/Edit/MultiEdit
git-flow PreToolUse	hooks.json exists with PreToolUse on Bash
cmdb-assistant PreToolUse	hooks.json exists with PreToolUse on MCP create/update

Recommendation threshold: Only recommend auto-allow for scopes with ≥2 verified layers.