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Hooks Reference ​

Version requirement: This guide targets the Claude Code Hooks–compatible implementation shipped with CodeBuddy Code v1.16.0 and later. Feature status: Hooks are currently in Beta; APIs and runtime behavior may evolve.

Hooks let you inject custom scripts or commands into every stage of a CodeBuddy Code session so you can automate validation, bootstrap environments, run compliance checks, and more. Our implementation is fully compatible with the Claude Code Hooks specification, including event names, payload schemas, and safety guarantees.


Feature Overview ​

  • Full support for all nine Claude Code hook events: PreToolUse, PostToolUse, Notification, UserPromptSubmit, Stop, SubagentStop, PreCompact, SessionStart, SessionEnd.
  • Regex-based matchers to route execution by tool name or event context.
  • Automatic injection of session_id, transcript paths, working directory, and other context.
  • Dual signaling via exit codes and JSON payloads to mirror Claude Code semantics.
  • /hooks CLI panel for reviewing and approving any configuration changes before they take effect.
  • Individual hook processes time out after 60 seconds so one slow script will not block the rest.

Configuration ​

CodeBuddy Code stores hook configuration inside your settings files:

ScopePathNotes
User~/.codebuddy/settings.jsonApplies to every project
Project<project-root>/.codebuddy/settings.jsonShared with the whole repo
Project local<project-root>/.codebuddy/settings.local.jsonLocal-only overrides (not committed)
Enterprise policyDistributed policy bundleManaged centrally by your org

Merge behavior: Hooks from different scopes are merged, not overwritten. All matching hooks for the same event run in parallel.

Structure ​

Hooks are grouped by matcher, and each matcher may contain multiple hook definitions:

json
{
  "hooks": {
    "EventName": [
      {
        "matcher": "ToolPattern",
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "your-command-here"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Key fields:

  • matcher – Regex pattern for tool names, case-sensitive (only for PreToolUse and PostToolUse).
    • Simple string match: Write matches any tool name containing "Write" (e.g., Write, NotebookWrite).
    • Exact match: Use ^Write$ to match only the Write tool.
    • Multiple tools: Edit|Write or Web.*.
    • Match all tools: Any of the following are equivalent:
      • Use *
      • Use empty string ""
      • Omit the matcher field
  • hooks – Array executed when the matcher hits.
    • type – Execution mode. Use "command" for shell commands, or "prompt" for LLM-based evaluation.
    • command – (type = command) Shell command to run. $CODEBUDDY_PROJECT_DIR is available. Executed using the user's default shell ($SHELL) on macOS/Linux, and Git Bash is enforced on Windows (cmd.exe and PowerShell are not supported), so commands must be compatible with bash syntax.
    • prompt – (type = prompt) Prompt text sent to the LLM for evaluation (only supports Stop, UserPromptSubmit, and PreToolUse events).
    • timeout – Optional timeout in seconds for the specific hook.

For events that do not use matchers (UserPromptSubmit, Stop, SubagentStop, etc.) you can omit the field entirely:

json
{
  "hooks": {
    "UserPromptSubmit": [
      {
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "python3 /path/to/prompt-validator.py"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Project-Scoped Hook Scripts ​

Use the CODEBUDDY_PROJECT_DIR environment variable (available while CodeBuddy builds the hook command) to reference scripts stored in the repo:

json
{
  "hooks": {
    "PostToolUse": [
      {
        "matcher": "Write|Edit",
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "\"$CODEBUDDY_PROJECT_DIR\"/.codebuddy/hooks/check-style.sh"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Tip: If your hook script is a Python file, explicitly use python3 to invoke it instead of directly executing the .py file. This is because even if the script includes a shebang line (#!/usr/bin/env python3), Git Bash on Windows may not correctly recognize it:

json
"command": "python3 \"$CODEBUDDY_PROJECT_DIR\"/.codebuddy/hooks/my_hook.py"

Plugin Hooks ​

Plugins can ship hooks that merge seamlessly with user or project settings. When you enable a plugin, its hooks are merged automatically.

How plugin hooks work:

  • Defined inside hooks/hooks.json within the plugin bundle, or via a custom path referenced from the hooks field.
  • Activated hooks merge with user and project hooks.
  • Multiple hook sources can all respond to the same event.
  • ${CODEBUDDY_PLUGIN_ROOT} points to the plugin directory for script references.

Example:

json
{
  "description": "Automatic code formatting",
  "hooks": {
    "PostToolUse": [
      {
        "matcher": "Write|Edit",
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "${CODEBUDDY_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/format.sh",
            "timeout": 30
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Prompt-Based Hooks ​

Besides shell commands (type: "command"), CodeBuddy Code also supports prompt-based hooks (type: "prompt") that use an LLM to evaluate whether to allow or block an action.

Supported events: Currently only Stop, UserPromptSubmit, and PreToolUse events are supported.

How Prompt Hooks Work ​

Instead of running a bash command, the hook:

  1. Sends the hook input plus your prompt to a fast LLM (Haiku).
  2. Receives a structured JSON decision.
  3. Lets CodeBuddy Code enforce that decision.

Supported Events ​

EventUse Case
StopIntelligently decide whether CodeBuddy should continue working
UserPromptSubmitUse LLM to assist in validating user prompts
PreToolUseMake context-aware permission decisions

Comparison with Command Hooks ​

FeatureCommand HooksPrompt Hooks
ExecutionRuns bash scriptsQueries LLM
Decision logicYou implement in codeLLM evaluates context
Setup complexityRequires script filesJust configure a prompt
Context awarenessLimited by script logicNatural language understanding
PerformanceFast (local execution)Slower (API call)
Best forDeterministic rulesContext-aware decisions

Configuration ​

json
{
  "hooks": {
    "Stop": [
      {
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "prompt",
            "prompt": "Evaluate if CodeBuddy should stop: $ARGUMENTS. Check if all tasks are complete."
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Fields:

  • type – Must be "prompt".
  • prompt – Text sent to the LLM. Use $ARGUMENTS as a placeholder for the hook input JSON, which will be directly replaced. When $ARGUMENTS is not present, the input JSON is appended in the format \n\nARGUMENTS:\n{JSON}.
  • timeout – Optional timeout in seconds (default: 30s).

Response Schema ​

The LLM must return JSON:

jsonc
{
  "ok": true | false,
  "reason": "Explanation for the decision"  // Required when ok is false
}

Response fields:

  • ok: true to allow the operation, false to block it
  • reason: Required when ok is false, explanation shown to CodeBuddy

Example: Smart Stop Hook ​

json
{
  "hooks": {
    "Stop": [
      {
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "prompt",
            "prompt": "You are evaluating whether CodeBuddy should stop working. Context: $ARGUMENTS\n\nAnalyze the conversation and determine if:\n1. All user-requested tasks are complete\n2. Any errors need to be addressed\n3. Follow-up work is needed\n\nRespond with JSON: {\"ok\": true} to allow stopping, or {\"ok\": false, \"reason\": \"your explanation\"} to continue working.",
            "timeout": 30
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Example: UserPromptSubmit Validation ​

json
{
  "hooks": {
    "UserPromptSubmit": [
      {
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "prompt",
            "prompt": "Evaluate if this user prompt is safe and appropriate. Input: $ARGUMENTS\n\nCheck if:\n- The prompt contains sensitive information (passwords, secrets)\n- The request is clear and actionable\n- Any security concerns exist\n\nReturn: {\"ok\": true} to allow, or {\"ok\": false, \"reason\": \"explanation\"} to block."
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Example: PreToolUse Permission Decision ​

json
{
  "hooks": {
    "PreToolUse": [
      {
        "matcher": "Bash",
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "prompt",
            "prompt": "Evaluate if this bash command should be allowed. Input: $ARGUMENTS\n\nCheck if:\n- The command is safe and non-destructive\n- It doesn't access sensitive files or directories\n- It aligns with the user's stated goals\n\nReturn: {\"ok\": true} to allow, or {\"ok\": false, \"reason\": \"explanation\"} to deny."
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Best Practices ​

  • Be specific in your prompts: Clearly describe what you want the LLM to evaluate
  • Include decision criteria: List the factors the LLM should consider
  • Test your prompts: Verify the LLM makes correct decisions for your use cases
  • Set appropriate timeouts: Default is 30 seconds, adjust if needed
  • Use for complex decisions: Command hooks are better suited for simple, deterministic rules

Hook Events ​

Event Matrix ​

EventTriggerMatcher supportTypical use cases
PreToolUseBefore a tool executesYes (tool name)Command validation, approvals, logging
PostToolUseAfter a tool succeedsYesAuto-formatting, context enrichment
NotificationPermission prompts or 60s idle remindersPartialDesktop alerts, IM pings
UserPromptSubmitUser message submitted
(internal commands excluded)
NoContent review, context injection
StopMain agent reply finishesNoForce continuation, add reminders
SubagentStopSub-agent (Task tool) completesNoExtend or annotate sub-tasks
PreCompactBefore context compactionYes (manual / auto)Preserve key info, avoid lossy compression
SessionStartSession creation or resumeYes (startup / resume / clear / compact)Env bootstrap, variable injection
SessionEndSession terminatedYes (clear / logout / prompt_input_exit / other)Cleanup, log persistence

PreToolUse ​

Runs after CodeBuddy builds tool arguments but before executing the tool.

Common matchers:

  • Task – Sub-agent tasks
  • Bash – Shell commands
  • Glob – File globbing
  • Grep – Content search
  • Read – File reads
  • Edit – File edits
  • Write – File writes
  • WebFetch, WebSearch – Web operations

PostToolUse ​

Runs immediately after a tool succeeds. Uses the same matcher values as PreToolUse.

Notification ​

Runs when CodeBuddy emits a notification. Matchers filter by notification type.

Supported matchers (partial):

  • permission_prompt – Permission dialogs
  • idle_prompt – Idle > 60 seconds
  • auth_success – Auth success notification
  • elicitation_dialog – MCP tool elicitation dialogs (not yet supported)

Example:

json
{
  "hooks": {
    "Notification": [
      {
        "matcher": "permission_prompt",
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "/path/to/permission-alert.sh"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "matcher": "idle_prompt",
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "/path/to/idle-notification.sh"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

UserPromptSubmit ​

Runs after the user submits a prompt but before CodeBuddy processes it. Useful for injecting context, validating, or blocking certain prompts.

Stop ​

Runs when the primary CodeBuddy agent finishes responding (skipped if the user manually interrupts).

SubagentStop ​

Runs when a CodeBuddy sub-agent (Task tool) finishes.

PreCompact ​

Runs before CodeBuddy compacts conversation context.

Matchers:

  • manual – Triggered via /compact
  • auto – Triggered automatically when the context window fills up

SessionStart ​

Runs when CodeBuddy starts a new session or resumes an existing one.

Matchers:

  • startup – Fresh start
  • resume – Triggered by --resume, --continue, or /resume
  • clear – Triggered by /clear
  • compact – Triggered by auto/manual compaction

SessionEnd ​

Runs when a session closesβ€”use it to free resources or persist logs.

reason field values:

  • clear – Session cleared via /clear
  • logout – User signed out
  • prompt_input_exit – User exited while the prompt input box was visible
  • other – Any other exit reason (including normal exit)

Hook Input ​

Each hook receives JSON over stdin containing session metadata plus event-specific fields:

jsonc
{
  // Common fields
  "session_id": "string",
  "transcript_path": "string",  // Path to the conversation JSON
  "cwd": "string",              // Working directory when the hook runs
  "permission_mode": "string",  // "default", "plan", "acceptEdits", or "bypassPermissions"

  // Event-specific properties
  "hook_event_name": "string"
  // ...
}

PreToolUse Input ​

json
{
  "session_id": "abc123",
  "transcript_path": "/Users/.../.codebuddy/projects/.../00893aaf-19fa-41d2-8238-13269b9b3ca0.jsonl",
  "cwd": "/Users/...",
  "permission_mode": "default",
  "hook_event_name": "PreToolUse",
  "tool_name": "Write",
  "tool_input": {
    "file_path": "/path/to/file.txt",
    "content": "file content"
  }
}

PostToolUse Input ​

json
{
  "session_id": "abc123",
  "transcript_path": "/Users/.../.codebuddy/projects/.../00893aaf-19fa-41d2-8238-13269b9b3ca0.jsonl",
  "cwd": "/Users/...",
  "permission_mode": "default",
  "hook_event_name": "PostToolUse",
  "tool_name": "Write",
  "tool_input": {
    "file_path": "/path/to/file.txt",
    "content": "file content"
  },
  "tool_response": {
    "filePath": "/path/to/file.txt",
    "success": true
  }
}

Notification Input ​

json
{
  "session_id": "abc123",
  "transcript_path": "/Users/.../.codebuddy/projects/.../00893aaf-19fa-41d2-8238-13269b9b3ca0.jsonl",
  "cwd": "/Users/...",
  "permission_mode": "default",
  "hook_event_name": "Notification",
  "message": "CodeBuddy needs your permission to use Bash",
  "notification_type": "permission_prompt"
}

UserPromptSubmit Input ​

json
{
  "session_id": "abc123",
  "transcript_path": "/Users/.../.codebuddy/projects/.../00893aaf-19fa-41d2-8238-13269b9b3ca0.jsonl",
  "cwd": "/Users/...",
  "permission_mode": "default",
  "hook_event_name": "UserPromptSubmit",
  "prompt": "Write a function to calculate the factorial of a number"
}

Stop & SubagentStop Input ​

stop_hook_active becomes true when a stop hook has already resumed execution.

json
{
  "session_id": "abc123",
  "transcript_path": "/Users/xxx/.codebuddy/projects/.../00893aaf-19fa-41d2-8238-13269b9b3ca0.jsonl",
  "permission_mode": "default",
  "hook_event_name": "Stop",
  "stop_hook_active": true
}

PreCompact Input ​

For manual triggers, custom_instructions comes from the /compact command. Auto triggers leave it empty.

json
{
  "session_id": "abc123",
  "transcript_path": "/Users/xxx/.codebuddy/projects/.../00893aaf-19fa-41d2-8238-13269b9b3ca0.jsonl",
  "permission_mode": "default",
  "hook_event_name": "PreCompact",
  "trigger": "manual",
  "custom_instructions": ""
}

SessionStart Input ​

json
{
  "session_id": "abc123",
  "transcript_path": "/Users/xxx/.codebuddy/projects/.../00893aaf-19fa-41d2-8238-13269b9b3ca0.jsonl",
  "permission_mode": "default",
  "hook_event_name": "SessionStart",
  "source": "startup"
}

SessionEnd Input ​

json
{
  "session_id": "abc123",
  "transcript_path": "/Users/xxx/.codebuddy/projects/.../00893aaf-19fa-41d2-8238-13269b9b3ca0.jsonl",
  "cwd": "/Users/...",
  "permission_mode": "default",
  "hook_event_name": "SessionEnd",
  "reason": "other"
}

Hook Output ​

Hooks communicate back to CodeBuddy Code in two ways.

Basic Mode: Exit Codes ​

Use exit status, stdout, and stderr to convey results:

  • Exit code 0 – Success. Stdout appears in transcript mode (Ctrl+R), except for UserPromptSubmit and SessionStart, where stdout is appended to the context.
  • Exit code 2 – Blocking error. Message source priority: stdout (JSON reason/stopReason field or plain text) > stderr. Stderr is only a fallback – it is only passed to CodeBuddy when stdout has no output. Therefore, debug logs can safely be written to stderr without polluting the feedback message to the Agent.
  • Other exit codes – Non-blocking errors. Stderr is shown to the user and execution proceeds.

Exit Code 2 Behavior ​

Note: "message" in the table below refers to the message retrieved from stdout or stderr based on priority (see fallback explanation above).

EventEffect
PreToolUseBlocks the tool call and surfaces message to Agent
PostToolUseSurfaces message to Agent (tool already ran, used for context injection)
NotificationN/A – message shown to the user
UserPromptSubmitBlocks the prompt, clears it, message shown to user only
StopBlocks the stop action, surfaces message to Agent and continues conversation
SubagentStopBlocks the sub-agent stop, surfaces message to sub-agent and continues execution
PreCompactBlocks compaction, message shown to user only
SessionStartN/A – message shown to the user
SessionEndN/A – message shown to the user

Advanced Mode: JSON Output ​

Write structured JSON to stdout for granular control.

Common JSON Fields ​

jsonc
{
  "continue": true,        // Whether CodeBuddy proceeds after the hook (default true)
  "stopReason": "string",  // Message shown to CodeBuddy when continue is false
  "reason": "string",      // Alias for stopReason, both are equivalent

  "suppressOutput": true,  // Hide stdout in transcript mode (default false)
  "systemMessage": "string" // Optional warning shown to user only (not passed to Agent)
}

Message field notes:

  • stopReason / reason: Message passed to CodeBuddy Agent explaining why the operation was blocked
  • systemMessage: Warning shown to user only, not passed to Agent

PreToolUse Decision Control ​

PreToolUse hooks can control whether the tool call proceeds.

jsonc
{
  "hookSpecificOutput": {
    "hookEventName": "PreToolUse",
    "permissionDecision": "allow" | "deny" | "ask",
    "permissionDecisionReason": "Reason shown in permission dialog",
    "modifiedInput": {
      "field_to_modify": "new value"
    }
  }
}
  • allow – Skip the built-in permission dialog, execute tool directly
  • deny – Block the tool call, permissionDecisionReason is passed to Agent
  • ask – Force the UI to prompt the user, permissionDecisionReason is shown in the confirmation dialog
  • modifiedInput – Mutate tool arguments before execution (partial field override)

PostToolUse Context Injection ​

PostToolUse fires after the tool has executed, so it cannot truly "block" the operation. Instead, use it to inject additional context to the Agent.

jsonc
{
  "hookSpecificOutput": {
    "hookEventName": "PostToolUse",
    "additionalContext": "Additional information for CodeBuddy, e.g., code review results"
  }
}

Note: The decision: "block" field is deprecated. Since the tool has already executed, blocking has no effect.

UserPromptSubmit Decision Control ​

jsonc
{
  "continue": false, // Set to false to block prompt processing
  "reason": "Block reason (shown to user only)",
  "hookSpecificOutput": {
    "hookEventName": "UserPromptSubmit",
    "additionalContext": "Additional context injected to CodeBuddy"
  }
}

Note: The decision: "block" field is deprecated. Use continue: false instead.

Stop / SubagentStop Decision Control ​

jsonc
{
  "continue": false, // Set to false to prevent stopping, Agent continues working
  "reason": "Tell the Agent why it needs to continue working"
}

Note: The decision: "block" field is deprecated. Use continue: false instead.

SessionStart Decision Control ​

jsonc
{
  "hookSpecificOutput": {
    "hookEventName": "SessionStart",
    "additionalContext": "My additional context here"
  }
}

Using MCP Tools ​

Hooks integrate seamlessly with MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools.

MCP Tool Naming ​

MCP tool names follow the pattern mcp__<server>__<tool>, for example:

  • mcp__memory__create_entities – create_entities on the Memory server
  • mcp__filesystem__read_file – read_file on the Filesystem server
  • mcp__github__search_repositories – GitHub search tool

Configuring Hooks for MCP Tools ​

Target an individual tool or an entire MCP server:

json
{
  "hooks": {
    "PreToolUse": [
      {
        "matcher": "mcp__memory__.*",
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "echo 'Memory operation initiated' >> ~/mcp-operations.log"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "matcher": "mcp__.*__write.*",
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "python3 /home/user/scripts/validate-mcp-write.py"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Security Notes ​

Disclaimer ​

Use at your own risk. Hooks run arbitrary shell commands on your machine. By enabling them you acknowledge:

  • You are solely responsible for the commands you configure.
  • Hooks can read, modify, or delete anything your user can access.
  • Malicious or buggy hooks can cause data loss or system damage.
  • Tencent Cloud offers no warranty and is not liable for any damages.
  • Always test hooks in a safe environment before rolling them into production.

Best Practices ​

  1. Validate and sanitize input – Never trust incoming data blindly.
  2. Quote shell variables – Use "$VAR", not $VAR.
  3. Prevent path traversal – Guard against .. in file paths.
  4. Use absolute paths – Especially for scripts (or "$CODEBUDDY_PROJECT_DIR").
  5. Skip sensitive files – Avoid touching .env, .git/, secrets, etc.

Configuration Safety ​

Editing the settings file does not hot-load hooks. CodeBuddy Code:

  1. Captures a snapshot at startup.
  2. Uses that snapshot for the whole session.
  3. Warns if the file changes externally.
  4. Requires review in the /hooks panel before changes apply.

Execution Details ​

  • Timeout – 60 seconds by default; override per hook.
  • Parallelism – All matching hooks run in parallel.
  • Deduplication – Identical commands are coalesced.
  • Execution Shell:
    • macOS/Linux: Uses the user's default shell ($SHELL environment variable, typically bash or zsh), falls back to /bin/sh.
    • Windows: Git Bash is enforced (cmd.exe and PowerShell are not supported). If Git Bash is not found, an error will prompt you to install Git for Windows. The CODEBUDDY_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH environment variable can be used to specify the bash.exe path.
    • The default shell can be overridden via the CODEBUDDY_CODE_SHELL environment variable (only POSIX shells are supported: bash, zsh, sh).
  • Environment – Runs inside the current working directory with CodeBuddy's environment.
    • CODEBUDDY_PROJECT_DIR exposes the absolute project root.
  • Input – JSON over stdin.
  • Output –
    • PreToolUse / PostToolUse / Stop / SubagentStop: progress visible in transcript mode (Ctrl+R).
    • Notification / SessionEnd: logged only when --debug is enabled.
    • UserPromptSubmit / SessionStart: stdout is appended to the conversation context.

Debugging ​

Basic Troubleshooting ​

If hooks are not firing:

  1. Check configuration – Run /hooks to confirm registration.
  2. Validate JSON – Ensure the settings file parses.
  3. Test commands – Execute the script manually first.
  4. Verify permissions – Scripts must be executable.
  5. Inspect logs – Launch codebuddy --debug for hook traces.

Common mistakes:

  • Unescaped quotes – Use \" inside JSON strings.
  • Incorrect matcher – Tool names are case-sensitive.
  • Command not found – Provide full paths.

Advanced Debugging ​

For tricky issues:

  1. Trace execution – codebuddy --debug shows hook scheduling and output.
  2. Validate schemas – Use external tools to simulate hook input/output.
  3. Check env vars – Confirm CodeBuddy exposes the expected environment.
  4. Test edge cases – Try unusual paths or payloads.
  5. Monitor resources – Ensure hooks are not exhausting CPU/RAM.
  6. Emit structured logs – Add logging inside your scripts.

Debug Output Example ​

Note: This feature is not yet supported.

codebuddy --debug prints hook execution like:

text
[DEBUG] Executing hooks for PostToolUse:Write
[DEBUG] Getting matching hook commands for PostToolUse with query: Write
[DEBUG] Found 1 hook matchers in settings
[DEBUG] Matched 1 hooks for query "Write"
[DEBUG] Found 1 hook commands to execute
[DEBUG] Executing hook command: <Your command> with timeout 60000ms
[DEBUG] Hook command completed with status 0: <Your stdout>

Progress messages appear in transcript mode (Ctrl+R), showing:

  • Which hook is running
  • The command being executed
  • Success/failure status
  • Output or error messages

With this guide you should have a complete understanding of how hooks work inside CodeBuddy Code and how to configure them safely. For a hands-on walkthrough, continue with the Hooks Getting Started Guide.