Off Switches

Off Switches

This page tells maintainers and users which switches disable a part of dotclaude or of Claude Code. It lists each switch that disables a part of dotclaude or of Claude Code that dotclaude relies on. For each switch, it gives the effect and the code that sets or reads it. Paths start at src/plugins/dotclaude/ unless they say otherwise.

There are four ways to disable a part:

• A DOTCLAUDE_ variable. The code reads none, so there are none.
• A key or an env entry of the settings snippet.
• An enabledPlugins entry for a built-in plugin or a dotclaude add-on.
• A skillOverrides entry.

The snippet is the merge of the settings objects of the slices. The settings command of dotclaude-setup merges it into a settings file with --apply. Without --apply, the command prints the changes and writes nothing.

The Claude Code facts refer to version 2.1.296, which is TESTED_VERSION in slices/setup/domain/facts.ts. The key names match schemas/claude-code-settings.json. An effect that comes from the name of a key, and not from a test, is marked from the name. An effect that comes from the research on 2.1.293 is marked not re-checked.

DOTCLAUDE Variables

The code reads no DOTCLAUDE_ variable. DOTCLAUDE_DIR in src/kernel/paths.ts is the name of the .dotclaude folder, not an env var. So no DOTCLAUDE_ variable disables a part of dotclaude.

Env Entries of the Snippet

Claude Code reads each entry in this table. dotclaude reads DISABLE_COMPACT, which this table lists. It also reads three variables that the table does not list: CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_CONCURRENT_SUBAGENTS, CLAUDE_CODE_EFFORT_LEVEL, and CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL_FORCE. The drift check in slices/setup/domain/drift.ts compares every entry of the snippet with the settings file.

Entry	Effect	Set in
CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_CONNECT_IDE set to false	No connection to an IDE at start.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_FEEDBACK_SURVEY set to 1	No feedback survey.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_TERMINAL_TITLE set to 1	No change of the terminal title.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
CLAUDE_CODE_FORK_SUBAGENT set to 0	No forked subagents (from the name).	slices/prompt/slice.ts
CLAUDE_CODE_IDE_SKIP_AUTO_INSTALL set to 1	No install of the IDE extension.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
CLAUDE_CODE_TODO_REMINDER_MODE set to off	No recurring task list reminder.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
DISABLE_COMPACT set to 1	No automatic summary of the context. dotclaude reads it in slices/prompt/adapters/mod.ts (onSection). The context_management section changes only when the entry is set to a value other than 0 or false.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
DISABLE_ERROR_REPORTING set to 1	No error report.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
DISABLE_FEEDBACK_COMMAND set to 1	No /feedback command.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_CFC_PROMPT set to 1	Removes the CFC part of the prompt.	slices/trim/slice.ts
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_CRON set to 1	Removes the cron tools and /loop.	slices/trim/slice.ts
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_EXPLORE_PLAN_AGENTS set to 1	Removes the Explore and Plan agents.	slices/trim/slice.ts
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_FAST_MODE set to 1	Removes fast mode.	slices/trim/slice.ts

The reasons for the trim entries are in slices/trim/domain/removed.ts. CLAUDE_CODE_SIMPLE_SYSTEM_PROMPT set to 1 is not an off switch. It replaces the built-in system prompt with the prompt of the prompt slice, so it has no row here.

Settings Keys of the Snippet

Claude Code reads each key in this table. The drift check reads each key as described in Env entries of the snippet.

Key	Effect	Set in
autoCompactEnabled set to false	No automatic compaction.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
enableArtifact set to false	No artifacts.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
enableWorkflows set to false	No workflows.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
promptSuggestionEnabled set to false	No prompt suggestions.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
awaySummaryEnabled set to false	No summary after a break (from the name).	slices/prompt/slice.ts
spinnerTipsEnabled set to false	No spinner tips.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
feedbackSurveyRate set to 0	No feedback survey.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
feedbackDrafts set to "off"	Removes the SendFeedback tool.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
disableRemoteControl set to true	No remote control.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
disableBundledSkills set to true	No bundled skills.	slices/prompt/slice.ts
autoMemoryEnabled set to false	No auto memory.	slices/trim/slice.ts
includeGitInstructions set to false	No git instructions in the prompt.	slices/trim/slice.ts
fastMode set to false	No fast mode.	slices/trim/slice.ts
disableAgentView set to true	No agent view.	slices/trim/slice.ts
disableClaudeAiConnectors set to true	No claude.ai connectors.	slices/trim/slice.ts
syncClaudeAiSkills set to false	No skills synced from claude.ai.	slices/trim/slice.ts
syncClaudeAiPlugins set to false	No plugins synced from claude.ai.	slices/trim/slice.ts

The reasons for the trim switches are in slices/trim/domain/removed.ts. No shipped code imports that list, so the keys above are set in the slice files only.

Denied Tools and Agents

The permissions.deny list of slices/prompt/slice.ts removes these tools and agents from the model.

Entry	Effect
Agent(general-purpose)	No general-purpose subagent.
Agent(claude-code-guide)	No claude-code-guide agent.
Agent(statusline-setup)	No statusline-setup agent.
mcp__computer-use	Denies the computer-use MCP server. It is a guard for the case that you enable the server.
EnterPlanMode and ExitPlanMode	No plan mode tools.
TaskCreate, TaskGet, TaskList, TaskStop, and TaskUpdate	No task tools.
ScheduleWakeup and ReportFindings	No such tool. No dotclaude code uses either tool.

The other permissions.deny and permissions.ask entries are safety rules, not switches.

Built-In Agents

The snippet disables the built-in agents Explore and Plan with CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_EXPLORE_PLAN_AGENTS. It disables general-purpose, claude-code-guide, and statusline-setup with one permissions.deny entry each. The six dotclaude agents take the work of the built-in agents, see Agents.

Computer Use

The computer-use MCP server is opt-in in Claude Code. The research on 2.1.293 found that Claude Code starts it only when the project key enabledMcpServers holds computer-use (not re-checked on 2.1.296). The deny entry mcp__computer-use is a guard for the case that you enable the server.

Built-In Plugins

The snippet sets these entries of enabledPlugins to false:

• cc-plugin-agents-md@builtin
• cc-plugin-claude-test@builtin
• cc-plugin-diff@builtin
• cc-plugin-mermaid@builtin
• cc-plugin-mods-guide@builtin
• cc-plugin-responsive-mode@builtin
• cc-plugin-telemetry@builtin
• cc-plugin-tips@builtin
• cc-plugin-you-should-know@builtin

OFF_PLUGINS in slices/setup/domain/facts.ts holds this list. pluginsOn in slices/setup/domain/drift.ts reports each plugin of the list that the settings still enable. cc-plugin-plugin-authoring@builtin is not in the list, so the snippet leaves it enabled.

Add-Ons and the Core Plugin

To disable a dotclaude add-on, disable it with /plugin, or set enabledPlugins for <name>@dotclaude to false in user settings. The add-on step of setup reads that entry in installedAddons (slices/setup/domain/addons.ts). It skips each add-on whose entry is false, so it plans no tools for that add-on. Claude Code stops loading the parts of a disabled plugin (Claude Code behavior, not re-checked on 2.1.296).

The core plugin dotclaude is not in that list, so the setup step reads no entry for it.

skillOverrides

The snippet sets one entry of skillOverrides: plugin-authoring set to name-only. It is in slices/prompt/slice.ts. The value name-only shows the skill by name only (from the name). The research on 2.1.293 found that Claude Code skips skillOverrides for a plugin skill, so this entry may have no effect. This is not re-checked on 2.1.296. See Decisions-Settings, decision D5. To check the effect, run /context in just sandbox.

Managed Settings

No code in src/plugins/dotclaude/ writes a managed settings file. Without managed settings, the guard cc-plugin-sec-default is not seated, and dotclaude runs at tier user. An installed mod with a tool.check hook can then change a content deny rule into an allow (research on 2.1.293). A path deny and a whole-tool deny stay enforced. See Decisions-Settings, decision D14.

Not in the Snippet

The snippet sets none of the items that might cost quality, and no code reads them. The reasons and the eval are in Decisions-Settings and Evals. Set one by hand in your own settings at your own risk.

Never Set

The snippet never sets these entries. The lists are in tests/support/settings-pin.ts, as NEVER_SET_KEYS and NEVER_SET_ENV. The tests tests/dotclaude/settings-pin.test.ts and tests/dotclaude/trim/settings.test.ts check the snippet against them.

Entry	Value	Reason
disableAllHooks	any	Stops all hooks.
allowManagedHooksOnly	any	Stops the hooks of plugins.
strictPluginOnlyCustomization	any	Stops customization by the user.
disableSideloadFlags	any	Stops the flags that load a plugin folder.
alwaysThinkingEnabled	any	Forces thinking on every model.
allowAllClaudeAiMcps	any	Turns on every claude.ai connector.
claudeMd	any	Replaces the project instructions.
CLAUDE_CODE_SIMPLE	any	Turns off hooks, plugins, skills, and memory.
CLAUDE_CODE_SAFE_MODE	any	Turns off hooks, plugins, skills, and memory.
CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_TASKS	0	Removes the task tools that the model uses.
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_CLAUDE_MDS	any	Removes the project instructions.
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_ATTACHMENTS	any	Removes the attachments.
CLAUDE_CODE_EFFORT_LEVEL	any	Forces one effort on every model.
CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL_FORCE	any	Forces the model of a subagent.
MAX_THINKING_TOKENS	any	Forces a thinking budget.
CLAUDE_CODE_REMOVE_PROMPT_STRINGS	any	Removes text of the system prompt.
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_WEB_FETCH	any	Removes the web fetch tool.
CLAUDE_CODE_BASH_EDIT_DIFF	0	Removes the edit diff of Bash.
CLAUDE_CODE_SKIP_PLUGIN_MCP_SERVERS	any	Drops the MCP servers of plugins.
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_BETAS	any	Removes beta features.
DISABLE_INTERLEAVED_THINKING	any	Removes thinking between tool calls.

Related Pages

Read Settings schema next. It describes the JSON Schema of the settings keys.