Agent Configuration

AI Agent Configuration Policy (Configuration & Security)

When to use this skill

• Build AI agent environment for new projects
• Write and optimize project description files
• Configure Hooks/Skills/Plugins
• Establish security policies
• Share team configurations

---

1. Project Description File Writing Policy

Overview

Project description files (CLAUDE.md, README, etc.) are project manuals for AI. AI agents reference these files with top priority.

Auto-generate (Claude Code)

/init  # Claude analyzes the codebase and generates a draft

Required Section Structure

# Project: [Project Name]

## Tech Stack
- **Frontend**: React + TypeScript
- **Backend**: Node.js + Express
- **Database**: PostgreSQL
- **ORM**: Drizzle

## Coding Standards
- Use TypeScript strict mode
- Prefer server components over client components
- Use `async/await` instead of `.then()`
- Always validate user input with Zod

## DO NOT
- Never commit `.env` files
- Never use `any` type in TypeScript
- Never bypass authentication checks
- Never expose API keys in client code

## Common Commands
- `npm run dev`: Start development server
- `npm run build`: Build for production
- `npm run test`: Run tests

Writing Principles: The Art of Conciseness

Bad (verbose):

Our authentication system is built using NextAuth.js, which is a
complete authentication solution for Next.js applications...
(5+ lines of explanation)

Good (concise):

## Authentication
- NextAuth.js with Credentials provider
- JWT session strategy
- **DO NOT**: Bypass auth checks, expose session secrets

Incremental Addition Principle

> "Start without a project description file. Add content when you find yourself repeating the same things."

---

2. Hooks Configuration Policy (Claude Code)

Overview

Hooks are shell commands that run automatically on specific events. They act as guardrails for AI.

Hook Event Types

| Hook | Trigger | Use Case | |------|---------|----------| | PreToolUse | Before tool execution | Block dangerous commands | | PostToolUse | After tool execution | Log recording, send notifications | | PermissionRequest | On permission request | Auto approve/deny | | Notification | On notification | External system integration | | SubagentStart | Subagent start | Monitoring | | SubagentStop | Subagent stop | Result collection |

Security Hooks Configuration

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "hooks": {
    "PreToolUse": [
      {
        "pattern": "rm -rf /",
        "action": "block",
        "message": "Block root directory deletion"
      },
      {
        "pattern": "rm -rf /*",
        "action": "block",
        "message": "Block dangerous deletion command"
      },
      {
        "pattern": "sudo rm",
        "action": "warn",
        "message": "Caution: sudo delete command"
      },
      {
        "pattern": "curl * | sh",
        "action": "block",
        "message": "Block piped script execution"
      },
      {
        "pattern": "chmod 777",
        "action": "warn",
        "message": "Caution: excessive permission setting"
      }
    ]
  }
}

---

3. Skills Configuration Policy

Skills vs Other Settings Comparison

| Feature | Load Timing | Primary Users | Token Efficiency | |---------|------------|--------------|-----------------| | Project Description File | Always loaded | Project team | Low (always loaded) | | Skills | Load on demand | AI auto | High (on-demand) | | Slash Commands | On user call | Developers | Medium | | Plugins/MCP | On install | Team/Community | Varies |

Selection Guide

Rules that always apply → Project Description File
Knowledge needed only for specific tasks → Skills (token efficient)
Frequently used commands → Slash Commands
External service integration → Plugins / MCP

Custom Skill Creation

# Create skill directory
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/my-skill

# Write SKILL.md
cat > ~/.claude/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md << 'EOF'
---
name: my-skill
description: My custom skill
platforms: [Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT]
---

# My Skill

## When to use
- When needed for specific tasks

## Instructions
1. First step
2. Second step
EOF

---

4. Security Policy

Prohibited Actions (DO NOT)

Absolutely Forbidden

• Using unrestricted permission mode on host systems
• Auto-approving root directory deletion commands
• Committing secret files like .env, credentials.json
• Hardcoding API keys

Requires Caution

• Indiscriminate approval of sudo commands
• Running scripts in curl | sh format
• Setting excessive permissions with chmod 777
• Connecting to unknown MCP servers

Approved Command Audit

# Check for dangerous commands with cc-safe tool
npx cc-safe .
npx cc-safe ~/projects

# Detection targets:
# - sudo, rm -rf, chmod 777
# - curl | sh, wget | bash
# - git reset --hard, git push --force
# - npm publish, docker run --privileged

Safe Auto-approval (Claude Code)

# Auto-approve only safe commands
/sandbox "npm test"
/sandbox "npm run lint"
/sandbox "git status"
/sandbox "git diff"

# Pattern approval
/sandbox "git *"       # All git commands
/sandbox "npm test *"  # npm test related

# MCP tool patterns
/sandbox "mcp__server__*"

---

5. Team Configuration Sharing

Project Configuration Structure

project/
├── .claude/                    # Claude Code settings
│   ├── team-settings.json
│   ├── hooks/
│   └── skills/
├── .agent-skills/              # Universal skills
│   ├── backend/
│   ├── frontend/
│   └── ...
├── CLAUDE.md                   # Project description for Claude
├── .cursorrules               # Cursor settings
└── ...

team-settings.json Example

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "Read(src/)",
      "Write(src/)",
      "Bash(npm test)",
      "Bash(npm run lint)"
    ],
    "deny": [
      "Bash(rm -rf /)",
      "Bash(sudo *)"
    ]
  },
  "hooks": {
    "PreToolUse": {
      "command": "bash",
      "args": ["-c", "echo 'Team hook: validating...'"]
    }
  },
  "mcpServers": {
    "company-db": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@company/db-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Team Sharing Workflow

Commit .claude/ folder → Team members Clone → Same settings automatically applied → Team standards maintained

---

6. Multi-Agent Configuration

Per-Agent Configuration Files

| Agent | Config File | Location | |-------|------------|---------| | Claude Code | CLAUDE.md, settings.json | Project root, ~/.claude/ | | Gemini CLI | .geminirc | Project root, ~/ | | Cursor | .cursorrules | Project root | | ChatGPT | Custom Instructions | UI settings |

Shared Skills Directory

.agent-skills/
├── backend/
├── frontend/
├── code-quality/
├── infrastructure/
├── documentation/
├── project-management/
├── search-analysis/
└── utilities/

---

7. Environment Configuration Checklist

Initial Setup

• [ ] Create project description file (/init or manual)
• [ ] Set up terminal aliases (c, cc, g, cx)
• [ ] Configure external editor (export EDITOR=vim)
• [ ] Connect MCP servers (if needed)

Security Setup

• [ ] Configure Hooks for dangerous commands
• [ ] Review approved command list (cc-safe)
• [ ] Verify .env file in .gitignore
• [ ] Prepare container environment (for experimentation)

Team Setup

• [ ] Commit .claude/ folder to Git
• [ ] Write team-settings.json
• [ ] Team standard project description file template

---

Quick Reference

Configuration File Locations

~/.claude/settings.json     # Global settings
~/.claude/skills/           # Global skills
.claude/settings.json       # Project settings
.claude/skills/             # Project skills
.agent-skills/              # Universal skills
CLAUDE.md                   # Project AI manual

Security Priority

1. Block dangerous commands with Hooks
2. Auto-approve only safe commands with /sandbox
3. Regular audit with cc-safe
4. Experiment mode in containers only

Token Efficiency

Project Description File: Always loaded (keep concise)
Skills: Load on demand (token efficient)
.toon mode: 95% token savings

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: autohandai
• Source: autohandai/community-skills
• License: Apache-2.0
• Homepage: https://skilled.autohand.ai

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.