How do I install the Terminator:update skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add florianbuetow/terminator-update in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Terminator:update safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Terminator:update?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Terminator:update free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Terminator:update?

florianbuetow (@florianbuetow) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Terminator:update by florianbuetow — Agent Skill

Name: Terminator:update
Author: florianbuetow

Terminator:update

Update the terminator kill phrases or case sensitivity at local or global scope. Prints the current phrase before asking for a new one. Rewrites only the changed fields; hooks read config live so changes take effect immediately. Use when the user asks to "update the kill phrase", "change the single/double kill phrase", or "toggle case sensitivity".

File contents

Terminator: Update

Change the single-kill phrase, double-kill phrase, and/or case sensitivity. The hooks read their config file live on every stop, so changes take effect immediately — no restart needed.

Step 1 — Detect installed scope(s)

local_config=".claude/terminator.json"
global_config="$HOME/.claude/terminator.json"
[ -f "$local_config"  ] && echo "LOCAL:  $local_config"  || echo "LOCAL:  not installed"
[ -f "$global_config" ] && echo "GLOBAL: $global_config" || echo "GLOBAL: not installed"

If neither is installed: offer /terminator:install and stop.
If only one is installed: use that scope automatically.
If both are installed: ask the user which scope to update.

Step 2 — Show current config

Print the full current config for the chosen scope so the user can see what's active:

echo "=== Current config (<LOCAL|GLOBAL>: <CONFIG_FILE>) ==="
cat <CONFIG_FILE>

Step 3 — Get the new value(s)

Ask which to change: single_killphrase, double_killphrase, and/or case_sensitive. Keep any the user does not change.

Step 4 — Phrase Safety Check

Terminator uses a contains-match against the final assistant message. Any phrase that appears in normal assistant output will cause sessions to terminate apparently at random.

Recommend a memorable, rare phrase — a movie quote, a line of poetry, or a sentence unlikely to appear in normal output (e.g. I'll be back, but not this session).

⚠️ WARNING — short or common phrase: If the new phrase is a short clause or sentence that could plausibly appear in a typical assistant response, warn the user:

⚠️ Warning: This phrase is short and may appear in ordinary responses, causing your session to terminate unexpectedly. A longer, more distinctive phrase is strongly recommended. Do you want to use it anyway?

Only proceed if the user confirms.

🚨 STRONG WARNING — single common English word: If the phrase is a single word or a very common short term (e.g. done, stop, finish, complete, exit, quit, kill, terminate, goodbye), issue a strong warning:

🚨 Strong Warning: Single common words will appear in normal assistant output and will cause your session to terminate at seemingly random moments. This is almost certainly not what you want. Are you absolutely sure you want to use this as your kill phrase?

Only proceed if the user explicitly confirms they are absolutely sure.

If both single_killphrase and double_killphrase are configured, they must be distinct and neither may contain the other.

Step 5 — Write (read-modify-write — preserve other fields)

Update only the fields the user changed; never rebuild the file from scratch.

tmp="$(mktemp)"
# example: change both phrases, keep case_sensitive as-is
jq --arg s "<new single>" --arg d "<new double>" \
  '.single_killphrase=$s | .double_killphrase=$d' <CONFIG_FILE> > "$tmp" \
  && mv "$tmp" <CONFIG_FILE>
cat <CONFIG_FILE>

Step 6 — Report

## Terminator updated (<LOCAL|GLOBAL> scope)
  single_killphrase : <s>
  double_killphrase : <d>
  case sensitive    : <true|false>
Effective immediately — hooks read config live.

---name: terminator-updatedescription: Update the terminator kill phrases or case sensitivity at local or global scope. Prints the current phrase before asking for a new one. Rewrites only the changed fields; hooks read config live so changes take effect immediately. Use when the user asks to "update the kill phrase", "change the single/double kill phrase", or "toggle case sensitivity".---# Terminator: UpdateChange the single-kill phrase, double-kill phrase, and/or case sensitivity. The hooks read theirconfig file live on every stop, so changes take effect immediately — no restart needed.## Step 1 — Detect installed scope(s)```bashlocal_config=".claude/terminator.json"global_config="$HOME/.claude/terminator.json"[ -f "$local_config" ] && echo "LOCAL: $local_config" || echo "LOCAL: not installed"[ -f "$global_config" ] && echo "GLOBAL: $global_config" || echo "GLOBAL: not installed"```- If **neither** is installed: offer `/terminator:install` and stop.- If **only one** is installed: use that scope automatically.- If **both** are installed: ask the user which scope to update.## Step 2 — Show current configPrint the full current config for the chosen scope so the user can see what's active:```bashecho "=== Current config (<LOCAL|GLOBAL>: <CONFIG_FILE>) ==="cat <CONFIG_FILE>```## Step 3 — Get the new value(s)Ask which to change: `single_killphrase`, `double_killphrase`, and/or `case_sensitive`. Keep anythe user does not change.## Step 4 — Phrase Safety CheckTerminator uses a **contains-match** against the final assistant message. Any phrase that appearsin normal assistant output will cause sessions to terminate **apparently at random**.Recommend a memorable, rare phrase — a movie quote, a line of poetry, or a sentence unlikely toappear in normal output (e.g. `I'll be back, but not this session`).**⚠️ WARNING — short or common phrase:**If the new phrase is a short clause or sentence that could plausibly appear in a typical assistantresponse, warn the user:> ⚠️ **Warning:** This phrase is short and may appear in ordinary responses, causing your session> to terminate unexpectedly. A longer, more distinctive phrase is strongly recommended.> Do you want to use it anyway?Only proceed if the user confirms.**🚨 STRONG WARNING — single common English word:**If the phrase is a single word or a very common short term (e.g. `done`, `stop`, `finish`,`complete`, `exit`, `quit`, `kill`, `terminate`, `goodbye`), issue a strong warning:> 🚨 **Strong Warning:** Single common words **will** appear in normal assistant output and **will**> cause your session to terminate at seemingly random moments. This is almost certainly not what> you want. Are you absolutely sure you want to use this as your kill phrase?Only proceed if the user explicitly confirms they are absolutely sure.If both `single_killphrase` and `double_killphrase` are configured, they must be distinct andneither may contain the other.## Step 5 — Write (read-modify-write — preserve other fields)Update only the fields the user changed; never rebuild the file from scratch.```bashtmp="$(mktemp)"# example: change both phrases, keep case_sensitive as-isjq --arg s "<new single>" --arg d "<new double>" \ '.single_killphrase=$s | .double_killphrase=$d' <CONFIG_FILE> > "$tmp" \ && mv "$tmp" <CONFIG_FILE>cat <CONFIG_FILE>```## Step 6 — Report```## Terminator updated (<LOCAL|GLOBAL> scope) single_killphrase : <s> double_killphrase : <d> case sensitive : <true|false>Effective immediately — hooks read config live.```

Frequently asked questions