# Terminator:whendone

> Arm the current Claude Code session to self-terminate by uttering a kill phrase once all work is finished and no questions remain. Use when the user says "terminate when done", "whendone", "end the session when finished", or "self-terminate when complete".

- Skill: `florianbuetow/terminator-whendone` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add florianbuetow/terminator-whendone`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/florianbuetow/terminator-whendone/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: florianbuetow (https://skillmd.com/u/florianbuetow)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/florianbuetow/terminator-whendone

---


# Terminator: When Done

Arm the **current session** to self-terminate: keep working until everything is finished, then
emit the configured kill phrase so the terminator Stop hook ends the session.

## Step 1 — Read the phrase (check both scopes)

Terminator can be installed at **local** (`.claude/terminator.json`) or **global**
(`~/.claude/terminator.json`) scope — and a globally installed hook arms *every* session, including
this one. Check both scopes, not just the local project:

```bash
local_config=".claude/terminator.json"
global_config="$HOME/.claude/terminator.json"
found=""

if [ -f "$local_config" ]; then
  echo "=== LOCAL ($local_config) ==="
  jq -r '{single_killphrase, double_killphrase, case_sensitive}' "$local_config"
  found=1
fi

if [ -f "$global_config" ]; then
  echo "=== GLOBAL ($global_config) ==="
  jq -r '{single_killphrase, double_killphrase, case_sensitive}' "$global_config"
  found=1
fi

[ -n "$found" ] || echo "NOT INSTALLED"
```

Only if `NOT INSTALLED` (neither scope present) tell the user to run `/terminator:install` first
and stop. If either scope has a config, terminator is armed — proceed.

Choose the phrase by intent: the **single_killphrase** ends only Claude; the **double_killphrase**
ends Claude and the terminal. Default to `single_killphrase` unless the user wants the terminal
closed too. Read it from whichever scope defines it; if both scopes define the chosen phrase, prefer
the local (project) one. Call the chosen phrase `<PHRASE>`.

## Step 2 — Adopt the standing instruction

State to the user that you will now operate under this rule, then follow it:

> **Self-termination armed.** I will keep working until there is genuinely no remaining work and
> no open question. When everything is complete and verified, my message will contain the exact
> phrase `<PHRASE>` — which the Stop hook detects (contains-match) and terminates the session.

## Step 3 — Honor it

- Do all the work. Do not stop early to ask permission to terminate.
- If you still need to report results or ask something, send that message normally **without** the
  phrase — emitting the phrase ends the session.
- Only when nothing remains: send a final message containing `<PHRASE>`.