Code Freeze

/code-freeze

Session-scoped lockdown of files or directories. While a path is frozen, other Lintel skills refuse to modify it. The freeze is metadata in .claude/runtime/state/code-freeze/<session-id>.yaml — not a filesystem lock — so an explicit override is possible if the operator means it.

Use to prevent drift: "we're working on portal/, do not touch landing/ this session."

When to use

• Mid-session, operator notices a skill is wandering into unrelated areas — lock those areas
• Refactor with surgical scope — freeze everything except the target dir
• Working alongside a teammate on a shared branch; lock their files
• Frozen-zone in project CLAUDE.md needs runtime enforcement (skill checks freeze AS WELL AS the static CLAUDE.md list)

When NOT to use

• Permanent project policy — that belongs in CLAUDE.md, not session freeze
• Read protection — freeze blocks WRITES only; reads are always allowed
• Multi-session enforcement — freeze expires when session ends

Inputs

• Required: one or more paths (file or directory, glob accepted)
• Optional --reason <text> — why this is frozen (logged to audit, helpful when reviewing later)
• Optional --until <expr> — auto-expire: eod, session, 1h, 2026-05-28T12:00 (default: session)
• Optional --list — show current freeze state without adding

Workflow

1. Resolve paths. Expand globs, canonicalize.
2. Sanity check. Reject obvious mistakes: empty path, root /, freezing ~/.lintel/ itself.
3. Write to session freeze file. .claude/runtime/state/code-freeze/<session-id>.yaml:

   frozen:
     - path: src/components/landing/
       reason: working on portal, keep landing untouched
       added_at: 2026-05-27T17:14:03Z
       expires: session
   

4. Notify chained skills. Other Lintel skills read this file before any Edit/Write. If the target matches: skill refuses + reports the freeze.
5. Audit log. Append to .claude/runtime/audit/code-freeze.jsonl.
6. Report current freeze state.

Report format

Freeze: 2 paths added

Currently frozen this session:
- src/components/landing/    (reason: working on portal)
- supabase/migrations/       (reason: migration churn risk)

To unfreeze: /code-unfreeze <path>
To override for one skill invocation: skill --ignore-freeze

How other skills honor the freeze

Every Lintel skill that writes files MUST:

1. Read .claude/runtime/state/code-freeze/<session-id>.yaml before any Edit/Write.
2. If target path matches a frozen entry: refuse, report the freeze + reason.
3. Honor --ignore-freeze ONLY if operator passes it AND logs a reason to audit.

This is enforced at skill-author-level (every skill includes the check). Future runtime engine may centralize the check; for now it's a per-skill discipline.

Compliance integration

• Freeze cannot prevent Layer 2 always-on checks (those override). E.g. you can't freeze "skip the sanity-scan" — the sanity-scan is Layer 2.
• Freeze IS load-bearing for frozen-zone enforcement: project CLAUDE.md frozen-zone files SHOULD be added to freeze on session start by /context-restore or /help.

Failure modes

• Path doesn't exist: WARN, still add to freeze (you may be locking a path that will be created — refusal is "do not create this path either").
• Path conflicts with existing freeze: consolidate, do not duplicate. Update reason if operator supplies a new one.
• Session file corrupted: offer to back up + recreate empty. Operator confirms.
• Operator passes --ignore-freeze without reason: WARN — require a reason, do not allow silent override.

Examples

Lock a directory:

> /code-freeze src/components/landing/ --reason "working on portal"
✓ Frozen. Other skills will refuse to edit landing/ this session.

Lock multiple with auto-expire:

> /code-freeze supabase/migrations/ scripts/deploy/ --reason "migration cooldown" --until 1h
✓ 2 paths frozen for 1 hour.

List current state:

> /code-freeze --list
3 paths frozen this session:
- src/components/landing/    (working on portal, until session end)
- supabase/migrations/       (migration cooldown, until 18:14:03)
- .lovable/memory/style/     (designsystem-policy lockdown, until session end)

See also

• /code-unfreeze — remove a path from session freeze
• /help — shows currently frozen paths at session start
• /context-restore — auto-loads frozen-zone paths from project CLAUDE.md
• Project CLAUDE.md "frozen zones" section — permanent freezes, not session-scoped