# SettingsMaintenance

> Audit and clean AI coding tool settings — permissions, plugins, hooks, cross-layer conflicts. USE WHEN review permissions, clean settings, audit config, plugin conflicts, hook audit, settings cruft.

- Skill: `majiayu000/settingsmaintenance` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add majiayu000/settingsmaintenance`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/majiayu000/settingsmaintenance/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Security
- Author: majiayu000 (https://skillmd.com/u/majiayu000)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/majiayu000/settingsmaintenance

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# SettingsMaintenance

Audit and clean AI coding tool settings files. Covers permission entries, plugin configuration, hook wiring, and cross-layer conflicts.

## Settings Architecture

AI coding tools layer settings across multiple files. Claude Code uses 4 files with inheritance:

| Layer | File | Committed | Scope |
|-------|------|-----------|-------|
| Global shared | `~/.claude/settings.json` | No (personal) | All projects |
| Global local | `~/.claude/settings.local.json` | No (personal) | All projects, overrides global shared |
| Project shared | `.claude/settings.json` | Yes (git) | This project, shared with collaborators |
| Project local | `.claude/settings.local.json` | No (gitignored) | This project, personal overrides |

Precedence (highest wins): project local > project shared > global local > global shared.

At the global level, both files are personal — the `settings.json` / `settings.local.json` split is redundant. The local file is designed for project-level use where `settings.json` is committed and `settings.local.json` holds personal overrides.

## Workflow Routing

| Subskill | Trigger | Content |
|----------|---------|---------|
| ClaudePermissions | "permissions", "allowed commands", "settings cruft" | @ClaudePermissions.md |
| ClaudePlugins | "plugins", "plugin conflicts", "disable plugins" | @ClaudePlugins.md |
| ClaudeHooks | "hooks", "hook config", "dispatch" | @ClaudeHooks.md |
| Full audit | "full audit", "review settings", "clean everything" | All three |

## Common Procedure

All subskills follow this 6-phase workflow:

1. **Scope** — Determine which settings layers to audit. Default: all 4 files that exist. User can narrow to "just global" or "just project".
2. **Inventory** — Read each file. Count entries by category. Present a summary table with totals.
3. **Audit** — Run the subskill's checks against the inventory. Collect findings.
4. **Report** — Present findings grouped by category. Each finding: ID, category, severity (remove/consolidate/flag), entry, reason.
5. **Apply** — On user approval, edit files. Apply changes per-category so user can approve/reject each group independently. Use targeted Edit tool calls for reviewable diffs.
6. **Verify** — `jq . <file> > /dev/null` for JSON validity. Count before/after entries. Spot-check that critical tools remain permitted.

## Cross-Layer Checks

Run these regardless of which subskill is active:

| Check | What to look for |
|-------|-----------------|
| **Env var duplication** | Same key+value in both global and project `settings.json` — project inherits from global |
| **Permission scattering** | Same entry in both `settings.json` and `settings.local.json` at the same level |
| **Plugin enable/disable conflict** | Global disables a plugin but project re-enables it (or vice versa) |
| **Redundant local file** | At global level, `settings.local.json` entries that already exist in `settings.json` |