Claude Code Settings Reference FAQs

Question 1

Where are the global settings stored?

Accepted Answer

Global user settings are located at ~/.claude/settings.json on most systems, providing a baseline configuration for all your projects.

Question 2

What are automation hooks in settings?

Accepted Answer

Hooks are triggers that execute commands automatically based on tool usage. For example, a PostToolUse hook can be configured to run a formatter like Prettier every time Claude finishes writing to a file.

Question 3

Can I restrict specific commands in Claude Code?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can use the 'permissions' object to explicitly 'allow' or 'deny' Bash commands using exact matches, wildcards (e.g., Bash(npm *)), or regex patterns.

Question 4

How do I view my currently effective settings?

Accepted Answer

You can use the /settings command within the Claude Code terminal to view the merged effective configuration or use /settings user or /settings project to check specific scopes.

Question 5

How does the Claude Code settings hierarchy work?

Accepted Answer

Settings follow a specific priority order: Enterprise policies are highest, followed by local project settings (.claude/settings.local.json), team project settings (.claude/settings.json), and finally user global settings (~/.claude/settings.json).

Claude Code Settings Reference

Key Features

Use Cases

Claude Code Settings Reference

Key Features

Use Cases