Where Does the .ponytail-active State File Live? Host-Specific Storage in Ponytail

The .ponytail-active state file lives in host-specific directories such as ~/.claude/ for Claude Code, ~/.vscode/agent-plugins/<plugin>/ for VS Code Copilot, or ~/.qoder/ for Qoder, determined at runtime by environment detection logic in ponytail-runtime.js.

Ponytail is an open-source AI coding assistant manager that tracks its activation mode—off, lite, full, ultra, or review—using a simple flag file. The exact location of this .ponytail-active state file varies depending on which host environment is running the extension, with the runtime dynamically selecting the appropriate directory based on environment variables and host detection.

Native Claude (Codex) Host Location

When running in native Claude Code (Codex), the state file resides in the Claude configuration directory.

The system defaults to the directory returned by getClaudeDir() in hooks/ponytail-config.js (lines 71-74). This helper checks for the CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR environment variable first, then falls back to ~/.claude in the user's home directory.

// hooks/ponytail-runtime.js lines 24-33 (simplified)
const stateDir = getClaudeDir();  // Returns process.env.CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR || ~/.claude
const statePath = path.join(stateDir, '.ponytail-active');

Full path: ~/.claude/.ponytail-active (or $CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR/.ponytail-active if the override is set).

VS Code Copilot Extension Location

For the VS Code Copilot integration, Ponytail checks for a plugin-specific data directory before falling back to the Claude directory.

The runtime examines process.env.COPILOT_PLUGIN_DATA (lines 24-29 in hooks/ponytail-runtime.js). If this variable is set—or if the installation path matches an agent-plugins structure under .vscode—that directory is used; otherwise, it defaults to getClaudeDir().

Full path: $COPILOT_PLUGIN_DATA/.ponytail-active (typically resolving to ~/.vscode/agent-plugins/<plugin-name>/.ponytail-active).

Qoder Environment Location

When running under Qoder, the runtime detects the host via the QODER_SESSION_ID environment variable.

In this scenario (lines 29-33 in hooks/ponytail-runtime.js), the stateDir is explicitly set to ~/.qoder using path.join(os.homedir(), '.qoder').

Full path: ~/.qoder/.ponytail-active.

Runtime Path Resolution Logic

The file hooks/ponytail-runtime.js contains the definitive logic for assembling the final path. It defines the constant STATE_FILE = '.ponytail-active' and joins it with the resolved stateDir based on the following priority:

1. Qoder: If process.env.QODER_SESSION_ID exists, use ~/.qoder.
2. Copilot: If process.env.COPILOT_PLUGIN_DATA exists, use that path.
3. Claude (Native): Default to getClaudeDir() (respecting CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR overrides).

This ensures each host maintains independent state, preventing mode conflicts when running multiple AI assistants simultaneously.

Overriding the Default Directory

You can override the storage location for any host by setting the CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR environment variable. As implemented in hooks/ponytail-config.js (lines 71-74), this variable takes precedence in the getClaudeDir() function:

export CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR=/custom/path

# The state file will now be /custom/path/.ponytail-active

This override affects both native Claude usage and serves as the fallback for Copilot when COPILOT_PLUGIN_DATA is unavailable.

Practical Examples for Locating the Flag

Use these commands to inspect the current state file on your system:

# Native Claude Code

cat ~/.claude/.ponytail-active

# VS Code Copilot (example path structure)

cat ~/.vscode/agent-plugins/ponytail/.ponytail-active

# Qoder environment

cat ~/.qoder/.ponytail-active

To programmatically resolve the path in JavaScript:

const path = require('path');
const os = require('os');
const { getClaudeDir } = require('./hooks/ponytail-config');

function getStatePath() {
  let stateDir = getClaudeDir(); // ~/.claude or $CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR
  
  if (process.env.COPILOT_PLUGIN_DATA) {
    stateDir = process.env.COPILOT_PLUGIN_DATA;
  } else if (process.env.QODER_SESSION_ID) {
    stateDir = path.join(os.homedir(), '.qoder');
  }
  
  return path.join(stateDir, '.ponytail-active');
}

console.log('State file location:', getStatePath());

Summary

• .ponytail-active is the flag file that stores Ponytail's current operational mode (off, lite, full, ultra, or review).
• Native Claude stores the file at ~/.claude/.ponytail-active, configurable via CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR.
• VS Code Copilot uses COPILOT_PLUGIN_DATA/.ponytail-active, typically under ~/.vscode/agent-plugins/.
• Qoder isolates state at ~/.qoder/.ponytail-active when QODER_SESSION_ID is present.
• Source files: Path logic resides in hooks/ponytail-runtime.js (lines 24-33), with directory resolution helpers in hooks/ponytail-config.js (lines 71-74).
• The scripts/uninstall.js utility removes this file via removeIfExists(path.join(getClaudeDir(), '.ponytail-active')) during cleanup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What filename does Ponytail use to store the active mode?

Ponytail uses a file named .ponytail-active (defined as the constant STATE_FILE in hooks/ponytail-runtime.js). This file contains a string indicating the current mode: off, lite, full, ultra, or review.

Can I move the .ponytail-active file to a custom directory?

Yes. Set the CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR environment variable to your desired path. The getClaudeDir() function in hooks/ponytail-config.js prioritizes this variable over the default ~/.claude directory. For Copilot-specific overrides, set COPILOT_PLUGIN_DATA instead.

Why does the state file location differ between Copilot and Claude?

Each host runs as a separate process with distinct extension directories and permission models. According to the source code in hooks/ponytail-runtime.js, isolating the .ponytail-active file prevents mode conflicts—for example, preventing a "full" mode setting in VS Code Copilot from unintentionally affecting a Claude Code session running in the same user environment.

How do I clean up the state file when uninstalling?

The scripts/uninstall.js script automatically removes the file by calling removeIfExists(path.join(getClaudeDir(), '.ponytail-active')). To manually clean up, delete the file from the host-specific directory: ~/.claude/.ponytail-active for Claude, your Copilot plugin data directory for VS Code, or ~/.qoder/.ponytail-active for Qoder.

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    "instagit": {
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      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
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}