How the Always-On Flag Works for i‑have‑adhd in Claude Code and Codex

The always‑on flag enables persistent ADHD‑friendly formatting by creating a sentinel file that triggers a SessionStart hook to inject the ruleset into every Claude Code and Codex session.

The i‑have‑adhd plugin modifies AI assistant responses to follow ADHD‑friendly formatting conventions. By creating a specific flag file, users ensure the plugin automatically activates at the start of every session without manual intervention.

SessionStart Hook Registration

The plugin registers its automation through a JSON hook definition that both Claude Code and Codex execute at session initialization.

In hooks/hooks.json, the plugin declares a SessionStart hook that runs a Node.js command importing hooks/always‑on.mjs:

{
  "hooks": {
    "SessionStart": {
      "command": "node hooks/always-on.mjs"
    }
  }
}

This registration is runtime‑agnostic. Both Claude Code (via .claude‑plugin/plugin.json) and Codex (via .codex‑plugin/plugin.json) load the same hook configuration at startup, ensuring identical behavior across platforms.

Flag Detection Logic

The core mechanism resides in hooks/always‑on.mjs, which checks for the existence of a sentinel file before proceeding.

The code constructs the flag path using the CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR environment variable, defaulting to ~/.claude:

const claudeDir = process.env.CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR || path.join(os.homedir(), ".claude");
const flagPath = path.join(claudeDir, ".i-have-adhd-always");
if (!fs.existsSync(flagPath)) process.exit(0);   // ← flag absent → do nothing

Lines 15‑20 of hooks/always‑on.mjs serve as the sole gate: if .i‑have‑adhd‑always does not exist, the hook exits silently without modifying the session. This check prevents unnecessary processing when the feature is disabled.

Rule Injection Process

When the flag file is present, the hook reads the ADHD ruleset from skills/i‑have‑adhd/SKILL.md, strips any YAML front‑matter, and writes the content to stdout with an instructional banner:

process.stdout.write(
  "ADHD MODE ACTIVE (always‑on). The ruleset below applies to every response. " +
  '"stop adhd mode" turns it off for this session; ' +
  `delete ${flagPath} to turn always‑on off for good.\n\n${body}\n`,
);

This output becomes part of the system prompt, ensuring every response follows the ADHD‑friendly formatting rules defined in the skill file.

Enabling and Disabling the Always-On Flag

The flag file provides a simple opt‑in mechanism that persists across sessions.

Enable always‑on mode by creating the flag file:

touch ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always

Disable for the current session by sending the command recognized in the banner:

stop adhd mode

Disable permanently by removing the flag file:

rm ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always

Runtime-Agnostic Architecture

The same hooks/hooks.json configuration powers both Claude Code and Codex. The plugin manifests (.claude‑plugin/plugin.json and .codex‑plugin/plugin.json) expose the plugin to their respective runtimes without duplicating hook logic, allowing the always‑on flag mechanism to function identically across both platforms.

Summary

• The always‑on flag is a sentinel file at ~/.claude/.i‑have‑adhd‑always (or $CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR/.i‑have‑adhd‑always).
• hooks/always‑on.mjs checks for this file during the SessionStart hook; if absent, the hook exits immediately.
• When present, the hook injects content from skills/i‑have‑adhd/SKILL.md into the system prompt with an activation banner.
• The mechanism works identically for Claude Code and Codex through shared hook definitions.
• Users can toggle the feature via filesystem commands or disable it temporarily with the "stop adhd mode" phrase.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if the always‑on flag is working?

If the flag file exists at ~/.claude/.i‑have‑adhd‑always, you will see the "ADHD MODE ACTIVE" banner at the start of your Claude Code or Codex session, followed by the ruleset. If you do not see this banner, verify the file exists and that CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR is set correctly if using a custom configuration directory.

Does the always‑on flag work differently in Claude Code versus Codex?

No. Both platforms use the same hooks/hooks.json configuration and hooks/always‑on.mjs script. The .claude‑plugin/plugin.json and .codex‑plugin/plugin.json manifests simply register the plugin with their respective runtimes, which then execute the shared SessionStart hook identically.

Can I temporarily disable the ADHD ruleset without deleting the flag file?

Yes. The banner injected by the hook includes the instruction to say "stop adhd mode" to disable the ruleset for the current session only. This allows you to toggle formatting on demand while keeping the always‑on flag file in place for future sessions.

What file contains the actual ADHD formatting rules?

The ruleset is stored in skills/i‑have‑adhd/SKILL.md. The hooks/always‑on.mjs script reads this file, removes any YAML front‑matter, and injects the remaining content into the system prompt whenever the always‑on flag is detected.

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