# How to Configure i-have-adhd Always-On for Different AI Agents > Configure i-have-adhd always-on for Claude Code, Gemini, and other AI agents. Learn to create flag files and add markdown rules to your persistent configuration. - Repository: [Ayoub Ghriss/i-have-adhd](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-08-02 --- **Enable always-on mode by creating a flag file for Claude Code, installing the Gemini extension, or appending the markdown rules block to your agent's persistent configuration file.** The **i-have-adhd** skill enforces ADHD-friendly output rules—concise answers, numbered steps, concrete time estimates, and no preamble. By default, you must invoke it manually with `/i-have-adhd`. This guide shows how to configure **always-on** mode so these rules apply automatically to every session across Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Zed, Cursor, and other agents. --- ## Claude Code: Flag File Activation Claude Code uses a **session hook** that checks for a flag file at startup. ### How It Works The `SessionStart` hook in [`hooks/hooks.json`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/hooks/hooks.json) triggers [`hooks/always-on.sh`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/hooks/always-on.sh) on every new session. The script looks for `$CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR/.i-have-adhd-always` (default `~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always`). When present, it reads [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md), strips YAML frontmatter, and injects the rules as a system message. ### Enable Always-On ```bash touch ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always ``` ### Disable Always-On ```bash rm ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always ``` ### Key Files - [`hooks/hooks.json`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/hooks/hooks.json) – Registers the `SessionStart` hook - [`hooks/always-on.sh`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/hooks/always-on.sh) – POSIX script that loads [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/SKILL.md) when the flag exists - [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) – Core ADHD-friendly rules --- ## Gemini CLI: Extension Installation Gemini CLI offers two routes: a **command** (manual opt-in) and an **extension** (always-on). ### Install the Always-On Extension ```bash gemini extensions install https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd ``` The extension's [`GEMINI.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/GEMINI.md) loads the full skill at startup, making rules active from message 1. ### Key File - [`gemini-extension.json`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/gemini-extension.json) – Defines the extension metadata and entry point --- ## Zed: Personal AGENTS.md Zed reads `~/.config/zed/AGENTS.md` (or project-level [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md)) at session start. ### Add the Rules Block ```bash cat >> ~/.config/zed/AGENTS.md <<'EOF' ## Output style The reader has ADHD. Shape every response so it can be acted on: 1. Lead with the answer or next action: command, path, or snippet first. 2. Number multi-step work; one bounded action per step. 3. End with one next action doable in under two minutes. 4. Finish the current issue before raising a new one. 5. Restate progress each turn ("step 3 of 5 done"). 6. Give time estimates in concrete units, never "a bit". 7. After a change, show what now works. 8. Errors: state location, cause, and fix. No drama. 9. Cap lists at 5 items. 10. No preamble, no recaps, no closers. EOF ``` --- ## Hermes: AGENTS.md or SOUL.md Hermes loads rules from **project-level [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md)** or your **persona file [`SOUL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/SOUL.md)**. Append the same markdown block (shown in Zed section above) to either location. Hermes reads these files each session without requiring manual invocation. --- ## Pi: Project AGENTS.md Pi automatically loads **[`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md)** from your project root. Place the rules block there for always-on behavior across all sessions in that project. --- ## Codex: User AGENTS.md Codex reads **`~/.codex/AGENTS.md`** for every chat. Add the rules block to this file for permanent, global application. ```bash mkdir -p ~/.codex cat >> ~/.codex/AGENTS.md <<'EOF' ## Output style The reader has ADHD. Shape every response so it can be acted on: [... rules 1-10 ...] EOF ``` --- ## Cursor, OpenCode, and Other Harnesses For agents with persistent rules files, paste the markdown block into the appropriate location: | Agent | Configuration Path | |-------|-------------------| | **Cursor** | `~/.cursor/rules/user.rules` or `~/.cursor/rules/` | | **OpenCode** | `~/.config/opencode/AGENTS.md` | | **Antigravity (agy)** | `~/.gemini/GEMINI.md` | ### Cursor Example ```bash mkdir -p ~/.cursor/rules cat >> ~/.cursor/rules/user.rules <<'EOF' ## Output style The reader has ADHD. Shape every response so it can be acted on: 1. Lead with the answer or next action: command, path, or snippet first. 2. Number multi-step work; one bounded action per step. 3. End with one next action doable in under two minutes. 4. Finish the current issue before raising a new one. 5. Restate progress each turn ("step 3 of 5 done"). 6. Give time estimates in concrete units, never "a bit". 7. After a change, show what now works. 8. Errors: state location, cause, and fix. No drama. 9. Cap lists at 5 items. 10. No preamble, no recaps, no closers. EOF ``` --- ## Summary - **Claude Code**: Touch or remove `~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always` to toggle; hook scripts in `hooks/` drive the behavior - **Gemini CLI**: Run `gemini extensions install` for the always-on extension route - **Zed, Hermes, Pi, Codex**: Append rules to [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) (location varies by agent) - **Cursor/OpenCode/others**: Paste rules into the harness-specific persistent rules file - All methods use the same 10-rule block from [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the i-have-adhd skill? The **i-have-adhd** skill is a set of 10 output rules designed for ADHD cognitive styles: lead with answers, number steps, cap lists at 5 items, use concrete time estimates, and eliminate preamble. It is implemented in the `ayghri/i-have-adhd` repository. ### Does always-on mode slow down my agent? No. The rules are static markdown injected once at session start. For Claude Code, [`hooks/always-on.sh`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/hooks/always-on.sh) simply reads a local file and prints its contents—a sub-millisecond operation. ### Can I use always-on for some projects but not others? Yes. **Claude Code** uses a global flag file, so it's all-or-nothing. For **Zed, Pi, and Hermes**, place [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) in specific project directories to enable rules only for those projects. **Cursor** and **OpenCode** typically use global rules files. ### Where can I find the complete installation instructions? The [`INSTALL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/INSTALL.md) file in the `ayghri/i-have-adhd` repository contains step-by-step setup for every supported agent, including both command-mode and always-on configurations.