How to Install a Custom Fork of i-have-adhd in Claude Code: Complete Guide

To install a custom fork of i-have-adhd in Claude Code, add your forked repository to the plugin marketplace, uninstall the upstream version, and reinstall from your fork to replace the default skill descriptor and rules.

The i-have-adhd repository by ayghri is distributed as a Claude Code plugin that modifies AI output to be more ADHD-friendly. Installing a custom fork allows you to personalize the formatting rules defined in the skill descriptor while maintaining the same plugin integration mechanics.

Understanding the i-have-adhd Plugin Architecture

The plugin architecture relies on a front-matter descriptor located at skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md. This file tells Claude Code how and when to load the skill, including metadata like disable-model-invocation: true and invocation rules. The actual ADHD-friendly formatting logic resides in separate hook files that reference this descriptor.

When you install a custom fork, you are essentially swapping the upstream SKILL.md and associated hook files with your modified versions, allowing Claude Code to apply your customized rules every time you invoke the skill.

Step-by-Step Installation of a Custom Fork

Step 1: Add the Upstream Plugin Source

First, register the official plugin in Claude Code's marketplace so the system recognizes the plugin structure. This step is required even if you plan to replace it immediately with your fork.

claude plugin marketplace add ayghri/i-have-adhd

This command references the installation instructions found in INSTALL.md at lines 61-66 of the upstream repository.

Step 2: Install the Upstream Plugin

Install the official version to initialize the plugin directory structure. This ensures Claude Code creates the necessary configuration paths before you swap in your custom version.

claude plugin install i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd

Step 3: Fork and Customize the Repository

Create your own version of the plugin by forking the repository on GitHub, then modify the skill rules:

1. Fork ayghri/i-have-adhd to your personal GitHub account.
2. Edit skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md in your fork to adjust the ADHD-friendly formatting rules or update the metadata description.
3. Commit and push your changes to your forked repository.

The SKILL.md file controls the skill's name, description, and behavioral flags, making it the primary file to customize for your needs.

Step 4: Replace with Your Custom Fork

Remove the upstream plugin and install your forked version using the following sequence. This workflow is documented in the repository's README.md at lines 77-84.

claude plugin uninstall i-have-adhd
claude plugin marketplace remove i-have-adhd
claude plugin marketplace add <your-username>/i-have-adhd
claude plugin install i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd

Replace <your-username> with your actual GitHub username. This sequence ensures no conflicts exist between the upstream and forked versions.

Step 5: Invoke and Configure the Skill

After installation, activate the skill manually:

/i-have-adhd

Claude Code will now apply the ADHD-friendly rules from your custom SKILL.md and hook files rather than the defaults.

Enabling Always-On Mode (Optional)

If you want the skill active for every Claude Code session without manually invoking it, create the always-on flag file:

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

This configuration is detailed in the "Always-on (optional)" section of INSTALL.md at lines 91-99. When this file exists, Claude Code automatically loads your custom ADHD formatting rules at startup.

Summary

• The i-have-adhd plugin uses skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md as its configuration descriptor to define invocation rules and metadata.
• Install a custom fork by removing the upstream plugin (claude plugin uninstall i-have-adhd), adding your fork to the marketplace (claude plugin marketplace add <your-username>/i-have-adhd), and reinstalling.
• Always customize the SKILL.md file in your fork to modify how Claude Code formats ADHD-friendly output.
• Use touch ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always to enable the skill automatically for every session.
• Reference INSTALL.md and README.md in the ayghri/i-have-adhd repository for the latest installation workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the skill configuration stored in the repository?

The primary configuration resides in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md. This front-matter descriptor defines the skill's name, description, and behavioral flags such as disable-model-invocation. When you fork the repository, this is the critical file to modify to customize the plugin's behavior.

Can I install the fork without first installing the upstream version?

While you can attempt to add your fork directly to the marketplace, the official workflow documented in INSTALL.md recommends first installing the upstream version to ensure Claude Code initializes the correct plugin directory structure. This prevents path resolution errors when you later swap to your custom version.

How do I revert to the official upstream version?

Run the uninstall sequence to remove your fork, then re-add the original repository:

claude plugin uninstall i-have-adhd
claude plugin marketplace remove <your-username>/i-have-adhd
claude plugin marketplace add ayghri/i-have-adhd
claude plugin install i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd

This restores the default SKILL.md and hook files from the official ayghri/i-have-adhd repository.

What changes require a reinstall versus a simple file edit?

If you modify SKILL.md or any hook files in your forked repository on GitHub, you must run claude plugin uninstall i-have-adhd followed by claude plugin install i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd to pull the latest changes. Claude Code does not automatically sync plugin updates from remote repositories; manual reinstallation is required to refresh the local plugin cache.

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