What Is the .i-have-adhd-always Flag File and How Does It Configure Always-On Mode?

The .i-have-adhd-always flag file acts as a sentinel that automatically injects ADHD-friendly interaction rules into every AI session, eliminating the need to manually trigger the /i-have-adhd command each time.

The ayghri/i-have-adhd repository provides an opt-in framework for ADHD-friendly AI interactions across Claude Code, Opencode, and Pi. The .i-have-adhd-always file serves as a persistence mechanism that activates "always-on" mode by its mere presence in a runtime-specific configuration directory.

How the .i-have-adhd-always Flag File Works

The flag file operates as a simple existence check. When present, it triggers automatic ruleset injection; when absent, it forces manual activation.

Presence Enables Always-On Mode

When the runtime detects the file, its SessionStart hook automatically inserts the full i-have-adhd ruleset into the conversation once at startup. In hooks/always-on.sh, the Claude Code implementation resolves the configuration directory using ${CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR:-$HOME/.claude}, constructs the flag_path, and conditionally executes based on the [ -f "$flag_path" ] test.

Absence Restores Manual Control

Deleting the flag file immediately reverts to default behavior. Without the sentinel, the ADHD ruleset remains dormant until explicitly activated via the /i-have-adhd command for that specific session.

Configuration Interaction and Precedence

The Pi extension in extensions/i-have-adhd.ts evaluates three independent sources to determine the initial state using logical OR logic:

const alwaysOnFlag = join(getAgentDir(), ".i-have-adhd-always");
const enabledByDefault =
    pi.getFlag("adhd") === true ||
    config.alwaysOn === true ||
    existsSync(alwaysOnFlag);

The three configuration sources are:

• pi.getFlag("adhd") – A user-set boolean toggled via runtime commands.
• config.alwaysOn – A programmatic setting defined in the repository's configuration or INSTALL.md.
• existsSync(alwaysOnFlag) – The filesystem check for the .i-have-adhd-always sentinel in the agent directory.

Any single source resolving to true enables the always-on behavior. The resulting enabledByDefault boolean drives the restoreState function to inject rules at session initialization.

Implementation Across Runtimes

Each supported AI runtime implements the flag check in its native environment:

• hooks/always-on.sh – Bash implementation for Claude Code supporting macOS and Linux.
• hooks/always-on.mjs – Node.js equivalent for JavaScript-based Claude Code environments.
• hooks/always-on.ps1 – PowerShell variant for Windows users.
• extensions/i-have-adhd.ts – TypeScript logic for the Pi runtime that mirrors the shell behavior.
• INSTALL.md – Documentation specifying flag locations for Opencode at ~/.config/opencode/.

Why the Flag File Exists

The sentinel file architecture addresses three specific design requirements:

Convenience – Eliminates repetitive typing of the /i-have-adhd command for users who require ADHD-friendly formatting on every interaction.

Idempotence – File creation and deletion are atomic, portable operations that function identically across all supported operating systems and runtimes.

Explicit Opt-In – The physical presence of .i-have-adhd-always in the user's config directory makes the "always-on" state visible and intentionally set, preventing accidental activation while remaining trivial to disable.

Enabling and Disabling Always-On Mode

Create the flag file in the appropriate directory for your runtime to enable automatic injection.

Enable for Claude Code:

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

Enable for Opencode:

touch ~/.config/opencode/.i-have-adhd-always

Enable for Pi:

touch ~/.pi/agent/.i-have-adhd-always

Disable by removing the corresponding file:

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

Summary

• The .i-have-adhd-always file acts as a sentinel enabling automatic ruleset injection at session start without manual commands.
• Location varies by runtime: ~/.claude/, ~/.config/opencode/, or ~/.pi/agent/ (or $PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR if set).
• Configuration uses OR logic between the flag file, config.alwaysOn, and runtime-specific flags like pi.getFlag("adhd").
• Deleting the file immediately restores manual activation mode for subsequent sessions.
• Implementation spans shell scripts (hooks/always-on.sh), Node.js hooks (hooks/always-on.mjs), PowerShell (hooks/always-on.ps1), and TypeScript extensions (extensions/i-have-adhd.ts).

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I create the .i-have-adhd-always file for Claude Code?

Create the file at ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always. If you have set a custom CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR environment variable, place the file in that directory instead. The shell hook at hooks/always-on.sh checks this specific path during every session initialization and exits silently if the file is absent.

What takes precedence: the flag file or the config.alwaysOn setting?

Neither takes precedence; the system uses logical OR evaluation as implemented in extensions/i-have-adhd.ts. If the flag file exists or config.alwaysOn equals true, or if the user flag is set, the always-on mode activates. Multiple sources can simultaneously be true without conflict.

Can I use the always-on mode with Opencode and Pi?

Yes. The repository supports Opencode via ~/.config/opencode/.i-have-adhd-always and Pi via ~/.pi/agent/.i-have-adhd-always. The TypeScript logic in extensions/i-have-adhd.ts handles the Pi implementation by checking existsSync(alwaysOnFlag), while shell hooks handle Claude Code and Opencode integration.

Is the flag file safe to delete if I want to disable the feature?

Yes. The .i-have-adhd-always file is purely a sentinel marker containing no data. Deleting it with rm immediately disables automatic injection for new sessions. This action is non-destructive and leaves all other configuration intact; you can recreate the file at any time using touch to re-enable the feature.

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