Permission Strategies

Permission File Location

~/.claude/settings.json           # Global defaults
.claude/settings.local.json       # Project-specific (gitignored)

Permission Structure

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [],
    "deny": [],
    "ask": [],
    "defaultMode": "ask"
  }
}

Default Modes

Mode	Behavior
"ask"	Prompt for everything not in allow/deny
"acceptEdits"	Auto-approve file edits, ask for bash
"full"	Trust fully (use with caution)

Permission Pattern Syntax

Tool(command:args)
Tool(pattern:*)      # Wildcard

Examples:

"Bash(npm install:*)"        // Any npm install
"Bash(git status:*)"         // Git status only
"Read(./.env)"               // Specific file
"Read(**/*.md)"              // Glob pattern

Recommended Configuration

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "Edit",
      "Write",
      "Bash(git status:*)",
      "Bash(git diff:*)",
      "Bash(git log:*)",
      "Bash(npm:*)",
      "Bash(pnpm:*)",
      "Bash(pip:*)",
      "Bash(pytest:*)",
      "Bash(ls:*)"
    ],
    "deny": [
      "Bash(rm -rf:*)",
      "Bash(rm -r:*)",
      "Bash(sudo:*)",
      "Bash(git push --force:*)",
      "Bash(git reset --hard:*)",
      "Read(./.env)",
      "Read(./.env.*)",
      "Read(~/.ssh/**)"
    ],
    "ask": [
      "Bash(git commit:*)",
      "Bash(git push:*)",
      "Bash(docker:*)",
      "Bash(rm:*)"
    ],
    "defaultMode": "acceptEdits"
  }
}

Permission Categories

Safe to Allow

[
  "Edit",
  "Write",
  "Bash(git status:*)",
  "Bash(git diff:*)",
  "Bash(git log:*)",
  "Bash(npm:*)",
  "Bash(pip:*)",
  "Bash(ls:*)",
  "Bash(cat:*)"
]

Always Deny

[
  "Bash(rm -rf:*)",
  "Bash(rm -r:*)",
  "Bash(sudo:*)",
  "Bash(git push --force:*)",
  "Bash(git reset --hard:*)",
  "Read(./.env)",
  "Read(~/.ssh/**)",
  "Read(~/.aws/**)"
]

Should Ask

[
  "Bash(git commit:*)",
  "Bash(git push:*)",
  "Bash(docker:*)",
  "Bash(rm:*)"
]

Best Practices

1. Start restrictive — Add permissions as needed
2. Deny secrets — Never auto-allow reading sensitive files
3. Ask for git writes — Review commits before they happen
4. Use wildcards carefully — Bash(*) is very permissive
5. Gitignore local settings — Keep .claude/settings.local.json out of repo