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Create Hook Agent Skill

Create a hook (.json) to enforce policy or automate agent lifecycle events.

474 tokens
context cost
SKILL.md, read when the skill is used
1
files
plus fonts, images or templates
0
copies elsewhere
how many repositories repackaged it
188 278
stars on the repo
on the repository, not the skill itself

Install

one command, takes just this skill from the repository
npx skills add https://github.com/microsoft/vscode --skill create-hook

The instruction itself

4 sections, as written by the author

Related skill: agent-customization. Load and follow hooks.md for template and principles.

Guide the user to create a hook in .github/hooks/.

Extract from Conversation

First, review the conversation history. If the user has been expressing concerns about agent behavior (e.g., "don't run this command", "always check before doing X", "inject this context"), generalize that into a hook. Extract:

  • Actions that should be blocked or gated
  • Context that should be injected at certain points
  • Automation needs at session start/end or tool use

Clarify if Needed

If no clear policy need emerges from the conversation, clarify:

  • What event should trigger this hook? (e.g. PreToolUse, SessionStart, Stop)
  • Should it block, warn, or inject context?
  • Does it need a companion script?

Path Conventions

  • Hook commands and companion scripts run with cwd defaulting to the workspace root (when a workspace folder is available); otherwise cwd falls back to the user home directory. Relative paths resolve from cwd. Absolute paths are fine when intentional — just be deliberate about which you use.
  • Do not use environment variables for pathing. The only exception is plugin-provided environment variables in hooks shipped as part of an agent plugin; never use environment variables for pathing outside of a plugin context.

Iterate

  • Draft the hook JSON (and any scripts) and save them.
  • Identify the most ambiguous or weak parts and ask about those.
  • Once finalized, summarize what the hook enforces, suggest ways to test it, and propose related customizations to create next.

Remember to follow the agent-customization guidelines to create highly effective hooks.

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How to use it

Copy the folder

Take microsoft/create-hook from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.

Check the name does not clash

The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.