Permission Configuration

Configure Claude Code's permission modes to control which operations require human confirmation

Permission Configuration ¶

Claude Code uses a permission system to control which operations require user confirmation. Configuring permissions appropriately ensures both security and development efficiency.

Four Permission Modes ¶

Mode	Description	Use Case
`default`	Prompts for permission the first time a tool is used	Everyday development, balancing security and efficiency
`acceptEdits`	Automatically approves file edits; other operations still require confirmation	Tasks that involve frequent file modifications
`plan`	Analyze only, no execution (Plan Mode)	Exploring and reviewing code without wanting Claude to make any changes
`bypassPermissions`	Skip all permission prompts	CI/CD automation, trusted and secure environments

Switching Permission Modes ¶

Press Shift+Tab to cycle through permission modes
Press Shift+Tab twice to enter Plan Mode (press Escape to exit)
Select a mode directly from the dialog

Configuring the Default Permission Mode ¶

Configure in .claude/settings.json:

{
  "permissions": {
    "defaultMode": "acceptEdits"
  }
}

Allow Rules: Pre-approving Commands ¶

Pre-approve specific commands to avoid being prompted every time:

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "Bash(npm run lint)",
      "Bash(npm run test:*)",
      "Bash(git status)",
      "Bash(git add:*)",
      "Bash(git diff:*)"
    ]
  }
}

Allow rule syntax:

Bash(command) — exact command match
Bash(prefix:*) — matches commands starting with the given prefix
Read(file path) — allow reading a specific file
Write(file path) — allow writing to a specific file

Deny Rules: Protecting Sensitive Files ¶

Prevent Claude from accessing or modifying sensitive files:

{
  "permissions": {
    "deny": [
      "Read(./.env)",
      "Read(./.env.*)",
      "Read(./secrets/**)",
      "Write(./.git/**)",
      "Bash(rm -rf:*)"
    ]
  }
}

Deny rule syntax:

Path patterns support * (single level) and ** (multiple levels) wildcards
Deny rules take higher priority than Allow rules

Using Allow and Deny Together ¶

{
  "permissions": {
    "defaultMode": "acceptEdits",
    "allow": [
      "Bash(npm run *)",
      "Bash(git status)",
      "Bash(git diff)"
    ],
    "deny": [
      "Bash(git push:*)",
      "Bash(rm -rf:*)",
      "Read(./.env*)"
    ]
  }
}

Configuration File Hierarchy ¶

Claude Code merges permission configurations in the following priority order:

Priority	Location	Scope
Highest	`.claude/settings.local.json` (not committed to Git)	Personal local overrides
Middle	`.claude/settings.json` (committed to Git)	Shared team configuration
Lowest	`~/.claude/settings.json`	Global user configuration

Team collaboration tips:

Put team-wide allow/deny rules in .claude/settings.json and commit it to Git
Put personal-specific settings in .claude/settings.local.json and add it to .gitignore

Best Practices ¶

1. Protect sensitive credentials

{
  "permissions": {
    "deny": [
      "Read(./.env)",
      "Read(./.env.*)",
      "Read(./credentials/**)",
      "Read(./.ssh/**)"
    ]
  }
}

2. Frontend project configuration

{
  "permissions": {
    "defaultMode": "acceptEdits",
    "allow": [
      "Bash(npm run dev)",
      "Bash(npm run build)",
      "Bash(npm run test:*)",
      "Bash(npm run lint:*)"
    ]
  }
}

3. CI/CD automation

{
  "permissions": {
    "defaultMode": "bypassPermissions"
  }
}

⚠️ Warning: bypassPermissions mode skips all security checks. Only use it in fully trusted automated environments.

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CLAUDE.md Configuration Guide

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