name: claude-config-management description: Use when configuring, maintaining, troubleshooting, or optimizing Claude Code extensions including skills, commands, hooks, MCP servers, or agents. Provides best practices and prevents common mistakes.

Claude Code Configuration Management

Critical Constraints

Context Budget: MCP servers consume tokens before you work. A single server with 20 tools can use 14,000+ tokens. Keep active servers under 10.

Precedence Rule: Deny rules always win over allow rules at any level. More specific settings override broader ones.

Performance Threshold: If startup exceeds 30 seconds, clean ~/.claude.json of old project metadata.

Quick Decision Framework

I need to...	Use	Not
Enforce rules deterministically	Hook	Skill (probabilistic)
Provide domain expertise	Skill	Command (user-invoked)
Create user-triggered action	Command	Skill (auto-triggered)
Connect external service	MCP Server	Hook
Orchestrate multi-step tasks	Agent	Single command

File Locations

Content	Location
Project overview	CLAUDE.md (root)
Team settings	.claude/settings.json
Personal overrides	.claude/settings.local.json
MCP servers (team)	.mcp.json
Skills	.claude/skills/[name]/SKILL.md
Commands	.claude/commands/[name].md
Reference docs	.claude/docs/

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

Skills: Vague descriptions → Claude can't determine when to activate. Fix: Include trigger conditions.

Commands: Complex multi-step workflows → Belongs in skill. Fix: Keep commands simple (3-5 max).

Hooks: Complex inline commands → Hard to debug. Fix: Use script files.

MCP: Too many servers → Context exhaustion. Fix: Use McPick for selective enabling.

CLAUDE.md: Code style rules → Expensive enforcement. Fix: Use linters instead.

Verification Commands

/mcp              # MCP server status
/doctor           # Full diagnostics
/context          # Context usage breakdown
claude mcp list   # List configured servers

Maintenance Schedule

Weekly: Review /context, clear accumulated sessions
Monthly: Audit CLAUDE.md, check extension updates, clean ~/.claude.json
Quarterly: Full audit, remove unused extensions, update team docs

Detailed Reference

For complete procedures, checklists, and troubleshooting: → Read .claude/docs/config-management-reference.md

For finding and evaluating new extensions: → Read .claude/docs/resource-discovery-reference.md or use /discover

Name	claude-config-management
Description	Use when configuring, maintaining, troubleshooting, or optimizing Claude Code extensions including skills, commands, hooks, MCP servers, or agents. Provides best practices and prevents common mistakes.

claude-config-management

SKILL.md