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Plugin Issues

”Duplicate hooks file detected”

Error:
Cause: hooks field declared in .claude-plugin/plugin.json. Claude Code v2.1+ auto-loads hooks/hooks.json from plugins. Fix: Remove "hooks" field from .claude-plugin/plugin.json:
History: This has caused repeated fix/revert cycles (#29, #52, #103).

Hooks Not Working

Symptoms:
  • Hooks don’t fire
  • No warnings/errors from hooks
  • Auto-formatting not happening
Causes & Fixes:

1. Plugin Not Installed

2. Hooks File Malformed

Common JSON errors:
  • Trailing commas
  • Missing quotes
  • Incorrect escape sequences

3. Node.js Not Available

Many hooks use node -e commands:

Skills Not Being Picked Up

Symptoms:
  • Skills not mentioned by Claude
  • Skills not affecting behavior
Causes & Fixes:

1. Wrong Directory Structure

Correct:
Wrong:

2. Missing SKILL.md File

3. Invalid YAML Frontmatter

SKILL.md must start with valid frontmatter:

Rules Not Working

Symptoms:
  • Claude not following rules
  • Rules seem ignored
Causes & Fixes:

1. Rules Not Flat Files

Correct (user-level):
Wrong:
Fix: Flatten during install:

2. Rules in Wrong Location

3. Restart Required

Restart Claude Code after installing rules:

Context & Token Issues

Context Window Shrinking

Symptoms:
  • Claude says “running out of context”
  • Window feels smaller than 200k tokens
Cause: Too many MCP servers consuming context. Fix: Disable unused MCPs in .claude/settings.json:
Guidelines:
  • Keep under 10 MCPs enabled
  • Keep under 80 tools active
  • Each MCP tool description consumes ~200-500 tokens

Hitting Daily Token Limits

Cause: Inefficient token usage. Fix: Apply token optimization settings in ~/.claude/settings.json:
See Settings Reference for details.

”Quality Degraded in Long Sessions”

Cause: Auto-compaction at 95% loses important context. Fix: Lower compaction threshold to 50%:
And use /compact manually at logical breakpoints.

Package Manager Issues

”Package manager not found”

Error:
Cause: Detected package manager not installed. Fix:

“Wrong package manager being used”

Symptoms:
  • Hook runs npm but you use pnpm
  • Lock file conflicts
Cause: Detection priority picking wrong manager. Fix: Override with environment variable:
Or use project config:

Installation Issues

”Skills not installed after running installer”

Cause: Installer targets wrong directory. Fix: Check installation target:

“Path reference errors after project-level install”

Symptoms:
  • Skills reference ~/.claude/ paths
  • Cross-references broken
Cause: Some skills assume user-level install. Fix: Use /configure-ecc wizard:
It detects and fixes path issues automatically.

”Rules overwriting each other”

Cause: Installing common and language rules to same flat directory. Expected behavior: Language-specific files extend common rules. Files with same names (e.g., coding-style.md) have language-specific content. Fix: This is correct. Language rules override common rules where needed.

Hook-Specific Issues

”Dev server blocker not working”

Expected: Hook blocks npm run dev outside tmux. Symptoms: Dev server starts anyway. Causes & Fixes:

1. Not Using Bash Tool

Hook only blocks Bash tool, not direct terminal commands. Fix: Ask Claude to run commands (they’ll use Bash tool).

2. Tmux Check Failing

”Auto-format not running”

Expected: PostToolUse hook formats files after Edit. Symptoms: Files not formatted. Causes & Fixes:

1. Prettier Not Installed

2. Prettier Config Missing

Create .prettierrc:

3. File Type Not Matched

Hook targets .ts, .tsx, .js, .jsx only. Other files not formatted.

”TypeScript check failing”

Error:
Cause: Actual TypeScript errors in edited file. Fix:
  1. Review errors shown by hook
  2. Fix type errors
  3. Re-edit file
Disable check temporarily: Override hook in ~/.claude/settings.json:

Agent Issues

”Agents not being invoked”

Symptoms:
  • Complex tasks not delegated
  • No agent-specific formatting
Causes & Fixes:

1. Agents Not Installed

2. Agent Description Too Vague

Agents need specific descriptions for auto-delegation. Fix: Use commands to invoke explicitly:

MCP Server Issues

”MCP server not connecting”

Error:
Causes & Fixes:

1. Missing API Key

Check ~/.claude.json for placeholder:
Fix: Replace with actual token.

2. Package Not Installed

Some MCPs require global install:

3. Network Issues

HTTP MCPs may have connectivity issues:

Performance Issues

”Claude is slow to respond”

Causes & Fixes:

1. Too Many Skills Loaded

Each skill adds to context. Fix: Remove unused skills:

2. Using Opus for Simple Tasks

Fix: Switch to Sonnet:

3. Large Context Window

Fix: Compact more often:

Getting Further Help

Check Documentation

  1. FAQ
  2. Settings Reference
  3. Hooks Reference

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github.com/affaan-m/everything-claude-code/issues Search for your error message or symptoms.

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