plan-stop-hook

A planning gate blocks Claude Code from editing files before a plan is approved by intercepting Edit, Write, and Bash tools until the gate state file indicates APPROVED. This prevents premature coding by enforcing a structured planning loop.

You set up a PreToolUse hook by registering an entry in the .claude/settings.json file and persisting gate states in .claude/plan-gate.txt. This configuration blocks editing tools until the planning loop passes governance checks.

Use a planning gate for non-trivial tasks, high-cost migrations, and multi-step plans across coding projects. It ensures your plans survive adversarial review before any code changes are executed, preventing premature edits.

Yes, gate state persistence in .claude/plan-gate.txt enables resumable work and retrospective traceability. Once you write APPROVED to the file, the gate opens and editing tools are unblocked for the coding session.

Yes, the stop hook supports configurable gate states and transition flow for structured planning and governance. You can define the specific states and transitions needed to manage your workflow approval process.