> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://margaret.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configuration

> Intensity levels, default mode, status line, hooks

## Intensity levels

| Level              | Behavior                                                                                                              |
| ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **lean**           | Deliver what was asked for, mention a smaller alternative in passing. User decides.                                   |
| **full** (default) | Check each option against the 7-filter screen. Standard library and platform features win by default.                 |
| **max**            | Question speculative scope before any code gets written. Build only what is clearly required, and state what was cut. |

Example — "Add a cache for these API responses":

* **lean**: "Added it. `functools.lru_cache` would cover this in one line if a hand-rolled cache class isn't needed."
* **full**: "`@lru_cache(maxsize=1000)` wraps the fetch call. Skipped a bespoke cache class, add one once `lru_cache` demonstrably can't keep up."
* **max**: "Holding off on caching until a profiler flags it. Then: `@lru_cache`. A custom TTL cache just reimplements stdlib."

Switch levels any time: `/margaret lean|full|max`, or turn it off: `/margaret off`, "stop margaret", "normal mode". The level sticks until changed or the session ends.

## Setting the default level

Priority order, checked in this sequence:

1. **Environment variable**
   ```bash theme={null}
   export MARGARET_DEFAULT_MODE=max
   ```
2. **Config file** — `~/.config/margaret/config.json` (or `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/margaret/config.json` if set; `%APPDATA%\margaret\config.json` on Windows):
   ```json theme={null}
   { "defaultMode": "lean" }
   ```
3. **Built-in default**: `full`.

Use `"off"` to skip auto-activation and start `/margaret` by hand when wanted.

## Status line

Shows the current level (`[MARGARET]`, `[MARGARET:MAX]`). Not wired in automatically — add to `~/.claude/settings.json`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "statusLine": {
    "type": "command",
    "command": "bash \"<plugin-root>/hooks/margaret-statusline.sh\""
  }
}
```

Swap in `margaret-statusline.ps1` on Windows.

## Hooks

Three lifecycle hooks drive the persona in hook-based hosts (`hooks/claude-hooks.json`):

| Hook               | Script                     | Purpose                                                                                                               |
| ------------------ | -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `SessionStart`     | `margaret-activate.js`     | Resolves the default mode and activates it at the start of a session (`startup`, `resume`, `clear`, `compact`).       |
| `SubagentStart`    | `margaret-subagent.js`     | Propagates the active mode into subagents so they inherit the same screen.                                            |
| `UserPromptSubmit` | `margaret-mode-tracker.js` | Tracks mode-switch phrases in the user's message (e.g. "stop margaret", `/margaret max`) and updates the active mode. |

Mode resolution logic lives in `hooks/margaret-config.js`, shared by all three hooks.

## Security review config

Optional, both no-op if absent:

* `.margaret/security-instructions.md` — extra categories/context appended to `/margaret-guard`'s standard set.
* `.margaret/security-exclude` — one path glob per line (e.g. `vendor/**`), findings in matching files are dropped.

## Uninstalling cleanly

Run before removing the plugin — it only removes the `statusLine` segment margaret owns, leaving any combined statusline intact:

```bash theme={null}
node scripts/uninstall.js
```