/freeze — Restrict Edits to a Directory
Lock file edits to a specific directory. Any Edit or Write operation targeting a file outside the allowed path will be blocked (not just warned).
mkdir -p .claude/memory
echo '{"skill":"freeze","ts":"'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'","repo":"'$(basename "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null)" 2>/dev/null || echo "unknown")'"}' >> .claude/memory/skill-usage.jsonl 2>/dev/null || true
Setup
Ask the user which directory to restrict edits to. Use AskUserQuestion:
- Question: "Which directory should I restrict edits to? Files outside this path will be blocked from editing."
- Text input (not multiple choice) — the user types a path.
Once the user provides a directory path:
- Resolve it to an absolute path:
FREEZE_DIR=$(cd "<user-provided-path>" 2>/dev/null && pwd)
echo "$FREEZE_DIR"
- Ensure trailing slash and save to the freeze state file:
FREEZE_DIR="${FREEZE_DIR%/}/"
STATE_DIR="${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_DATA:-.claude/memory}"
mkdir -p "$STATE_DIR"
echo "$FREEZE_DIR" > "$STATE_DIR/freeze-dir.txt"
echo "Freeze boundary set: $FREEZE_DIR"
Tell the user: "Edits are now restricted to <path>/. Any Edit or Write
outside this directory will be blocked. To change the boundary, run /mk:freeze
again. Freeze persists for the session — end the session or start a new one to clear it."
How it works
See references/freeze-mechanics.md for technical details on path resolution, symlink handling, state file persistence, and tool scope.
Hooks
- PreToolUse on Edit/Write: Blocks writes outside the frozen directory path
- Activated by
/mk:freeze <path>. Deactivated when session ends. - Bash commands are NOT restricted — freeze only guards Edit and Write tools
Gotchas
- Symlinked files bypass freeze check: Edit tool resolves symlinks, writing outside frozen directory → Check resolved path, not just the stated path
- Test files in frozen directory can't update fixtures: Freeze prevents fixture updates needed for new test cases → Use --exclude pattern for test fixtures within frozen scope