settings.json

Claude Code’s settings file: permissions, hooks, model. The “.local” version is only for you and doesn’t reach git.

You’ll also find it as: settings.local.json

How it appears in the course

The simple rule: what’s for the whole team goes in .claude/settings.json. What’s only for you goes in .local.json or in ~.
Where do the settings files live, and which one matters most? · Module 03, Permissions: what Claude may do
Below is an example of .claude/settings.json. You put it in the .claude folder of your project. It says which commands Claude may run on its own, which ones ask for confirmation, and which ones are forbidden.
What does a real settings file look like? · Module 03, Permissions: what Claude may do
When Claude asks your permission for something, you can choose “allow and don’t ask again”. Then the rule is saved automatically to settings.local.json, meaning your personal settings for the project.
How do you view and add rules on the fly? · Module 03, Permissions: what Claude may do

Where you learn it

In module 03 · Permissions: what Claude may do, in the Claude Code for Beginners course.

Related terms

Learn Claude Code from zero, in plain English

12 modules with 1–2 minute lessons, which you can also do on your phone. The first two modules are free.