docs: minor script and documentation improvements from security review

[sjnims]

Summary

Batch of four low-priority improvements identified during a comprehensive security review. These are minor quality enhancements that improve usability and defensive coding practices.

Problem

Fixes #163

1. chmod reminder missing - Users copying example scripts encounter permission errors
2. Hardcoded plugin name - Example doesn't teach portable pattern
3. Missing jq timeout - Inconsistent with defensive patterns elsewhere in script
4. Undocumented file stability assumption - Settings parsing assumes stable files

Solution

Item 1: chmod reminder (SKILL.md)

Added note in "Example Hook Scripts" section:

Note: After copying example scripts, make them executable: chmod +x script.sh

Item 2: Parameterized plugin name (read-settings-hook.sh)

Changed from:

SETTINGS_FILE=".claude/my-plugin.local.md"

To:

PLUGIN_NAME="${PLUGIN_NAME:-my-plugin}"
SETTINGS_FILE=".claude/${PLUGIN_NAME}.local.md"

Item 3: jq timeout (test-hook.sh)

Changed from:

if ! jq empty "$TEST_INPUT" 2>/dev/null; then

To:

if ! timeout 5 jq empty "$TEST_INPUT" 2>/dev/null; then

Item 4: Race condition documentation (parse-frontmatter.sh)

Added comment explaining file stability assumption and that changes require restart.

Alternatives Considered

None - all changes follow the suggestions in the issue exactly.

Changes

File	Change
hook-development/SKILL.md	Added chmod reminder note
plugin-settings/examples/read-settings-hook.sh	Parameterized plugin name
hook-development/scripts/test-hook.sh	Added timeout to jq validation
plugin-settings/scripts/parse-frontmatter.sh	Documented file stability assumption

Testing

• shellcheck passes on all modified scripts (pre-existing info-level warnings unrelated to changes)
• markdownlint passes on modified markdown
• Changes are backwards compatible (parameterized name defaults to original)

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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[claude]

Claude finished @sjnims's task in 1m 42s —— View job

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Review of PR #166: Minor script and documentation improvements

Summary

✅ Looks good - This PR implements four focused, low-priority quality improvements from security review issue #163. All changes are appropriate and follow best practices.

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What's Good

1. chmod Reminder Addition (SKILL.md:692)

Excellent user experience improvement. Adding the executable permission reminder directly addresses a common pain point for new users:

> **Note:** After copying example scripts, make them executable: `chmod +x script.sh`

• Positioned perfectly in the "Example Hook Scripts" section
• Uses proper blockquote formatting per markdownlint rules
• Prevents common "Permission denied" errors

2. Parameterized Plugin Name (read-settings-hook.sh:7-10)

Smart portability pattern. Changes from hardcoded to configurable:

PLUGIN_NAME="${PLUGIN_NAME:-my-plugin}"
SETTINGS_FILE=".claude/${PLUGIN_NAME}.local.md"

• Uses standard bash parameter expansion with default
• Updated comments to match generic pattern
• Teaches users portable hook development
• Backwards compatible (defaults to original "my-plugin")

3. jq Timeout Addition (test-hook.sh:173)

Good defensive coding. Adds timeout for consistency:

if ! timeout 5 jq empty "$TEST_INPUT" 2>/dev/null; then

• Matches defensive patterns elsewhere in the script (lines 211-214)
• 5-second timeout is reasonable for JSON validation
• Comment clearly explains rationale: "defensive consistency"
• Prevents potential hangs on malformed input

4. File Stability Documentation (parse-frontmatter.sh:4-7)

Important clarification. Documents race condition behavior:

# Note: This script assumes the settings file is stable (not being written to).
# Settings changes require a Claude Code restart to take effect, so there's no
# need for file locking in normal usage.

• Explains why no file locking is needed
• References actual Claude Code behavior (restart requirement)
• Prevents confusion about concurrent access
• Matches plugin hook lifecycle documentation in SKILL.md:580-599

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Markdown Linting

✅ Passed - No markdownlint issues found in hook-development/SKILL.md

The blockquote format (> **Note:**) correctly follows:

• MD003: ATX-style headers (N/A - no headers changed)
• MD004: Dash-style lists (existing lists unchanged)
• MD040: Fenced code blocks (N/A - no code blocks changed)

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Shell Script Quality

All three modified scripts follow security best practices:

test-hook.sh:

• ✅ Uses set -euo pipefail
• ✅ Validates input paths against dangerous characters (lines 146-150, 166-170)
• ✅ Quotes all variables properly
• ✅ Uses timeout for defensive consistency

read-settings-hook.sh:

• ✅ Uses set -euo pipefail
• ✅ Validates settings file existence before parsing
• ✅ Properly quotes all path variables
• ✅ Uses safe parameter expansion with defaults

parse-frontmatter.sh:

• ✅ Uses set -euo pipefail
• ✅ File validation before processing
• ✅ Proper error handling with meaningful messages

Note: Pre-existing shellcheck info-level warnings (SC2155, SC2001) are unrelated to these changes and don't affect correctness.

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Checklist Verification

Confirming all items from PR description:

• ✅ Item 1: chmod reminder added at SKILL.md:692
• ✅ Item 2: Plugin name parameterized in read-settings-hook.sh:7-10
• ✅ Item 3: jq timeout added in test-hook.sh:173
• ✅ Item 4: Race condition documented in parse-frontmatter.sh:4-7
• ✅ Markdownlint: Passes cleanly
• ✅ Backwards compatible: PLUGIN_NAME defaults preserve existing behavior
• ✅ Fixes [Docs]: Minor script and documentation improvements from security review #163: All four items from issue addressed

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Additional Observations

Commit message quality: Excellent structure with clear explanations of each change and the rationale behind it.

Consistency with codebase:

• Changes align with CONTRIBUTING.md shellcheck guidance (docs: add shellcheck guidance to CONTRIBUTING.md #160)
• Follows defensive patterns from recent hardening work (fix: harden example hook validation scripts against bypass attacks #164)
• Complements workflow security documentation (docs: document security scope and trust model for workflow commands #165)

Documentation accuracy: The chmod reminder references the correct pattern and file extension. The parse-frontmatter comment accurately describes Claude Code's hook loading behavior.

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Recommendations

None required. This is a clean, focused PR that addresses legitimate usability and defensive coding concerns. The changes are:

• Minimal and focused
• Well-documented in commit message
• Backwards compatible
• Consistent with recent security improvements

The PR is ready to merge. ✅

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Tasks

• Get PR diff to understand changes
• Read changed files for context
• Run markdownlint on changed markdown files
• Review shell script changes for correctness
• Verify changes match PR description
• Check for security or quality issues
• Post final review feedback

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