Configuration

The five layers

The hook reads config from 5 layers, lowest first. A higher layer replaces a scalar key.

1. The built-in defaults.
2. BEC_CONFIG_JSON, then the baseline variables BEC_FEATURE_ENABLE, BEC_FEATURE_DISABLE, BEC_ENABLE_PATTERNS, BEC_DISABLE_PATTERNS, and BEC_LOAD_LIB_PATHS.
3. The BEC_CONFIG_PATH file, then the user config. The user config is the first of $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/concise/concise.json, ~/.config/concise/concise.json, ~/.claude/concise.json, ~/.codex/concise.json.
4. Project config: <cwd>/.claude/concise.json, else <cwd>/.codex/concise.json.
5. The override variables: the ALWAYS forms, BEC_HOOK_SOFT_FAIL, BEC_DISABLE_STOP_HOOK, the BEC_LOG_* set, the BEC_ALLOW_* set, and the BEC_BYPASS_* set.

A project file overrides BEC_FEATURE_ENABLE. BEC_FEATURE_ALWAYS_ENABLE overrides the project file. The variables are listed in environment.md.

Of the three config files, the BEC_CONFIG_PATH file loads first. The user file merges over it, then the project file merges over both, so the project file wins a conflict. A relative BEC_CONFIG_PATH resolves against the cwd. When BEC_CONFIG_PATH names the user file or the project file, the hook reads that file once, in the user or project place. BEC_CONFIG_PATH_ONLY=1 skips the user file and the project file.