dotclaude

The definitive profile management system for Claude Code

Manage your Claude Code configuration as layered, version-controlled profiles. Switch between work contexts (OSS, client, employer) with one command.

Disclaimer: dotclaude is an independent, open-source tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic or the Claude product.

What is dotclaude?

Stop manually editing ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md (or %USERPROFILE%\.claude\CLAUDE.md on Windows) every time you switch projects.

dotclaude lets you define universal practices once in a base configuration, then create profiles that add context-specific details (tech stack, coding standards, compliance requirements). Switch between them instantly.

# Morning: OSS work
dotclaude activate my-oss-project

# Afternoon: Client work
dotclaude activate client-work

Each profile merges your base configuration with project-specific additions - no duplication across profiles.

Features

• One-command switching between work contexts
• Layered profiles (base + context-specific overlays)
• Auto-detection via .dotclaude file
• Hook system for automation (session start, post-tool events)
• Preview mode (dry-run before applying)
• Backup & restore with automatic versioning
• Version controlled (sync across machines via git)
• Git workflow tools for long-lived feature branches
• Cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows native)

Platform Support

• Linux (amd64, arm64) - Full support
• macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon) - Full support
• Windows (amd64) - Full support (native binary)

Try Before Installing

Don't trust random scripts from the internet? Smart. Test dotclaude in an isolated Docker container first:

# Quick test (uses pre-built lite image)
docker run -it --rm ghcr.io/blackwell-systems/dotclaude-lite

# Or build locally
git clone https://github.com/blackwell-systems/dotclaude.git
cd dotclaude
docker build -f Dockerfile.lite -t dotclaude-lite .
docker run -it --rm dotclaude-lite

# Inside container - explore safely:
dotclaude create my-project
dotclaude edit my-project
dotclaude activate my-project
dotclaude show
exit  # Nothing persists

→ Full Test Drive Guide - Sample workflows, all commands explained, FAQ

Nothing touches your system. When you're ready, install for real.

Quick Install

Option 1: Download Pre-built Binary (No Go Required)

Download the latest release for your platform:

# macOS (Apple Silicon)
curl -sL https://github.com/blackwell-systems/dotclaude/releases/latest/download/dotclaude_darwin_arm64.tar.gz | tar xz
sudo mv dotclaude /usr/local/bin/

# macOS (Intel)
curl -sL https://github.com/blackwell-systems/dotclaude/releases/latest/download/dotclaude_darwin_amd64.tar.gz | tar xz
sudo mv dotclaude /usr/local/bin/

# Linux (x86_64)
curl -sL https://github.com/blackwell-systems/dotclaude/releases/latest/download/dotclaude_linux_amd64.tar.gz | tar xz
sudo mv dotclaude /usr/local/bin/

# Linux (ARM64)
curl -sL https://github.com/blackwell-systems/dotclaude/releases/latest/download/dotclaude_linux_arm64.tar.gz | tar xz
sudo mv dotclaude /usr/local/bin/

# Windows (PowerShell - as Administrator)
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://github.com/blackwell-systems/dotclaude/releases/latest/download/dotclaude_windows_amd64.zip" -OutFile dotclaude.zip
Expand-Archive dotclaude.zip -DestinationPath "$env:ProgramFiles\dotclaude"
# Add $env:ProgramFiles\dotclaude to your PATH

Or browse all releases at the releases page.

Option 2: Go Install

If you have Go installed:

go install github.com/blackwell-systems/dotclaude/cmd/dotclaude@latest

Option 3: Install Script

One-line install (clones repository with base configs):

Linux/macOS:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/blackwell-systems/dotclaude/main/install.sh | bash

Windows (PowerShell):

iex (iwr -Uri "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/blackwell-systems/dotclaude/main/install.ps1").Content

Then follow the guided setup:

dotclaude create my-project    # Create your first profile
dotclaude edit my-project      # Add your project context
dotclaude activate my-project  # Activate it
dotclaude show                 # Verify it's active

Documentation

📚 Complete Documentation Site

• Getting Started - Installation, concepts, and first steps
• Commands Reference - Complete command guide
• Hooks Guide - Automation and custom hooks
• Usage Guide - Advanced workflows and features
• blackdot Integration - Use with blackdot for complete environment
• Architecture - How it works under the hood
• FAQ - Common questions answered

Trademarks

Blackwell Systems™ and the Blackwell Systems logo are trademarks of Dayna Blackwell. You may use the name "Blackwell Systems" to refer to this project, but you may not use the name or logo in a way that suggests endorsement or official affiliation without prior written permission. See BRAND.md for usage guidelines.

License

Apache 2.0 - See LICENSE for details.

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Questions? Check the FAQ or open an issue