- name
- claude-exec
- description
- Run one prompt through headless Claude with scoped permissions and a time bound. Use when: scripting or automating a `claude -p` call, even a simple one.
- skill_api_version
- 1
- user-invocable
- true
- hexagonal_role
- driving-adapter
- practices
- ["pragmatic-programmer","design-by-contract"]
- consumes
- ["claude-command-packet"]
- produces
- ["claude-run-output"]
- context_rel
- [{"kind":"supplier-to","with":"validate"},{"kind":"separate-ways","with":"codex-exec"}]
- context
- {"window":"inherit","intent":{"mode":"none"},"sections":{"exclude":["HISTORY"]}}
- metadata
- {"tier":"orchestration","dependencies":[],"capabilities":["claude_exec"],"effects":["run_claude_process","permission_tiered_workspace_effects"],"canonical_status":"canonical","disposition":"keep_optional_adapter","stability":"stable"}
- output_contract
- process exit status and captured Claude output artifact
# Claude Exec — one-shot runtime adapter
Run one caller-supplied prompt through Claude Code print mode and capture the
result, only when the caller selects Claude: the native agent stays the
default and batches belong to `agent-native`. Flags match `claude --help` for
2.1.282; recheck it on other versions.
## Failure modes of a quick `claude -p`
1. **Inherited posture.** A bare run loads the user's settings, hooks,
plugins, MCP servers and CLAUDE.md; a settings `bypassPermissions` default
held even under `--safe-mode`. Use the clean flags below and set `--tools`
and `--permission-mode` to the task's effects.
2. **Renewed time.** One bound, from the caller's remaining time: a retry
spends it instead of renewing it. Make one attempt; any other is the
caller's decision.
3. **Exit 0 as proof.** A denied call still exits 0 with `is_error: false`
and "done", and a bare file name once landed in the run's scratchpad, not
`$WORKDIR`. Name targets by path, check effects there, and leave
acceptance to a fresh validator.
4. **Silent fallback.** With no `claude`, login or model, report and stop
instead of switching runtimes or passing `--fallback-model`.
5. **Self-review.** Review runs as a separate session, never the author's.
## Run
Redirect the prompt from a file, or pass it as the argument with `</dev/null`,
because print mode reads stdin to EOF: a pipe left open hangs until the bound
kills it. Stock macOS lacks `timeout`: use GNU `timeout` or Homebrew's
`gtimeout`, and launch nothing without one.
```bash
TO=$(command -v timeout || command -v gtimeout) || { echo "no timeout: not launching" >&2; exit 2; }
cd "$WORKDIR" || exit 2
# Read-only: review, research, questions.
"$TO" -k 10 "$SECS" claude -p --model "$MODEL" --output-format json \
--setting-sources "" --strict-mcp-config --disable-slash-commands \
--tools "Read,Grep,Glob" --permission-mode dontAsk \
<"$PROMPT_FILE" >"$OUT" 2>"$ERR"; echo "exit=$?"
# Edit-capable: authorized file changes under $WORKDIR.
"$TO" -k 10 "$SECS" claude -p --model "$MODEL" --output-format json \
--setting-sources "" --strict-mcp-config --disable-slash-commands \
--tools "Read,Grep,Glob,Edit,Write" --permission-mode acceptEdits \
<"$PROMPT_FILE" >"$OUT" 2>"$ERR"; echo "exit=$?"
```
Print mode never prompts: unapproved calls are denied and listed in
`permission_denials`. Add `Bash` to `--tools` only for authorized commands
named in `--allowedTools`, e.g. `"Bash(go test *)"`; with settings hooks
dropped, that list is the guard. `--max-budget-usd` stops after the call that
crosses it, and `--help` lists no turn cap, so bound a run by time and budget.
`--no-session-persistence` keeps no transcript.
## Result
JSON carries `result`, `is_error`, `session_id`, `total_cost_usd`,
`num_turns`, `permission_denials`, and `modelUsage` keyed by the models
billed; identity evidence needs `stream-json --verbose` per the
[model-dispatch recipe](../agent-native/references/model-dispatch.md). Judge
by exit status and `is_error`: an unknown model exited 1 with
`subtype: "success"`. Exit 1 also covers a spent budget or missing input;
`timeout` gives 124, or 137 when KILL follows 10 seconds later. Keep at most
the caller's byte cap (10 MiB default), mark a cut file truncated, return
this, and stop:
```text
command: <exact argv> posture: <tools; permission mode; clean flags>
model: <requested> -> <modelUsage keys> exit: <status | timeout at N s>
session_id: <id | none> output: <path, bytes, truncated: yes|no>
permission_denials: <count and tools>
```
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