| name | Settings Diff |
| description | This skill should be used when the user says "show settings diff", "what changed in settings", "compare settings before after", "settings optimization preview", "preview settings changes", or "show me what tune-settings will change". |
| version | 1.0.0 |
Settings Diff
Show a before/after diff of settings.json changes before applying. Always run this before writing settings changes.
Diff Procedure
Step 1: Read Current Settings
Read all relevant settings files:
~/.claude/settings.json
~/.claude/settings.local.json
./.claude/settings.json
./.claude/settings.local.json
Step 2: Compute Proposed Changes
Based on optimization goals, compute the minimal diff needed. Never change settings not related to the stated goal.
Step 3: Present Diff
Format diff clearly:
SETTINGS DIFF
═════════════
File: ~/.claude/settings.json
BEFORE AFTER
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"autoLoadMemory": true → "autoLoadMemory": false
"autoLoadSkills": true → "autoLoadSkills": false
[not present] → "compactOnContextFull": true
Impact:
Token reduction: ~[N] tokens per response (~[%]%)
Behavior change: Skills no longer auto-load. Use trigger phrases to load manually.
Reversible: Yes (edit settings.json to revert)
Step 4: Confirm Before Writing
Always ask:
Apply these changes to [file]? (yes/no)
Never write without explicit confirmation.
Diff Format for Multiple Files
When changes span multiple files:
SETTINGS DIFF — 2 files
═══════════════════════
[1/2] ~/.claude/settings.json
──────────────────────────────
"autoLoadMemory": true → false
+ "compactOnContextFull": true
[2/2] ./.claude/settings.local.json
──────────────────────────────────────
+ "plugins.autoEnable": false
Apply both changes? (yes/no/select)
Revert Instructions
After any settings change, show revert command:
To revert: edit [file] and restore original values.
Backup saved to: [file].backup.[timestamp]
Always create a .backup copy before writing changes.