AI CLI Hooks Comparison

Research on which AI CLI coding tools support hooks, what hooks enable, and whether they’re necessary safeguards or nice-to-have features.

Which AI CLI Coders Have Hooks?

Tool	Hooks System	Status
Claude Code	Full lifecycle hooks (PreToolUse, PostToolUse, Stop, SessionStart, etc.)	Comprehensive
Aider	Limited to git pre-commit hooks only (disabled by default via `--no-verify`)	Minimal
Codex CLI	MCP-based extension with hook types (e.g., SummarizationHook)	Limited
Goose	Recipes system for workflows, no execution hooks	None
Gemini CLI	No documented hooks system	None
Warp AI Terminal	Workflow automation (Warp Drive), no execution hooks	None

Claude Code is the only major AI CLI coder with a comprehensive hooks system.

Claude Code Hook Events

Claude Code provides multiple hook events that fire at different workflow stages:

SessionStart: Fires when a session begins or resumes
UserPromptSubmit: Fires when the user submits a prompt, before Claude processes it
PreToolUse: Fires before tool execution (enables security scanning and blocking)
PermissionRequest: Fires when a permission dialog appears
PostToolUse: Fires after tool execution succeeds
Notification: Fires when Claude Code sends notifications
Stop: Fires when the main Claude Code agent finishes responding
SubagentStop: Fires when subagent tasks complete
PreCompact: Fires before compact operations

Hook Types

Command-Based Hooks: Execute bash scripts at specified lifecycle points. Each hook has a default 60-second timeout (configurable per command).

{  
  "hooks": {  
    "PostToolUse": [  
      {  
        "matcher": "Write|Edit",  
        "hooks": [  
          {  
            "type": "command",  
            "command": "prettier --write $FILE_PATH",  
            "timeout": 30  
          }  
        ]  
      }  
    ]  
  }  
}

Prompt-Based Hooks: Use an LLM (Haiku) to evaluate whether to allow or block actions with intelligent, context-aware decisions. Currently supported only for Stop and SubagentStop hooks.

What Hooks Enable That’s Impossible/Hard Without Them

1. Deterministic Security Enforcement (Impossible without hooks)

Block destructive commands before execution (rm -rf /, DROP DATABASE, git push --force origin main)
Without hooks: You can only detect damage after it happens — the data is already gone
Real-world example: A fintech startup blocked 12 destructive commands in one week with zero incidents

2. File/Directory Protection (Impossible without hooks)

Block modifications to production configs, .env files, or sensitive directories
PreToolUse hooks intercept before the filesystem is touched
Post-hoc scanning (SAST/DAST) cannot prevent file destruction

3. Mandatory Code Signing/Validation (Very hard without hooks)

Enforce GPG signing on commits
Require code formatting (prettier, gofmt) on every file write
Without hooks: Relies on the LLM “remembering” to do this — probabilistic, not guaranteed

4. Audit Logging & Compliance (Hard without hooks)

Automatic logging of every AI action with timestamps
Required for SOC2, HIPAA, or enterprise compliance
Without hooks: Requires manual review of session history

5. Eliminating LLM Probabilistic Behavior (Impossible without hooks)

Claude might remember to run tests in one session but forget in the next
Hooks make behavior deterministic: “When you edit TypeScript, prettier runs. Always.”
Key insight: “No decisions, no memory requirements, no variance”

6. Context Injection (Very hard without hooks)

Inject reminders or context into specific tool calls without blocking
Example: “Remember to use the v2 API when calling this service”
Without hooks: Must rely on system prompts or hope the LLM remembers

7. Real-Time Notifications (Hard without hooks)

Push notifications when long tasks complete or when awaiting input
Reported 45% reduction in context switching with voice notifications

Implementation Phases (Enterprise Adoption)

Organizations typically implement hooks in three phases:

Phase 1: Basic Setup - Configure foundational hooks for logging, notifications, and monitoring
Phase 2: Enhancement Hooks - Add hooks for custom notifications, automatic formatting, and convenience shortcuts
Phase 3: Enforcement Hooks - Introduce sophisticated control through file protection, security scanning, and build validation

Real-World Results

Organizations implementing comprehensive hook systems report:

Zero destructive commands executed (with 12 blocked in one week)
100% test coverage maintained automatically
Real-time visibility into all agent operations
45% reduction in context switching through voice notifications
Elimination of parallel agent conflicts through coordination

Verdict: Necessary Safeguard or Nice-to-Have?

For individual developers: Nice-to-have convenience features (auto-formatting, notifications)

For teams/enterprises: Necessary safeguard because:

Prevention vs. Detection: Hooks prevent disasters; without them you can only audit after the fact
Compliance Requirements: Many industries require audit trails and access controls
Eliminating Human Error: Deterministic enforcement removes reliance on LLM “memory”
Zero-Trust Principle: You cannot fully trust probabilistic AI behavior for security-critical operations

The critical insight: Without PreToolUse hooks, there is no execution point between the AI’s decision and filesystem/system changes. By the time you detect a problem, the damage is done.

Why Claude Code Leads in Enterprise Adoption

The fact that Claude Code is the only major tool with comprehensive hooks explains its strong enterprise adoption. Hooks transform AI coding assistants from probabilistic tools into deterministic, auditable systems suitable for production environments.

Sources

Perplexity research (January 2026)
Claude Code official documentation
Community implementation reports

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AI CLI Hooks Comparison