---
name: phx-freeze
description: Scope or freeze which files Claude can edit during debugging, a refactor,
or review. Use when edits should stay in specific dirs, or for a read-only investigate
lock. Backed by a sentinel + PreToolUse hook.
---
# Freeze — scoped edit lock
Toggle a project-local edit lock so Claude can only modify the files you intend
during a focused task (debugging, a tight refactor, a review pass). Enforced by
the `freeze-gate.sh` PreToolUse hook, which denies `Edit`/`Write`/`NotebookEdit`
outside the allow-list. No sentinel = no lock; the hook stays dormant.
The lock lives in `.claude/.freeze` — one allowed path prefix per line,
project-relative. Empty file = freeze everything.
## Usage
`phx-freeze [args]` — resolve `$ARGUMENTS` and run the matching Bash branch.
| Invocation | Effect |
|------------|--------|
| `phx-freeze` | Freeze ALL edits — read-only investigation mode |
| `phx-freeze lib/app_web priv/repo` | Allow edits only under these dirs |
| `phx-freeze status` | Show current lock state |
| `phx-freeze off` | Lift the lock (delete the sentinel) |
### Freeze all edits (investigation mode)
```bash
mkdir -p .claude && : > .claude/.freeze
echo "Freeze ON — all edits blocked. Lift with phx-freeze off"
```
### Scope edits to specific directories
```bash
mkdir -p .claude
printf '%s\n' lib/app_web priv/repo > .claude/.freeze
echo "Freeze ON — edits limited to: lib/app_web priv/repo"
```
Map `$ARGUMENTS` to the dirs the user named. Include any directory you still need
to write to — e.g. add `.claude` if progress/scratchpad logging must continue.
### Show status
```bash
if [ -f .claude/.freeze ]; then
if [ -s .claude/.freeze ]; then echo "Freeze ON — limited to:"; cat .claude/.freeze
else echo "Freeze ON — ALL edits blocked"; fi
else echo "Freeze OFF — no edit lock"; fi
```
### Lift the lock
```bash
rm -f .claude/.freeze && echo "Freeze OFF — edits unlocked"
```
## Iron Laws
1. **MANAGE the sentinel via Bash only** (`:>`, `printf`, `rm`) — NEVER via
Edit/Write. The freeze hook gates Edit/Write and would block you from
re-scoping or clearing the lock.
2. **NEVER leave a freeze active across unrelated tasks** — it persists until
`phx-freeze off`, including into later sessions. Clear it when the task ends.
3. **PATHS ARE PROJECT-RELATIVE PREFIXES, one per line** — `lib/foo` allows
`lib/foo` and everything under it; it does NOT allow `lib/foobar`.
## Notes
- The hook denies with a reason and tells Claude not to retry, so a frozen edit
surfaces clearly instead of failing silently.
- Pairs with `phx-investigate` (freeze all while root-causing) and `phx-work`
(scope to the plan's dirs). The lock is advisory tooling, not a security
boundary — anyone can run `phx-freeze off`.