# claude-hud-statusline

Keeps a status line under your prompt showing how full the context window is, which tools and subagents are running, and how far the todo list has got.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 2700 installs · ★ 88
- Author: reason-machines
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/reason-machines/trending-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/claude-hud-statusline/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-09
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/claude-hud-statusline

## What it does

The skill puts a permanent status line in your terminal. The top row carries the model name, the project and the current git branch; below it sit bars for context and subscription usage. Turn on the expanded layout and you also get activity rows: file reads and edits, searches, running subagents with their names and elapsed time, and todo progress.

Token figures come straight from Claude rather than from a guess, so the bar matches the real window, including large-context sessions. Tool and agent activity is read from the transcript and refreshed roughly every 300 ms. No second window, no tmux — it hooks into the built-in statusline API.

You need Claude v1.0.80+ plus Node.js 18+ or Bun. On Linux an `EXDEV: cross-device link not permitted` error during setup means you have to set `TMPDIR` first, or the install stops there. Settings live in `~/.claude/plugins/claude-hud/config.json`: element order, path depth, colors, and how the context value is written. Edit that file carefully — a JSON syntax slip and the config silently stops applying.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add reason-machines/trending-skills --skill claude-hud-statusline -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/claude-hud-statusline/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/claude-hud-statusline/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add reason-machines/trending-skills --skill claude-hud-statusline -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/claude-hud-statusline/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add reason-machines/trending-skills --skill claude-hud-statusline -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/claude-hud-statusline/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install reason-machines/trending-skills claude-hud-statusline
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/claude-hud-statusline/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add reason-machines/trending-skills --skill claude-hud-statusline -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/reason-machines/trending-skills --path skills/claude-hud-statusline
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/claude-hud-statusline/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add reason-machines/trending-skills --skill claude-hud-statusline -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/reason-machines/trending-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/claude-hud-statusline/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- see how much context is left without opening another pane
- watch which files the agent is reading and editing right now
- tell which subagents are running and how long they have been at it
- track todo completion as a session moves along
- keep the git branch and dirty state in view while working

## Example prompts
- Set up the claude-hud statusline in compact mode
- Show active tools and running subagents in the HUD
- Turn on todo progress and git status in claude-hud

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From the same set: [reason-machines/trending-skills](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/reason-machines/trending-skills.md) — 139 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md