Hooks are automatic actions that run at the right moment

Hooks are automatic scripts that run at specific moments without you doing anything. Starting a new session? A hook can load your preferred setup. About to make a change to an important file? A hook can add a safety check. Just finished editing? A hook can clean up formatting. You set them up once, and they work quietly in the background from that point on.

Everyone forgets steps. You forget to load context at the start of a session. You forget to run the formatter after editing. You forget to double-check before touching a sensitive file. Hooks handle the things you would otherwise forget. They are your safety net and your autopilot rolled into one -- invisible when everything is fine, invaluable when they catch something.

The most common hook is one that runs when a new session begins. It can load your preferred context, activate a specific mode, or check that your project is in a good state before you start working.

You can also set up hooks that run before or after the AI takes an action. A "before" hook might prevent changes to a critical file. An "after" hook might automatically format code that was just written.

Start with a single session-start hook that sets up your preferred working environment. That alone saves several minutes of manual setup at the beginning of every session. Add more hooks only when you notice yourself repeatedly doing something that could be automated.

When you catch yourself doing the same setup at the start of every session, or the same check after every change. Those repetitive manual steps are exactly what hooks are built to handle.