Autonomy Levels
Not every decision needs your confirmation, but some decisions must never be made without it. The Autonomy Levels rule tells Claude which is which. It sorts actions into four levels, from obvious fixes Claude makes without comment to changes that alter scope, audience or commitments, where Claude stops and asks.
The rule lives in .claude/rules/autonomy-levels.md. It is a critical engine file.
The Four Levels
Section titled “The Four Levels”Level 1, Auto-Do
Section titled “Level 1, Auto-Do”Obvious errors with a single correct fix. Claude fixes them as part of the task and does not mention them.
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Code | Bugs, type errors, syntax errors |
| Content | Spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting |
| Documents | Broken formulas, formatting errors, misaligned tables |
| Client work | Wrong dates, wrong file paths, broken links |
Level 2, Auto-Add
Section titled “Level 2, Auto-Add”Additions any competent professional would include. Claude adds them and mentions briefly what it added.
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Code | Error handling, input validation, checks for missing values |
| Content | Corrections to your English variant, missing attribution |
| Documents | Missing headers, page numbers, template compliance, metadata |
| Client work | Standard disclaimers, document metadata, required formatting |
Level 3, Auto-Fix
Section titled “Level 3, Auto-Fix”Problems that block the current task. Claude fixes them to keep the work moving and explains the fix clearly so you can review it.
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Code | Missing dependencies, broken imports, environment settings |
| Content | Broken links, missing images, orphaned references |
| Documents | Broken cross-references, missing sheets, damaged template elements |
| Client work | Missing folder structure, file names that break the conventions |
Level 4, Stop
Section titled “Level 4, Stop”Changes to scope, intent, audience or commitments. Claude never goes ahead without your explicit approval.
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Code | New database tables, API changes, new libraries, changes to architecture |
| Content | Changes of tone or audience, structural rewrites, a change of platform |
| Documents | Changing client-facing content, altering financial figures, modifying contracts |
| Client work | Anything sent to a client, any external communication, any financial commitment |
When Claude Is Unsure
Section titled “When Claude Is Unsure”When Claude cannot tell which level applies, it moves one level up, towards stopping. Asking costs you a few seconds, and overstepping can cost far more.
Every command on the Blocked Commands list counts as Level 4, whatever the context.
Your Direct Instructions
Section titled “Your Direct Instructions”The levels govern what Claude does on its own initiative. When you tell Claude to edit, change or update a file in the workspace, the instruction is the permission, and Claude acts without asking “shall I?”. The only exceptions are Level 4 items such as documents sent to clients, financial figures and contracts. This comes from the No Permission Prompts rule. See No Permission Prompts.
For example, if you say “Change the workshop date in the P012 brief to 3 March”, Claude makes the change straight away. If the brief is a proposal you are about to send, and the change alters a fee in it, Claude checks with you first.
Changing the Levels
Section titled “Changing the Levels”The rule is a critical file. The engine guard stops Claude editing it, and the next update overwrites any change you make by hand. To adjust the levels for your business, create .claude/rules/custom-autonomy.md and write your additions there. For example, you might move a particular kind of client email into Level 4, or let Claude fix a recurring formatting issue at Level 1. Start a new session so Claude loads the file. See How Rules Work.