CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_DIR_WATCH

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_DIR_WATCH is a Claude Code environment variable. Removed in v2.1.292, so current releases ignore it. It is listed in the official reference.

How to set it

For one session, export it in the shell that starts Claude Code:

export CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_DIR_WATCH=<value>
claude

To apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_DIR_WATCH": "<value>"
  }
}

Related variables

• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR: Local cache directory for downloaded plugins.
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_SEED_DIR: Seed directory for pre-installed plugins.
• CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_BACKGROUND_PLUGIN_REFRESH: Enables automatic background plugin refresh when the runtime detects updates are needed.
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_DIRS
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_KEEP_MARKETPLACE_ON_FAILURE: Preserves the local marketplace plugin cache when git pull fails.
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_PREFER_HTTPS: Force HTTPS for plugin source resolution.
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_USE_ZIP_CACHE: Use zip-based caching instead of git.
• CLAUDE_CODE_SYNC_PLUGIN_INSTALL: Install plugins synchronously (block until done).

Frequently asked questions

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.