How I Automated My Entire Claude Code Workflow with Hooks

I added one PostToolUse hook to my Claude Code configuration last Tuesday. It auto-runs Prettier every time Claude edits a file. The setup took 3 minutes. I haven't manually formatted a single file since — that's roughly 20 manual npx prettier --write runs per day that just disappeared. Claude Code Hooks are user-defined shell commands that execute at specific lifecycle points of the AI coding agent. If you've used Git Hooks, the mental model is identical: define a trigger point, attach a script, and let it fire automatically. The critical difference is the target. Git Hooks react to version control events. Claude Code Hooks react to the AI agent's behavior itself — when it's about to edit a file, run a tool, or finish responding. And because hooks are deterministic, they don't depend on the LLM remembering your instruction. They fire every single time. This is Part 2 of the "Claude Code Power User Guide" series. Part 1 covered how MCP extends Claude Code's capabilities by connecting i