continuous-learning

Continuous Learning Skill - DEPRECATED

> DEPRECATED 2026-04-28. Use continuous-learning-v2 instead. v2 is a strict superset: stop-hook observation becomes PreToolUse/PostToolUse observation, full skills become atomic instincts with confidence scoring, and global-only storage becomes project-scoped plus global promotion.

>

> This file is kept for archival reference and backward compatibility with existing installs.

---

Original v1 Documentation (archival)

Automatically evaluates Claude Code sessions on end to extract reusable patterns that can be saved as learned skills.

When to Activate

• Setting up automatic pattern extraction from Claude Code sessions
• Configuring the Stop hook for session evaluation
• Reviewing or curating learned skills in ~/.claude/skills/learned/
• Adjusting extraction thresholds or pattern categories
• Comparing v1 (this) vs v2 (instinct-based) approaches

Status

This v1 skill is still supported, but continuous-learning-v2 is the preferred path for new installs. Keep v1 when you explicitly want the simpler Stop-hook extraction flow or need compatibility with older learned-skill workflows.

How It Works

This skill runs as a Stop hook at the end of each session:

1. Session Evaluation: Checks if session has enough messages (default: 10+)
2. Pattern Detection: Identifies extractable patterns from the session
3. Skill Extraction: Saves useful patterns to ~/.claude/skills/learned/

Configuration

Edit config.json to customize:

{
  "min_session_length": 10,
  "extraction_threshold": "medium",
  "auto_approve": false,
  "learned_skills_path": "~/.claude/skills/learned/",
  "patterns_to_detect": [
    "error_resolution",
    "user_corrections",
    "workarounds",
    "debugging_techniques",
    "project_specific"
  ],
  "ignore_patterns": [
    "simple_typos",
    "one_time_fixes",
    "external_api_issues"
  ]
}

Pattern Types

| Pattern | Description |

|---------|-------------|

| error_resolution | How specific errors were resolved |

| user_corrections | Patterns from user corrections |

| workarounds | Solutions to framework/library quirks |

| debugging_techniques | Effective debugging approaches |

| project_specific | Project-specific conventions |

Hook Setup

Add to your ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "hooks": {
    "Stop": [{
      "matcher": "*",
      "hooks": [{
        "type": "command",
        "command": "~/.claude/skills/continuous-learning/evaluate-session.sh"
      }]
    }]
  }
}

Why Stop Hook?

• Lightweight: Runs once at session end
• Non-blocking: Doesn't add latency to every message
• Complete context: Has access to full session transcript

Related

• The Longform Guide - Section on continuous learning
• /learn command - Manual pattern extraction mid-session

---

Comparison Notes (Research: Jan 2025)

vs Homunculus

Homunculus v2 takes a more sophisticated approach:

| Feature | Our Approach | Homunculus v2 |

|---------|--------------|---------------|

| Observation | Stop hook (end of session) | PreToolUse/PostToolUse hooks (100% reliable) |

| Analysis | Main context | Background agent (Haiku) |

| Granularity | Full skills | Atomic "instincts" |

| Confidence | None | 0.3-0.9 weighted |

| Evolution | Direct to skill | Instincts → cluster → skill/command/agent |

| Sharing | None | Export/import instincts |

Key insight from homunculus:

> "v1 relied on skills to observe. Skills are probabilistic—they fire ~50-80% of the time. v2 uses hooks for observation (100% reliable) and instincts as the atomic unit of learned behavior."

Potential v2 Enhancements

1. Instinct-based learning - Smaller, atomic behaviors with confidence scoring
2. Background observer - Haiku agent analyzing in parallel
3. Confidence decay - Instincts lose confidence if contradicted
4. Domain tagging - code-style, testing, git, debugging, etc.
5. Evolution path - Cluster related instincts into skills/commands

See: docs/continuous-learning-v2-spec.md for full spec.