Perforce Workspace Support / Claude Code v2.1.98

What

First-class support for Perforce version control workspaces, including read-only file detection and checkout guidance.

Usage

export CLAUDE_CODE_PERFORCE_MODE=1

Details

When enabled, Claude Code detects files that haven't been opened for edit in Perforce
Write tool returns a specific error message guiding users to run p4 edit <file> before modifying
Prevents chmod workarounds that would bypass Perforce tracking
System prompt includes Perforce-specific guidance for the model

Evidence

Perforce mode (search for "CLAUDE_CODE_PERFORCE_MODE" and "File is read-only — it has not been opened for edit in Perforce")

Strings lifted out of the shipped bundle, so the claim above can be checked against them.

How sure we are

One source agreesOne thing we can check says the same as this entry.

Anthropic's release notes agreeAdded CLAUDE_CODE_PERFORCE_MODE env var: when set, Edit/Write/NotebookEdit fail on read-only files with a p4 edit hint instead of silently…

See this entry in the whole of v2.1.98 →

The build it came inv2.1.98

9 Apr 2026 · 23 entries, this one is #4.

Either side of it

v2.1.97Older
v2.1.100Newer

Open the release →

Names in this entry

envCLAUDE_CODE_PERFORCE_MODE
Environment variables from your settings are now added before Claude Code filters the environment it passes to programs it starts

Anthropic's note

Upstream's own release notes for v2.1.98 name something this entry names, so the two are probably about the same change. Probably: the pairing is made on a shared name rather than on the words around it.

Added CLAUDE_CODE_PERFORCE_MODE env var: when set, Edit/Write/NotebookEdit fail on read-only files with a p4 edit hint instead of silently overwriting them

Is this right?