statusline-generator
Configures and customizes Claude Code statuslines with multi-line layouts, cost tracking via ccusage, git status indicators, and customizable colors. Activates for statusline setup, installation, configuration, customization, color changes, cost display, git status integration, or troubleshooting statusline issues.
Best use case
statusline-generator is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Configures and customizes Claude Code statuslines with multi-line layouts, cost tracking via ccusage, git status indicators, and customizable colors. Activates for statusline setup, installation, configuration, customization, color changes, cost display, git status integration, or troubleshooting statusline issues.
Teams using statusline-generator should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/statusline-generator/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How statusline-generator Compares
| Feature / Agent | statusline-generator | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Configures and customizes Claude Code statuslines with multi-line layouts, cost tracking via ccusage, git status indicators, and customizable colors. Activates for statusline setup, installation, configuration, customization, color changes, cost display, git status integration, or troubleshooting statusline issues.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Statusline Generator
## Overview
This skill provides tools and guidance for creating and customizing Claude Code statuslines. It generates multi-line statuslines optimized for portrait screens, integrates with `ccusage` for session/daily cost tracking, displays git branch status, and supports color customization.
## When to Use This Skill
This skill activates for:
- Statusline configuration requests for Claude Code
- Cost information display (session/daily costs)
- Multi-line layouts for portrait or narrow screens
- Statusline color or format customization
- Statusline display or cost tracking issues
- Git status or path shortening features
## Quick Start
### Basic Installation
Install the default multi-line statusline:
1. Run the installation script:
```bash
bash scripts/install_statusline.sh
```
2. Restart Claude Code to see the statusline
The default statusline displays:
- **Line 1**: `username (model) [session_cost/daily_cost]`
- **Line 2**: `current_path`
- **Line 3**: `[git:branch*+]`
### Manual Installation
Alternatively, manually install by:
1. Copy `scripts/generate_statusline.sh` to `~/.claude/statusline.sh`
2. Make it executable: `chmod +x ~/.claude/statusline.sh`
3. Update `~/.claude/settings.json`:
```json
{
"statusLine": {
"type": "command",
"command": "bash /home/username/.claude/statusline.sh",
"padding": 0
}
}
```
## Statusline Features
### Multi-Line Layout
The statusline uses a 3-line layout optimized for portrait screens:
```
username (Sonnet 4.5 [1M]) [$0.26/$25.93]
~/workspace/java/ready-together-svc
[git:feature/branch-name*+]
```
**Benefits:**
- Shorter lines fit narrow screens
- Clear visual separation of information types
- No horizontal scrolling needed
### Cost Tracking Integration
Cost tracking via `ccusage`:
- **Session Cost**: Current conversation cost
- **Daily Cost**: Total cost for today
- **Format**: `[$session/$daily]` in magenta
- **Caching**: 2-minute cache to avoid performance impact
- **Background Fetch**: First run loads costs asynchronously
**Requirements:** `ccusage` must be installed and in PATH. See `references/ccusage_integration.md` for installation and troubleshooting.
### Model Name Shortening
Model names are automatically shortened:
- `"Sonnet 4.5 (with 1M token context)"` → `"Sonnet 4.5 [1M]"`
- `"Opus 4.1 (with 500K token context)"` → `"Opus 4.1 [500K]"`
This saves horizontal space while preserving key information.
### Git Status Indicators
Git branch status shows:
- **Yellow**: Clean branch (no changes)
- **Red**: Dirty branch (uncommitted changes)
- **Indicators**:
- `*` - Modified or staged files
- `+` - Untracked files
- Example: `[git:main*+]` - Modified files and untracked files
### Path Shortening
Paths are shortened:
- Home directory replaced with `~`
- Example: `/home/username/workspace/project` → `~/workspace/project`
### Color Scheme
Default colors optimized for visibility:
- **Username**: Bright Green (`\033[01;32m`)
- **Model**: Bright Cyan (`\033[01;36m`)
- **Costs**: Bright Magenta (`\033[01;35m`)
- **Path**: Bright White (`\033[01;37m`)
- **Git (clean)**: Bright Yellow (`\033[01;33m`)
- **Git (dirty)**: Bright Red (`\033[01;31m`)
## Customization
### Changing Colors
Customize colors by editing `~/.claude/statusline.sh` and modifying the ANSI color codes in the final `printf` statement. See `references/color_codes.md` for available colors.
**Example: Change username to blue**
```bash
# Find this line:
printf '\033[01;32m%s\033[00m \033[01;36m(%s)\033[00m%s\n\033[01;37m%s\033[00m\n%s' \
# Change \033[01;32m (green) to \033[01;34m (blue):
printf '\033[01;34m%s\033[00m \033[01;36m(%s)\033[00m%s\n\033[01;37m%s\033[00m\n%s' \
```
### Single-Line Layout
Convert to single-line layout by modifying the final `printf`:
```bash
# Replace:
printf '\033[01;32m%s\033[00m \033[01;36m(%s)\033[00m%s\n\033[01;37m%s\033[00m\n%s' \
"$username" "$model" "$cost_info" "$short_path" "$git_info"
# With:
printf '\033[01;32m%s\033[00m \033[01;36m(%s)\033[00m:\033[01;37m%s\033[00m%s%s' \
"$username" "$model" "$short_path" "$git_info" "$cost_info"
```
### Disabling Cost Tracking
If `ccusage` is unavailable or not desired:
1. Comment out the cost section in the script (lines ~47-73)
2. Remove `%s` for `$cost_info` from the final `printf`
See `references/ccusage_integration.md` for details.
### Adding Custom Elements
Add custom information (e.g., hostname, time):
```bash
# Add variable before final printf:
hostname=$(hostname -s)
current_time=$(date +%H:%M)
# Update printf to include new elements:
printf '\033[01;32m%s@%s\033[00m \033[01;36m(%s)\033[00m%s [%s]\n...' \
"$username" "$hostname" "$model" "$cost_info" "$current_time" ...
```
## Troubleshooting
### Costs Not Showing
**Check:**
1. Is `ccusage` installed? Run `which ccusage`
2. Test `ccusage` manually: `ccusage session --json --offline -o desc`
3. Wait 5-10 seconds after first display (background fetch)
4. Check cache: `ls -lh /tmp/claude_cost_cache_*.txt`
**Solution:** See `references/ccusage_integration.md` for detailed troubleshooting.
### Colors Hard to Read
**Solution:** Adjust colors for your terminal background using `references/color_codes.md`. Bright colors (`01;3X`) are generally more visible than regular (`00;3X`).
### Statusline Not Updating
**Check:**
1. Verify settings.json points to correct script path
2. Ensure script is executable: `chmod +x ~/.claude/statusline.sh`
3. Restart Claude Code
### Git Status Not Showing
**Check:**
1. Are you in a git repository?
2. Test git commands: `git branch --show-current`
3. Check git permissions in the directory
## Resources
### scripts/generate_statusline.sh
Main statusline script with all features (multi-line, ccusage, git, colors). Copy this to `~/.claude/statusline.sh` for use.
### scripts/install_statusline.sh
Automated installation script that copies the statusline script and updates settings.json.
### references/color_codes.md
Complete ANSI color code reference for customizing statusline colors. Load when users request color customization.
### references/ccusage_integration.md
Detailed explanation of ccusage integration, caching strategy, JSON structure, and troubleshooting. Load when users experience cost tracking issues or want to understand how it works.Related Skills
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