Vibe Check can be customized using environment variables prefixed with VIBE_CHECK_. All timing values are in seconds.
All Configuration Variables
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|
VIBE_CHECK_MICRO_INTERVAL | 1200 (20 min) | Seconds between micro-breaks (eyes, wrists) |
VIBE_CHECK_FULL_INTERVAL | 3000 (50 min) | Seconds between full breaks (stand, stretch) |
VIBE_CHECK_HYDRATION_INTERVAL | 1800 (30 min) | Seconds between hydration reminders |
VIBE_CHECK_MICRO_BREAK_DURATION | 60 (1 min) | Gap after a micro reminder to credit as “took the break” |
VIBE_CHECK_HYDRATION_BREAK_DURATION | 120 (2 min) | Gap after a hydration reminder to credit as “took the break” |
VIBE_CHECK_FULL_BREAK_DURATION | 300 (5 min) | Gap after a full-break reminder to credit as “took the break” |
VIBE_CHECK_GAP_THRESHOLD | 900 (15 min) | Seconds of inactivity before crediting as a spontaneous break |
VIBE_CHECK_STALE_THRESHOLD | 3600 (60 min) | Seconds of inactivity before a new session resets timers |
VIBE_CHECK_BOX_WIDTH | 80 | Inner display width of the reminder box in columns |
How to Set Environment Variables
You can set environment variables when launching Claude Code:
VIBE_CHECK_MICRO_INTERVAL=900 VIBE_CHECK_FULL_INTERVAL=2400 claude
export VIBE_CHECK_MICRO_INTERVAL=900
export VIBE_CHECK_FULL_INTERVAL=2400
export VIBE_CHECK_HYDRATION_INTERVAL=1500
Testing with Shorter Intervals
For testing or faster reminders, you can use much shorter intervals:
VIBE_CHECK_MICRO_INTERVAL=60 VIBE_CHECK_HYDRATION_INTERVAL=120 VIBE_CHECK_FULL_INTERVAL=180 claude
- Fire micro-breaks every 60 seconds (1 minute)
- Fire hydration reminders every 120 seconds (2 minutes)
- Fire full breaks every 180 seconds (3 minutes)
Restart Required: Changes to environment variables only take effect when you restart Claude Code. The plugin hooks are registered at session start and won’t refresh mid-session.
Variable Categories
The configuration variables are organized into three main categories:
- Intervals - Control how often reminders appear
- Break Durations - Control break compliance detection
- Display Settings - Control visual appearance (
VIBE_CHECK_BOX_WIDTH)
See the individual pages for detailed explanations of each variable type.