Varlock Skill

---
name: varlock
description: Secure environment variable management with Varlock. Use when handling secrets, API keys, credentials, or any sensitive configuration. Ensures secrets are never exposed in terminals, logs, traces, or Claude's context. Trigger phrases include "environment variables", "secrets", ".env", "API key", "credentials", "sensitive", "Varlock".
version: 1.0.0
---

# Varlock Security Skill

Secure-by-default environment variable management for Claude Code sessions.

> **Repository**: https://github.com/dmno-dev/varlock
> **Documentation**: https://varlock.dev

## Core Principle: Secrets Never Exposed

When working with Claude, secrets must NEVER appear in:
- Terminal output
- Claude's input/output context
- Log files or traces
- Git commits or diffs
- Error messages

This skill ensures all sensitive data is properly protected.

---

## CRITICAL: Security Rules for Claude

### Rule 1: Never Echo Secrets

```bash
# ❌ NEVER DO THIS - exposes secret to Claude's context
echo $CLERK_SECRET_KEY
cat .env | grep SECRET
printenv | grep API

# ✅ DO THIS - validates without exposing
varlock load --quiet && echo "✓ Secrets validated"
```

### Rule 2: Never Read .env Directly

```bash
# ❌ NEVER DO THIS - exposes secret to Claude's context
cat .env
less .env
Read tool on .env file

# ✅ DO THIS - read schema (safe) not values
cat .env.schema
varlock load  # Shows masked values
```

### Rule 3: Use Varlock for Validation

```bash
# ❌ NEVER DO THIS - exposes secret in error
test -n "$API_KEY" && echo "Key: $API_KEY"