---
draft: false
title: Local Development Overrides
description: Use agentsmesh.local.yaml to customize your personal AgentsMesh setup without affecting teammates. Narrow targets, skip features, or tune watch mode.
---

`agentsmesh.local.yaml` is gitignored and lets you customize your local development setup without affecting the shared `agentsmesh.yaml` the rest of the team uses.

## Creating the file

```bash
# Create your local overrides file
touch agentsmesh.local.yaml
```

`agentsmesh init` creates this file automatically and adds it to `.gitignore`.

## Common patterns

### Only generate for your tool

```yaml
# agentsmesh.local.yaml
targets:
  - claude-code   # I only use Claude Code
```

Running `agentsmesh generate` locally only writes `.claude/`. CI still generates for all configured targets.

### Skip features you don't need

```yaml
# agentsmesh.local.yaml
targets:
  - claude-code

features:
  - rules
  - commands
  - agents
  - skills
  - mcp
  # omitting: hooks, ignore, permissions
```

### Speed up watch mode

```yaml
# agentsmesh.local.yaml
targets:
  - claude-code   # only regenerate one target during watch
```

With a single target, `agentsmesh watch` regenerates significantly faster.

## What local overrides can and cannot do

**Can do:**
- Narrow `targets` to a subset of what `agentsmesh.yaml` defines
- Narrow `features` to a subset of what `agentsmesh.yaml` defines

**Cannot do:**
- Add targets not in `agentsmesh.yaml`
- Add features not in `agentsmesh.yaml`
- Override `extends`, `collaboration`, or `conversions`

This prevents local overrides from creating config that the rest of the team doesn't know about.

## Merge behavior

When AgentsMesh loads config, it first reads `agentsmesh.yaml`, then applies `agentsmesh.local.yaml` on top. The local file is strictly a narrowing override — it cannot expand scope.

## Team onboarding note

When onboarding a new developer, suggest they create `agentsmesh.local.yaml` with just their tool:

```bash
echo "targets:\n  - claude-code" > agentsmesh.local.yaml
```

This keeps their local generation fast and focused while still letting CI generate for all targets.
