What it means
The product listens for events (file change, webhook, cron) and starts an agent or skill with fixed context, guardrails, and notification on completion.
Why designers should care
Automation UX needs trigger transparency (“Runs on every push to main”), output routing (Slack vs email), failure alerts, and off switches, silent hooks erode trust.
Example
A Cursor hook runs an accessibility skill on every PR diff and posts a comment with blocking vs advisory findings; designers tune the skill monthly.
Common mistakes
- Hooks with no audit log of what ran and what changed.
- Automations that fire on every keystroke, burning tokens and annoying users.
- No dry-run or preview before enabling a hook on a shared repo.
Frequently asked questions
What is Hooks / Automations?
Hooks (or automations) are event-triggered agent runs, on save, commit, schedule, or CI signal. That execute predefined skills or prompts without manual chat.
Why should designers care about Hooks / Automations?
Automation UX needs trigger transparency (“Runs on every push to main”), output routing (Slack vs email), failure alerts, and off switches, silent hooks erode trust.
What are common mistakes with Hooks / Automations?
Hooks with no audit log of what ran and what changed; Automations that fire on every keystroke, burning tokens and annoying users; No dry-run or preview before enabling a hook on a shared repo.