Fix Claude Code's Outdated Solutions Problem Claude Code doesn't know the current date, so it often suggests deprecated APIs, old package versions, and outdated Stack Overflow solutions. This wrapper script fixes that by automatically injecting date context into your CLAUDE.md files. Every time you run `claude`, it updates your global CLAUDE.md …

setup-claude-date-awareness.sh

#!/bin/bash

# setup-claude-date-awareness.sh
# 
# Automatically injects current date context into Claude Code's CLAUDE.md files
# so Claude uses up-to-date solutions and documentation.
#
# Tested on: macOS (zsh/bash), Linux (bash/zsh/fish)
# 
# Usage:
#   chmod +x setup-claude-date-awareness.sh
#   ./setup-claude-date-awareness.sh
#   source ~/.zshrc  # or ~/.bashrc, ~/.config/fish/config.fish

set -e

CLAUDE_DIR="$HOME/.claude"
WRAPPER_SCRIPT="$CLAUDE_DIR/claude-wrapper.sh"
DATEFILE="$CLAUDE_DIR/current_date.txt"

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Detect shell and rc file
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
detect_shell() {
    local user_shell
    user_shell=$(basename "$SHELL")
    
    case "$user_shell" in
        zsh)
            RC_FILE="${ZDOTDIR:-$HOME}/.zshrc"
            SHELL_TYPE="posix"
            ;;
        bash)
            if [[ "$OSTYPE" == darwin* ]]; then
                RC_FILE="$HOME/.bash_profile"
            else
                RC_FILE="$HOME/.bashrc"
            fi
            SHELL_TYPE="posix"
            ;;
        fish)
            RC_FILE="${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/fish/config.fish"
            SHELL_TYPE="fish"
            ;;
        ksh|mksh)
            RC_FILE="$HOME/.kshrc"
            SHELL_TYPE="posix"
            ;;
        *)
            RC_FILE="$HOME/.profile"
            SHELL_TYPE="posix"
            echo "⚠ Unknown shell '$user_shell', using $RC_FILE"
            ;;
    esac
    
    echo "Detected shell: $user_shell"
    echo "RC file: $RC_FILE"
}

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Create the wrapper script
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
create_wrapper_script() {
    mkdir -p "$CLAUDE_DIR"
    
    [[ -f "$WRAPPER_SCRIPT" ]] && cp "$WRAPPER_SCRIPT" "$WRAPPER_SCRIPT.backup.$(date +%s)"
    
    cat > "$WRAPPER_SCRIPT" << 'WRAPPER'
#!/usr/bin/env bash
# Claude Code date-aware wrapper
# Auto-generated by setup-claude-date-awareness.sh

set -e

CLAUDE_DIR="$HOME/.claude"
GLOBAL_MD="$CLAUDE_DIR/CLAUDE.md"
PROJECT_MD="./CLAUDE.md"
DATEFILE="$CLAUDE_DIR/current_date.txt"
WRAPPER_PATH="$CLAUDE_DIR/claude-wrapper.sh"

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Portable path resolution (macOS lacks realpath by default)
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
resolve_path() {
    local target="$1"
    
    # Try GNU realpath first
    if command -v realpath >/dev/null 2>&1; then
        realpath "$target" 2>/dev/null && return 0
    fi
    
    # Try GNU readlink -f (not available on macOS BSD readlink)
    if [[ "$(uname)" != "Darwin" ]] && command -v readlink >/dev/null 2>&1; then
        readlink -f "$target" 2>/dev/null && return 0
    fi
    
    # macOS/BSD fallback using perl (standard on macOS)
    if command -v perl >/dev/null 2>&1; then
        perl -e 'use Cwd "abs_path"; print abs_path(shift)' "$target" 2>/dev/null && return 0
    fi
    
    # Last resort: manual resolution
    if [[ -e "$target" ]]; then
        local dir base
        dir=$(cd "$(dirname "$target")" 2>/dev/null && pwd)
        base=$(basename "$target")
        echo "${dir}/${base}"
        return 0
    fi
    
    # If file doesn't exist, return input unchanged
    echo "$target"
}

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Get current date (portable across macOS and Linux)
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
current_date=$(date +"%Y-%m-%d")
current_year=$(date +"%Y")

if last_year=$(date -v-1y +"%Y" 2>/dev/null); then
    : # macOS BSD date
elif last_year=$(date -d "1 year ago" +"%Y" 2>/dev/null); then
    : # GNU date
else
    last_year=$((current_year - 1))  # Arithmetic fallback
fi

mkdir -p "$CLAUDE_DIR"

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Date block content
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
DATE_BLOCK_CONTENT="## Current Date Context (Auto-Updated)
- Today: ${current_date}
- When searching docs/solutions: prefer ${current_year}-${last_year} sources
- Treat pre-2023 solutions with skepticism unless for stable/legacy APIs"

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Update CLAUDE.md - preserves marker position in file
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
update_claude_md() {
    local target="$1"
    local temp_file
    temp_file=$(mktemp)
    
    # Ensure cleanup on any exit from this function
    trap "rm -f '$temp_file'" RETURN
    
    if grep -q "<!-- AUTO_DATE -->" "$target" 2>/dev/null; then
        # Markers exist: replace content BETWEEN markers, preserving position
        # Using environment variable + e modifier for safe multiline handling
        DATE_BLOCK_CONTENT="$DATE_BLOCK_CONTENT" perl -0777 -pe '
            s/(<!-- AUTO_DATE -->).*?(<!-- \/AUTO_DATE -->)/$1 . "\n" . $ENV{DATE_BLOCK_CONTENT} . "\n" . $2/se
        ' "$target" > "$temp_file"
        
        # Verify the output is valid
        if [[ -s "$temp_file" ]] && grep -q "<!-- AUTO_DATE -->" "$temp_file"; then
            mv "$temp_file" "$target"
            trap - RETURN  # Clear trap since we moved the file
        else
            echo "Warning: Failed to update $target (perl output invalid)" >&2
            return 1
        fi
        
    elif [[ "$target" == "$GLOBAL_MD" ]]; then
        # Global file without markers: prepend full block with markers
        {
            echo "<!-- AUTO_DATE -->"
            echo "$DATE_BLOCK_CONTENT"
            echo "<!-- /AUTO_DATE -->"
            echo ""
            cat "$target" 2>/dev/null || true
        } > "$temp_file"
        
        # Verify and move
        if [[ -s "$temp_file" ]]; then
            mv "$temp_file" "$target"
            trap - RETURN
        else
            echo "Warning: Failed to create date block for $target" >&2
            return 1
        fi
    fi
    # For project files without markers: do nothing (opt-in only)
    # temp_file cleanup handled by trap
}

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Update date file and CLAUDE.md files
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

# 1. Always update datefile
printf 'Date: %s\nYear: %s\nPrefer sources from: %s-%s\n' \
    "$current_date" "$current_year" "$current_year" "$last_year" > "$DATEFILE"

# 2. Update global CLAUDE.md (create if missing)
if [[ -f "$GLOBAL_MD" ]]; then
    update_claude_md "$GLOBAL_MD" || true
else
    # Create new global file with markers
    {
        echo "<!-- AUTO_DATE -->"
        echo "$DATE_BLOCK_CONTENT"
        echo "<!-- /AUTO_DATE -->"
    } > "$GLOBAL_MD"
fi

# 3. Update project CLAUDE.md only if opt-in markers exist
if [[ -f "$PROJECT_MD" ]] && grep -q "<!-- AUTO_DATE -->" "$PROJECT_MD" 2>/dev/null; then
    update_claude_md "$PROJECT_MD" || true
fi

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Find the real claude binary (handles spaces, avoids infinite loop)
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
find_real_claude() {
    local wrapper_resolved
    wrapper_resolved=$(resolve_path "$WRAPPER_PATH")
    
    # Explicit paths (no globs - handles spaces correctly)
    local explicit_paths=(
        "$HOME/.claude/local/bin/claude"
        "$HOME/.local/bin/claude"
        "/usr/local/bin/claude"
        "/opt/homebrew/bin/claude"
        "/usr/bin/claude"
        "/opt/local/bin/claude"
        "$HOME/.npm-global/bin/claude"
    )
    
    local all_candidates=()
    
    # Add explicit paths
    for p in "${explicit_paths[@]}"; do
        all_candidates+=("$p")
    done
    
    # Add nvm paths using find with null delimiter (handles spaces safely)
    if [[ -d "$HOME/.nvm/versions/node" ]]; then
        while IFS= read -r -d '' nvm_claude; do
            all_candidates+=("$nvm_claude")
        done < <(find "$HOME/.nvm/versions/node" -maxdepth 4 -name claude -path "*/bin/claude" -print0 2>/dev/null || true)
    fi
    
    # Check all candidates
    for candidate in "${all_candidates[@]}"; do
        if [[ -x "$candidate" ]]; then
            local candidate_resolved
            candidate_resolved=$(resolve_path "$candidate")
            if [[ "$candidate_resolved" != "$wrapper_resolved" ]]; then
                echo "$candidate"
                return 0
            fi
        fi
    done
    
    # Search PATH
    local IFS=':'
    for dir in $PATH; do
        [[ -z "$dir" ]] && continue
        local candidate="$dir/claude"
        if [[ -x "$candidate" ]]; then
            local candidate_resolved
            candidate_resolved=$(resolve_path "$candidate")
            if [[ "$candidate_resolved" != "$wrapper_resolved" ]]; then
                echo "$candidate"
                return 0
            fi
        fi
    done
    
    return 1
}

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Execute real claude
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
REAL_CLAUDE=$(find_real_claude) || {
    echo "Error: Could not find claude binary." >&2
    echo "Make sure Claude Code is installed: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code" >&2
    exit 1
}

exec "$REAL_CLAUDE" "$@"
WRAPPER

    chmod +x "$WRAPPER_SCRIPT"
    echo "✓ Created wrapper script: $WRAPPER_SCRIPT"
}

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Add shell integration
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
add_shell_integration() {
    local marker="# Claude date-aware wrapper"
    
    if grep -qF "$marker" "$RC_FILE" 2>/dev/null; then
        echo "⚠ Shell integration already exists in $RC_FILE"
        echo "  To reinstall, remove the existing claude function first."
        return 1
    fi
    
    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$RC_FILE")"
    touch "$RC_FILE"
    cp "$RC_FILE" "$RC_FILE.backup.$(date +%s)"
    
    case "$SHELL_TYPE" in
        posix)
            cat >> "$RC_FILE" << EOF

$marker
claude() {
    "$WRAPPER_SCRIPT" "\$@"
}
EOF
            ;;
        fish)
            cat >> "$RC_FILE" << EOF

$marker
function claude
    $WRAPPER_SCRIPT \$argv
end
EOF
            ;;
    esac
    
    echo "✓ Added shell integration to $RC_FILE"
}

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Backup existing CLAUDE.md
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
backup_claude_md() {
    if [[ -f "$CLAUDE_DIR/CLAUDE.md" ]]; then
        cp "$CLAUDE_DIR/CLAUDE.md" "$CLAUDE_DIR/CLAUDE.md.backup.$(date +%s)"
        echo "✓ Backed up existing global CLAUDE.md"
    fi
}

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Print instructions
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
print_instructions() {
    cat << EOF

════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
 SETUP COMPLETE
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

 1. Reload your shell config:

    source $RC_FILE

    Or open a new terminal window.

 2. Run claude as normal:

    claude

════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
 FOR EXISTING PROJECTS WITH CLAUDE.md
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

 Option A — Auto-update (opt-in):

   Add these two lines anywhere in your project's CLAUDE.md:

   <!-- AUTO_DATE -->
   <!-- /AUTO_DATE -->

   The date block fills in between markers. Position is preserved.

 Option B — Manual check (no file changes):

   Add to your project's CLAUDE.md:

   ## Date Awareness
   At session start, run: cat ~/.claude/current_date.txt

════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
 FILES
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

 Wrapper:      $WRAPPER_SCRIPT
 Date file:    $DATEFILE
 Shell config: $RC_FILE

════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
EOF
}

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Main
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
main() {
    echo "Setting up Claude Code date-aware wrapper..."
    echo ""
    
    detect_shell
    echo ""
    
    backup_claude_md
    create_wrapper_script
    
    if add_shell_integration; then
        print_instructions
    else
        echo ""
        echo "Wrapper script updated at $WRAPPER_SCRIPT"
    fi
}

main "$@"