Claude Code Tool Call Counter with /tally

Tool Call Counter is a Claude Code tool call counter. While Claude works, the spinner line gets a suffix with this turn's count, for example · 7 tools, so you can see how busy a turn is without scrolling the transcript. Type /tally at any time for a table of the session so far:

**Tool calls** · this turn: 7 · this session: 41 (2 errors)

| Tool | Calls | Errors |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Bash | 18 | 2 |
| Read | 15 | 0 |
| Edit | 8 | 0 |

It is useful when you want to know why a turn took long, whether Claude is re-reading the same files, or how often its shell commands fail. Optionally, the status line keeps the running total: 🔧 41 tool calls (2 errors). Requires Claude Code 2.1.287 or later.

The recording asks Claude for a task that needs several tools. The spinner suffix counts up as calls are made, and running /tally afterwards prints the per-tool table.

Install with one of the methods in the install block. /tally is registered when the session starts.

The counting happens in one tool.call hook that observes every tool. From hooks/register.ts:

on('tool.call', async ($, e, next) => {
  const tool = String(e.tool)
  await update($, turn, t => addCall(t, tool))
  const now = await update($, session, t => addCall(t, tool))
  if (showInStatus) $.ui.status(statusText(now))

  const ran = await next(e)

  if (ran.deny !== undefined || ran.isError === true) {
    await update($, turn, t => addError(t, tool))
    const failed = await update($, session, t => addError(t, tool))
    if (showInStatus) $.ui.status(statusText(failed))
  }
  return ran
}).catch(($, e, next) => next(e))

on('ui.render', { component: 'Spinner' }, async ($, e, next) => {
  if (!showInSpinner) return next(e)
  const { count } = await read($, turn)
  if (count === 0) return next(e)
  return next({ ...e, props: { ...e.props, suffix: spinnerSuffix(e.props.suffix, count) } })
})

A call is counted as it starts, in two $.state atoms: turn, reset by a turn.start hook, and session. The hook then passes the call on unchanged with next(e) and, if the result was denied or flagged isError, records an error. The .catch runs the call anyway if counting throws, so the mod can never block a tool.

The ui.render hook for the Spinner site rewrites only the suffix prop and passes everything else to next, so Claude Code still draws its own spinner. Because the count is in $.state, the spinner redraws as soon as the number changes. /tally is registered in session.start with $.command.register, and a command.run hook for tally returns { text } built by formatTable in hooks/tally.ts.

Change these options in /config. The spinner wording comes from spinnerSuffix and the status text from statusText, both in hooks/tally.ts. To sort the /tally table differently, edit the sort call in formatTable.

Intercepts tool calls appears because the mod hooks tool.call for every tool. It only observes: it never denies or modifies a call, and it does not look at arguments beyond the tool name. Changes the UI covers the spinner suffix and the optional status text. Adds commands/tools covers /tally.

It runs no commands, reads no files, uses no network and stores nothing between sessions. Disable it with /plugin disable cm-tool-call-counter, or start a session with every mod off using claude --safe-mode.

Tested with Claude Code 2.1.291 in the terminal on macOS. If you see no count:

• Check claude --version is 2.1.287 or later and the mod is enabled in /plugin.
• Run /reload-plugins after a shell install; /tally appears once the session restarts the mod.
• The suffix only shows while a turn has made at least one tool call.
• showInSpinner may be off in /config.

Counts cover the time since the mod loaded in this process, so they reset after a reload.