Commands Best Practice

Last Updated: March 2, 2026

Complete reference for Claude Code commands — command definitions, frontmatter fields, and all built-in slash commands.

Frontmatter Fields

Custom commands are defined in .claude/commands/<name>.md with optional YAML frontmatter.

string

required

What the command does. Shown in autocomplete and used by Claude for auto-discovery

string

Hint shown during autocomplete (e.g., [issue-number], [filename])

string

Tools allowed without permission prompts when this command is active

string

Model to use when this command runs (e.g., haiku, sonnet, opus)

String Substitutions

Available inside command markdown for dynamic values:

Variable	Description
`$ARGUMENTS`	All arguments passed when invoking the command
`$ARGUMENTS[N]`	Access a specific argument by 0-based index
`$N`	Shorthand for `$ARGUMENTS[N]` (e.g., `$0`, `$1`)
`${CLAUDE_SESSION_ID}`	Current session identifier
!`command`	Dynamic context injection — shell command output replaces the placeholder before Claude sees it

Invocation

Custom commands are invoked by typing /command-name in Claude Code’s interactive mode:

Direct Invocation

/command-name — Invoke directly from the command menu

With Arguments

/command-name [args] — Pass arguments that map to $ARGUMENTS

Autocomplete

Type / to see all available commands with descriptions

Subdirectories

Commands in subdirectories use /subdir:command-name

Example: Minimal Command

---
description: Fetch weather data for Dubai and create an SVG weather card
model: haiku
---

Fetch the current temperature for Dubai, UAE and create a visual SVG weather card.

Example: Full-Featured Command (All Fields)

---
description: Fix a GitHub issue by number, following team coding standards
argument-hint: [issue-number]
allowed-tools: Read, Edit, Write, Bash(gh *), Bash(npm test *)
model: sonnet
---

Fix GitHub issue $0 following our coding standards.

## Context
- PR diff: !`gh pr diff`
- Issue details: !`gh issue view $0`

## Steps
1. Read the issue description
2. Understand the requirements
3. Implement the fix
4. Write tests
5. Create a commit

Session: ${CLAUDE_SESSION_ID}

Scope and Priority

When multiple commands share the same name, the higher-priority location wins:

Location	Scope	Priority
Project (`.claude/commands/`)	This project only	1 (highest)
Personal (`~/.claude/commands/`)	All your projects	2
Plugin (`<plugin>/commands/`)	Where plugin is enabled	3 (lowest)

Claude Commands

Session Management

/clear

SessionClear conversation history and start fresh

/compact [instructions]

SessionCompress conversation to free context window. Optional instructions focus the compaction

/exit

SessionExit the REPL

/fork

SessionFork the current conversation into a new session

/rename <name>

SessionRename the current session for easier identification

/resume [session]

SessionResume a previous conversation by ID or name, or open the session picker

/rewind

SessionRewind conversation and/or code to an earlier point

/teleport

SessionResume a remote session from claude.ai (subscribers only)

Context & Usage

/context

ContextVisualize current context usage as a colored grid with token counts

/cost

ContextShow token usage statistics and spending for the current session

/stats

ContextVisualize daily usage, session history, streaks, and model preferences

/usage

ContextShow plan usage limits and rate limit status (subscription plans only)

Model Configuration

/fast

ModelToggle fast mode — same Opus 4.6 model with faster output

/model

ModelSwitch models (haiku, sonnet, opus) and adjust effort level

/plan

ModelEnter read-only planning mode — suggests approaches without making changes

Project & Memory

/init

ProjectInitialize a new project with CLAUDE.md guide

/memory

MemoryView and edit CLAUDE.md memory files (user, project, and local scope)

Configuration

/config

ConfigOpen the interactive Settings interface with search functionality

/keybindings

ConfigCustomize keyboard shortcuts per context, create chord sequences

/permissions

ConfigView or update tool permissions

/sandbox

ConfigConfigure sandboxing with dependency status

/statusline

ConfigSet up Claude Code’s status line UI

/terminal-setup

ConfigEnable shift+enter for newlines in IDE terminals

/theme

ConfigChange the color theme

/vim

ConfigEnable vim-style editing mode

Extensions

/agents

ExtensionsManage custom subagents — view, create, edit, delete

/hooks

ExtensionsInteractive interface to manage hooks

/ide

ExtensionsConnect to IDE integration

/mcp

ExtensionsManage MCP server connections — add, enable, list, get info, OAuth

/plugin

ExtensionsManage plugins — install, uninstall, enable, disable, browse marketplaces

/skills

ExtensionsView available skills and their descriptions

Debug & Troubleshooting

/debug [description]

DebugTroubleshoot the current session by reading the debug log

/doctor

DebugCheck the health of your Claude Code installation

/feedback

DebugGenerate a GitHub issue URL for reporting bugs or feedback

/help

DebugShow all available slash commands and usage help

/tasks

DebugList and manage background tasks

/todos

DebugList current TODO items

Export & Authentication

/copy

ExportCopy the last assistant response to clipboard

/export [filename]

ExportExport the current conversation to a file or clipboard

/logout

AuthLog out from Claude Code

Sources

Slash Commands

Official documentation for built-in slash commands

Interactive Mode

Guide to Claude Code’s interactive REPL

CHANGELOG

Latest updates and feature releases

Get Started

Core Concepts

Best Practices

Workflows & Patterns

Implementation Examples

Frontmatter Fields

String Substitutions

Invocation

Direct Invocation

With Arguments

Autocomplete

Subdirectories

Example: Minimal Command

Example: Full-Featured Command (All Fields)

Scope and Priority

Claude Commands

Session Management

Context & Usage

Model Configuration

Project & Memory

Configuration

Extensions

Debug & Troubleshooting

Export & Authentication

Sources

Slash Commands

Interactive Mode

CHANGELOG

​Frontmatter Fields

​String Substitutions

​Invocation

Direct Invocation

With Arguments

Autocomplete

Subdirectories

​Example: Minimal Command

​Example: Full-Featured Command (All Fields)

​Scope and Priority

​Claude Commands

​Session Management

​Context & Usage

​Model Configuration

​Project & Memory

​Configuration

​Extensions

​Debug & Troubleshooting

​Export & Authentication

​Sources

Slash Commands

Interactive Mode

CHANGELOG

Frontmatter Fields

String Substitutions

Invocation

Example: Minimal Command

Example: Full-Featured Command (All Fields)

Scope and Priority

Claude Commands

Session Management

Context & Usage

Model Configuration

Project & Memory

Configuration

Extensions

Debug & Troubleshooting

Export & Authentication

Sources