Claude Code Slash Commands - Complete Reference Guide

Slash commands are the primary way to interact with Claude Code. They provide shortcuts for common actions and let you control Claude’s behavior during interactive sessions.

Types of Slash Commands

Claude Code supports several types of slash commands:

1. Built-in Commands: Provided by Claude Code (/help, /clear, /model)
2. Skills: User-defined commands in .claude/skills/
3. Plugin Commands: Commands from installed plugins
4. MCP Prompts: Commands from MCP servers

Command Flow Overview

The diagram shows how user commands are parsed and routed to built-in commands, custom skills, or MCP server tools.

Essential Built-in Commands

Session Management

Command	Purpose
/help	Show available commands
/clear	Clear conversation (aliases: /reset, /new)
/exit	Exit Claude Code (alias: /quit)
/resume	Resume previous session (alias: /continue)
/rename	Rename current session

Model & Settings

Command	Purpose
/model	Select AI model
/config	Open settings (alias: /settings)
/status	Show version, model, account
/cost	Show token usage statistics

Memory & Context

Command	Purpose
/init	Initialize CLAUDE.md
/memory	Edit memory files
/context	Visualize context usage
/compact	Compact conversation

Development

Command	Purpose
/diff	Interactive diff viewer
/doctor	Diagnose installation
/permissions	View/update permissions
/hooks	View hook configurations

Creating Custom Commands

Custom commands are now created as Skills. Create a directory with a SKILL.md file:

mkdir -p .claude/skills/my-command

Basic Skill Structure

File: .claude/skills/my-command/SKILL.md

---
name: my-command
description: What this command does and when to use it
---

# My Command

Instructions for Claude to follow when this command is invoked.

1. First step
2. Second step
3. Third step

Using Arguments

Commands can receive arguments:

---
name: fix-issue
description: Fix a GitHub issue by number
---

Fix issue #$ARGUMENTS following our coding standards.

Usage: /fix-issue 123

Dynamic Context with Shell Commands

Execute bash commands before the prompt:

---
name: commit
description: Create a git commit with context
allowed-tools: Bash(git *)
---

## Context

- Current git status: !`git status`
- Current git diff: !`git diff HEAD`
- Current branch: !`git branch --show-current`

## Task

Based on the above changes, create a git commit.

Example Commands

/optimize - Code Optimization

Analyzes code for performance issues and optimization opportunities.

---
name: optimize
description: Analyze code for performance improvements
---

Review the provided code for:
1. Performance bottlenecks
2. Memory leaks
3. Algorithmic improvements
4. Best practice violations

/pr - Pull Request Preparation

---
name: pr
description: Prepare code for pull request
allowed-tools: Bash(git *), Bash(npm *)
---

## Checklist

1. Run linting
2. Run tests
3. Check for console.log statements
4. Verify commit message format
5. Generate PR description

/push-all - Safe Git Push

---
name: push-all
description: Stage, commit, and push with safety checks
allowed-tools: Bash(git *)
---

## Safety Checks

- Check for secrets (.env*, *.key, *.pem)
- Detect API keys
- Check for large files (>10MB)
- Verify no build artifacts

## Steps

1. Stage all changes
2. Create commit with message
3. Push to remote

Frontmatter Reference

Field	Purpose	Default
name	Command name	Directory name
description	Brief description	First paragraph
argument-hint	Expected arguments	None
allowed-tools	Tools without permission	Inherits
model	Specific model to use	Inherits
disable-model-invocation	Only user can invoke	false
user-invocable	Show in / menu	true
context	Set to fork for isolation	None

Installation

As Skills (Recommended)

# Create skills directory
mkdir -p .claude/skills

# Copy skill files
cp -r skills/* .claude/skills/

Personal vs Project

• Project: .claude/skills/ - Shared with team via git
• Personal: ~/.claude/skills/ - Only for you

Best Practices

Do	Don’t
Use clear, action-oriented names	Create commands for one-time tasks
Include description with triggers	Build complex logic in commands
Keep commands focused	Hardcode sensitive information
Use disable-model-invocation for side effects	Skip the description field

Troubleshooting

Command Not Found

• Check file is in .claude/skills/<name>/SKILL.md
• Verify the name field matches expected command
• Restart Claude Code session
• Run /help to see available commands

Command Not Working

• Add more specific instructions
• Check allowed-tools for bash commands
• Test with simple inputs first

Related Guides

• Claude Code Complete Guide
• Claude Code Memory Guide
• Claude Code Skills Guide