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:

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

Command Flow Overview

Slash Commands Flow

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

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us

Claude Code Slash Commands - Complete Reference Guide