claude-howto/QUICK_REFERENCE.md

Claude Code Examples - Quick Reference Card

🚀 Installation Quick Commands

Slash Commands

# Install all
cp 01-slash-commands/*.md .claude/commands/

# Install specific
cp 01-slash-commands/optimize.md .claude/commands/

Memory

# Project memory
cp 02-memory/project-CLAUDE.md ./CLAUDE.md

# Personal memory
cp 02-memory/personal-CLAUDE.md ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md

Skills

# Personal skills
cp -r 03-skills/code-review-specialist ~/.claude/skills/

# Project skills
cp -r 03-skills/code-review-specialist .claude/skills/

Subagents

# Install all
cp 04-subagents/*.md .claude/agents/

# Install specific
cp 04-subagents/code-reviewer.md .claude/agents/

MCP

# Set credentials
export GITHUB_TOKEN="your_token"
export DATABASE_URL="postgresql://..."

# Install config (project scope)
cp 05-mcp/github-mcp.json .mcp.json

# Or user scope: add to ~/.claude.json

Hooks

# Install hooks
mkdir -p ~/.claude/hooks
cp 06-hooks/*.sh ~/.claude/hooks/
chmod +x ~/.claude/hooks/*.sh

# Configure in settings (~/.claude/settings.json)

Plugins

# Install from examples (if published)
/plugin install pr-review
/plugin install devops-automation
/plugin install documentation

Checkpoints

# Checkpoints are created automatically with every user prompt
# To rewind, press Esc twice or use:
/rewind

# Then choose: Restore code and conversation, Restore conversation,
# Restore code, Summarize from here, or Never mind

Advanced Features

# Configure in settings (.claude/settings.json)
# See 09-advanced-features/config-examples.json

# Planning mode
/plan Task description

# Permission modes (use --permission-mode flag)
# manual         - Ask for approval on every action (formerly "default"; "default" still accepted as alias)
# acceptEdits    - Auto-accept file edits, ask for others
# plan           - Read-only analysis, no modifications
# auto           - Background classifier decides permissions automatically
# dontAsk        - Only pre-approved tools run; everything else is denied
# bypassPermissions - Accept all actions (requires --dangerously-skip-permissions)

# Session management
/resume                # Resume a previous conversation (no args = picker of past sessions)
/rename "name"         # Name the current session
/fork <directive>      # Spawn a background subagent that inherits the conversation
/branch [name]         # Switch into a copy of the conversation, preserving the original
claude -c              # Continue most recent conversation
claude -r "session"    # Resume session by name/ID

---

📋 Feature Cheat Sheet

Feature	Install Path	Usage
Slash Commands (60+)	.claude/commands/*.md	/command-name
Memory	./CLAUDE.md	Auto-loaded
Skills	.claude/skills/*/SKILL.md	Auto-invoked
Subagents	.claude/agents/*.md	Auto-delegated
MCP	.mcp.json (project) or ~/.claude.json (user)	/mcp__server__action
Hooks (33 events)	~/.claude/hooks/*.sh	Event-triggered (5 types)
Plugins	Via /plugin install	Bundles all
Checkpoints	Built-in	Esc+Esc or /rewind
Planning Mode	Built-in	/plan <task>
Permission Modes (6)	Built-in	--allowedTools, --permission-mode
Sessions	Built-in	/session <command>
Background Tasks	Built-in	Run in background
Remote Control	Built-in	WebSocket API
Web Sessions	Built-in	claude web
Git Worktrees	Built-in	/worktree
Auto Memory	Built-in	Auto-saves to CLAUDE.md
Task List	Built-in	/task list
Bundled Skills (10)	Built-in	/batch, /claude-api, /code-review [low|medium|high|xhigh|max|ultra] [--fix] [--comment] [pr#|branch|path] (explicit invocation only since v2.1.215 — Claude won't trigger this on its own; with no level given it reuses the last one you typed, v2.1.223), /simplify (cleanup-only review; distinct from /code-review again since v2.1.154), /debug, /fewer-permission-prompts, /loop, /run (v2.1.145+), /run-skill-generator (v2.1.145+), /verify (v2.1.145+; explicit invocation only since v2.1.215 — Claude won't trigger this on its own)

---

🎯 Common Use Cases

Code Review

# Method 1: Slash command
cp 01-slash-commands/optimize.md .claude/commands/
# Use: /optimize

# Method 2: Subagent
cp 04-subagents/code-reviewer.md .claude/agents/
# Use: Auto-delegated

# Method 3: Skill
cp -r 03-skills/code-review-specialist ~/.claude/skills/
# Use: Auto-invoked

# Method 4: Plugin (best)
/plugin install pr-review
# Use: /review-pr

Documentation

# Slash command
cp 01-slash-commands/generate-api-docs.md .claude/commands/

# Subagent
cp 04-subagents/documentation-writer.md .claude/agents/

# Skill
cp -r 03-skills/doc-generator ~/.claude/skills/

# Plugin (complete solution)
/plugin install documentation

DevOps

# Complete plugin
/plugin install devops-automation

# Commands: /deploy, /rollback, /status, /incident

Team Standards

# Project memory
cp 02-memory/project-CLAUDE.md ./CLAUDE.md

# Edit for your team
vim CLAUDE.md

Automation & Hooks

# Install hooks (33 events, 5 types: command, http, mcp_tool, prompt, agent)
mkdir -p ~/.claude/hooks
cp 06-hooks/*.sh ~/.claude/hooks/
chmod +x ~/.claude/hooks/*.sh

# Examples:
# - Pre-commit tests: pre-commit.sh
# - Auto-format code: format-code.sh
# - Security scanning: security-scan.sh

# Auto Mode for fully autonomous workflows
claude --permission-mode auto -p "Refactor and test the auth module"
# Or cycle modes interactively with Shift+Tab

Safe Refactoring

# Checkpoints are created automatically before each prompt
# Try refactoring
# If it works: continue
# If it fails: press Esc+Esc or use /rewind to go back

Complex Implementation

# Use planning mode
/plan Implement user authentication system

# Claude creates detailed plan
# Review and approve
# Claude implements systematically

CI/CD Integration

# Run in headless mode (non-interactive)
claude -p "Run all tests and generate report"

# With permission mode for CI
claude -p "Run tests" --permission-mode dontAsk

# With Auto Mode for fully autonomous CI tasks
claude --permission-mode auto -p "Run tests and fix failures"

# With hooks for automation
# See 09-advanced-features/README.md

Learning & Experimentation

# Use plan mode for safe analysis
claude --permission-mode plan

# Experiment safely - checkpoints are created automatically
# If you need to rewind: press Esc+Esc or use /rewind

Agent Teams

# Enable agent teams
export CLAUDE_AGENT_TEAMS=1

# Or in settings.json
{ "agentTeams": { "enabled": true } }

# Start with: "Implement feature X using a team approach"

Scheduled Tasks

# Run a command every 5 minutes
/loop 5m /check-status

# One-time reminder
/loop 30m "remind me to check the deploy"

---

📁 File Locations Reference

Your Project/
├── .claude/
│   ├── commands/              # Slash commands go here
│   ├── agents/                # Subagents go here
│   ├── skills/                # Project skills go here
│   └── settings.json          # Project settings (hooks, etc.)
├── .mcp.json                  # MCP configuration (project scope)
├── CLAUDE.md                  # Project memory
└── src/
    └── api/
        └── CLAUDE.md          # Directory-specific memory

User Home/
├── .claude/
│   ├── commands/              # Personal commands
│   ├── agents/                # Personal agents
│   ├── skills/                # Personal skills
│   ├── hooks/                 # Hook scripts
│   ├── settings.json          # User settings
│   ├── managed-settings.d/    # Managed settings (enterprise/org)
│   └── CLAUDE.md              # Personal memory
└── .claude.json               # Personal MCP config (user scope)

---

🔍 Finding Examples

By Category

• Slash Commands: 01-slash-commands/
• Memory: 02-memory/
• Skills: 03-skills/
• Subagents: 04-subagents/
• MCP: 05-mcp/
• Hooks: 06-hooks/
• Plugins: 07-plugins/
• Checkpoints: 08-checkpoints/
• Advanced Features: 09-advanced-features/
• CLI: 10-cli/

By Use Case

• Performance: 01-slash-commands/optimize.md
• Security: 04-subagents/secure-reviewer.md
• Testing: 04-subagents/test-engineer.md
• Docs: 03-skills/doc-generator/
• DevOps: 07-plugins/devops-automation/

By Complexity

• Simple: Slash commands
• Medium: Subagents, Memory
• Advanced: Skills, Hooks
• Complete: Plugins

---

🎓 Learning Path

Day 1

# Read overview
cat README.md

# Install a command
cp 01-slash-commands/optimize.md .claude/commands/

# Try it
/optimize

Day 2-3

# Set up memory
cp 02-memory/project-CLAUDE.md ./CLAUDE.md
vim CLAUDE.md

# Install subagent
cp 04-subagents/code-reviewer.md .claude/agents/

Day 4-5

# Set up MCP
export GITHUB_TOKEN="your_token"
cp 05-mcp/github-mcp.json .mcp.json

# Try MCP commands
/mcp__github__list_prs

Week 2

# Install skill
cp -r 03-skills/code-review-specialist ~/.claude/skills/

# Let it auto-invoke
# Just say: "Review this code for issues"

Week 3+

# Install complete plugin
/plugin install pr-review

# Use bundled features
/review-pr
/check-security
/check-tests

---

Feature Highlights

Feature	Description	Usage
Auto Mode	Fully autonomous operation with background classifier; available by default on Bedrock/Vertex/Foundry as of v2.1.207	Shift+Tab to cycle modes, or --permission-mode auto
Channels	Discord and Telegram integration	--channels flag, Discord/Telegram bots
Voice Dictation	Speak commands and context to Claude	/voice command
Output Styles	Change Claude's role, tone, and default response format	/config → Output style, or outputStyle setting. Built-ins: Default, Proactive, Explanatory, Learning, Concise
Status Line	Custom bottom-of-session status from a command	/statusline, or statusLine setting; receives session/model/cost/context JSON on stdin
Hooks (33 events)	Expanded hook system with 5 types	command, http, mcp_tool, prompt, agent hook types
MCP Elicitation	MCP servers can request user input at runtime	Auto-prompted when server needs clarification
Plugin LSP	Language Server Protocol support for plugins	userConfig, ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_DATA} variable
Remote Control	Control Claude Code via WebSocket API	claude --remote for external integrations
Web Sessions	Browser-based Claude Code interface	claude web to launch
Desktop App	Native desktop application	Download from claude.ai/download
Task List	Manage background tasks	/task list, /task status <id>
Auto Memory	Automatic memory saving from conversations	Claude auto-saves key context to CLAUDE.md
Git Worktrees	Isolated workspaces for parallel development	/worktree to create isolated workspace
Model Selection	Switch between Fable 5.1, Fable 5, Opus 5, Sonnet 5, Sonnet 4.6, Opus 4.8, and Haiku 4.5	/model — since v2.1.153 the choice is saved as the default for new sessions; press s for session-only
Agent Teams	Coordinate multiple agents on tasks	Enable with CLAUDE_AGENT_TEAMS=1 env var
Dynamic Workflows (v2.1.154)	Deterministic multi-agent orchestration; since v2.1.219 the default size guideline is medium (aim for fewer than 15 agents)	/workflows to view runs; ask Claude to create one; change the size via Dynamic workflow size in /config
Scheduled Tasks	Recurring tasks with /loop	/loop 5m /command or CronCreate tool
Chrome Integration	Browser automation	--chrome flag or /chrome command
Keyboard Customization	Custom keybindings	/keybindings command
/usage-credits	Configure extra usage limits (renamed from /extra-usage in v2.1.144; old name still works as alias)	/usage-credits
/run (v2.1.145+)	Launch this project's app to see a change running	/run
/verify (v2.1.145+)	Build, run, and observe the app to confirm a fix works (explicit invocation only since v2.1.215 — Claude won't trigger this on its own)	/verify
/run-skill-generator (v2.1.145+)	Teach /run//verify how to handle a specific project	/run-skill-generator
Subagent Output Scanning (v2.1.210+)	Scans subagent reports for prompt-injection patterns and neutralizes them	On by default, no opt-out
WebSearch Cap and Subagent Fan-Out Limits (v2.1.212, extended v2.1.219)	200 WebSearch calls per session; concurrent-subagent cap (default 20) added in v2.1.217; since v2.1.219 subagents can spawn nested subagents up to depth 3 by default (v2.1.217 had disabled nesting). The 200-subagent-per-session spawn cap was removed in v2.1.224 — there is no longer any limit on total subagents per session	CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_WEB_SEARCHES_PER_SESSION (default 200; /clear resets), CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_CONCURRENT_SUBAGENTS (default 20), CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_SUBAGENT_SPAWN_DEPTH (default 3; set 1 to disable)
Screen Reader Mode (v2.1.208)	Plain-text rendering mode for screen readers	--ax-screen-reader flag, CLAUDE_AX_SCREEN_READER=1, or "axScreenReader": true in settings
Restricted Mode (v2.1.248+)	Drops the built-in tools that run commands or code (Bash, PowerShell, REPL) and WebFetch unless --tools names them; ignores user, project, and local settings (managed settings and --settings still apply); confines file tools to the working directories; refuses bypassPermissions and cloud sessions	claude --restricted, or CLAUDE_CODE_RESTRICTED=1
Subagent Cache TTL (v2.1.248+)	experimental.cacheTtl agent-frontmatter field sets how long the subagent's prompt cache lives	Add experimental: with cacheTtl: "5m" (or "1h") to the agent's frontmatter. See Subagents
Forced Subagent Model (v2.1.257+)	CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL_FORCE=1 makes CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL override agent frontmatter. Since v2.1.251 the env var no longer wins by default — frontmatter (including model: inherit) takes precedence unless this is set	CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL=sonnet CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL_FORCE=1 claude

---

Tips & Tricks

Customization

• Start with examples as-is
• Modify to fit your needs
• Test before sharing with team
• Version control your configurations

Best Practices

• Use memory for team standards
• Use plugins for complete workflows
• Use subagents for complex tasks
• Use slash commands for quick tasks

Troubleshooting

# Check file locations
ls -la .claude/commands/
ls -la .claude/agents/

# Verify YAML syntax
head -20 .claude/agents/code-reviewer.md

# Test MCP connection
echo $GITHUB_TOKEN

---

📊 Feature Matrix

Need	Use This	Example
Quick shortcut	Slash Command (60+)	01-slash-commands/optimize.md
Team standards	Memory	02-memory/project-CLAUDE.md
Auto workflow	Skill	03-skills/code-review-specialist/
Specialized task	Subagent	04-subagents/code-reviewer.md
External data	MCP (+ Elicitation)	05-mcp/github-mcp.json
Event automation	Hook (33 events, 5 types)	06-hooks/pre-commit.sh
Complete solution	Plugin (+ LSP support)	07-plugins/pr-review/
Safe experiment	Checkpoint	08-checkpoints/checkpoint-examples.md
Fully autonomous	Auto Mode	--permission-mode auto or Shift+Tab
Chat integrations	Channels	--channels (Discord, Telegram)
CI/CD pipeline	CLI	10-cli/README.md

---

🔗 Quick Links

• Main Guide: README.md
• Complete Index: INDEX.md
• Original Guide: claude_concepts_guide.md

---

📞 Common Questions

Q: Which should I use? A: Start with slash commands, add features as needed.

Q: Can I mix features? A: Yes! They work together. Memory + Commands + MCP = powerful.

Q: How do I share with team? A: Commit .claude/ directory to git.

Q: What about secrets? A: Use environment variables, never hardcode.

Q: Can I modify examples? A: Absolutely! They're templates to customize.

---

✅ Checklist

Getting started checklist:

• Read README.md
• Install 1 slash command
• Try the command
• Create project CLAUDE.md
• Install 1 subagent
• Set up 1 MCP integration
• Install 1 skill
• Try a complete plugin
• Customize for your needs
• Share with team

---

Quick Start: cat README.md

Full Index: cat INDEX.md

This Card: Keep it handy for quick reference!

---

Last Updated: September 2, 2026 Claude Code Version: 2.1.257 Sources:

• https://code.claude.com/docs/en/changelog
• https://code.claude.com/docs/en/cli-reference
• https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md
• https://code.claude.com/docs/en/sub-agents
• https://code.claude.com/docs/en/model-config
• https://code.claude.com/docs/en/settings
• https://code.claude.com/docs/en/hooks Compatible Models: Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Fable 5, Claude Opus 5, Claude Sonnet 5, Claude Sonnet 4.6, Claude Opus 4.8, Claude Haiku 4.5