Shift Note: Claude Code Commands That Cut Repeat Work

The biggest time savings in Claude Code often come from managing the conversation around the code. A session gets cluttered, you repeat the same project instructions, or an experiment heads in the wrong direction. Slash commands give you quick ways to handle those situations without writing another long prompt.

Type a forward slash in Claude Code to see the commands available in your installation. Commands can change between releases, and some depend on your environment. Start with the built-in menu instead of assuming every command in an online guide will be available.

Use /help before guessing at the controls

/help is the first command worth remembering. It brings up help for using Claude Code, including available commands and shortcuts. Check it when you know what you want to do but cannot remember the control for it.

For a beginner, this prevents a common detour: asking the assistant to explain its interface and receiving an answer that may not match the installed version. The local command menu is a better starting point.

Use /init to stop repeating project basics

/init helps create a CLAUDE.md file containing guidance for the project. This gives Claude Code a persistent place to read instructions such as the test command, directory conventions, and rules for generated files.

Review the result before relying on it. Keep instructions concrete: “Run npm test before finishing a change” is more useful than “Write excellent code.” Remove guesses and outdated information. A short, accurate file can save you from explaining the same repository habits in every session.

Use /compact and /clear for different handoffs

/compact summarizes the conversation so work can continue with less accumulated context. Use it when you are still pursuing the same goal but the session contains lengthy logs, abandoned ideas, or repeated explanations. You can add instructions about what the summary should preserve.

For example, enter “/compact Preserve the failing test, the agreed fix, and the files already changed.” Check that important details survive before continuing a complicated task.

/clear clears the conversation history. It fits a different moment: you have finished one task and want to begin another without carrying its discussion forward. It does not undo file changes.

• Use /compact when the task continues and earlier decisions still matter.
• Use /clear when the next task deserves a fresh conversation.

Use /resume to pick up an unfinished session

/resume lets you return to an earlier conversation. It is useful after closing a terminal or switching between tasks, especially when the previous session already contains the investigation and decisions you need.

After resuming, ask Claude Code to check the current files before making further edits. Conversation history records what was discussed; another person or process may have changed the working tree since then.

Use /rewind when an experiment takes a wrong turn

/rewind opens the checkpoint controls for returning to an earlier point. Depending on the checkpoint, you can restore the conversation, code changes, or both. This makes it easier to abandon an unhelpful approach and try another.

Checkpoints have limits. They do not reverse every effect of a terminal command, database operation, or external action. Keep using Git for durable history, and inspect the working tree after restoring code.

Use /permissions to reduce repeated approval friction

/permissions lets you inspect and manage permission rules. If Claude Code repeatedly asks to run a familiar development command, review whether a narrowly scoped rule would make that workflow smoother.

Approve only what you understand. A rule for a specific test command is easier to assess than broad permission to run arbitrary shell commands. The useful shortcut is a deliberate rule you can explain later.

Keep service setup separate from session controls

Slash commands manage Claude Code itself. Your provider configuration determines how requests reach a model. If you want a pay-as-you-go service that works with Claude Code and also supports tools such as Codex and Gemini CLI, Relay365 is worth considering. Create a Relay365 account if that arrangement fits your workflow, then follow its current setup instructions.

For your next task, remember the commands at the point they become useful: /init for recurring instructions, /compact for a crowded conversation, /resume for unfinished work, and /rewind for an experiment you want to revisit.