⚡ Claude Code Cheat Sheet

v1.0 · March 2026 · code.claude.com/docs
⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts
General Controls
CtrlC Cancel input/generation
CtrlD Exit session
CtrlL Clear screen
CtrlO Toggle verbose output
CtrlR Reverse search history
CtrlG Open prompt in editor
CtrlB Background running task
CtrlT Toggle task list
CtrlV Paste image
CtrlF Kill background agents (×2)
EscEsc Rewind / undo
Mode Switching
ShiftTab Cycle permission modes
AltP Switch model
AltT Toggle thinking
Input
\Enter Newline (quick)
CtrlJ Newline (control seq)
Prefixes
/ Slash command
! Direct bash
@ File mention + autocomplete
Session Picker
↑↓ Navigate
←→ Expand/collapse
P Preview
R Rename
/ Search
A All projects
B Current branch
🔌 MCP Servers
Add Servers
--transport http Remote HTTP (recommended)
--transport stdio Local process
--transport sse Remote SSE
Scopes
Local ~/.claude.json (per project)
Project .mcp.json (shared/VCS)
User ~/.claude.json (global)
Manage
/mcp Interactive UI
claude mcp list List all servers
claude mcp serve CC as MCP server
⚡ Slash Commands
Session
/clear Clear conversation
/compact [focus] Compact context
/resume Resume/switch session
/rename [name] Name current session
/fork [name] Fork conversation
/cost Token usage stats
/context Visualize context (grid)
/diff Interactive diff viewer
/copy Copy last response
/export Export conversation
Config
/config Open settings
/model [model] Switch model (←→ effort)
/fast [on|off] Toggle fast mode
/vim Toggle vim mode
/theme Change color theme
/permissions View/update permissions
/output-style Switch output style
Tools
/init Create CLAUDE.md
/memory Edit CLAUDE.md files
/mcp Manage MCP servers
/hooks Manage hooks
/skills List available skills
/agents Manage agents
/chrome Chrome integration
Special
/btw <question> Side question (no context)NEW
/plan Enter plan mode
/loop [interval] Schedule recurring task
/doctor Diagnose installation
/rc Enable remote control
/pr-comments [PR] Fetch GitHub PR comments
/stats Usage streaks & prefs
/insights Analyze sessions report
/desktop Continue in Desktop app
/stickers Order stickers! 🎉
📁 Memory & Files
CLAUDE.md Locations
./CLAUDE.md Project (team-shared)
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md Personal (all projects)
/etc/claude-code/ Managed (org-wide)
Rules & Import
.claude/rules/*.md Project rules
~/.claude/rules/*.md User rules
paths: frontmatter Path-specific rules
@path/to/file Import in CLAUDE.md
Auto Memory
~/.claude/projects/<proj>/memory/
MEMORY.md + topic files, auto-loaded
🧠 Workflows & Tips
Plan Mode
ShiftTab Normal → Auto → Plan
--permission-mode plan Start in plan mode
Extended Thinking
AltT Toggle thinking on/off
"ultrathink" Max effort for turn
CtrlO See thinking (verbose)
/model ←→ Adjust effort level
Git Worktrees
--worktree name Isolated branch per feature
isolation: worktree Agent in own worktree
/batch Auto-creates worktrees
Context Management
/context Visual context usage
/compact [focus] Compress with focus
Auto-compact ~95% capacity
CLAUDE.md Survives compaction!
Session Power Moves
claude -c Continue last conv
claude -r "name" Resume by name
/btw question Side Q, no context cost
SDK / Headless
claude -p "query" Non-interactive
--output-format json Structured output
--max-budget-usd 5 Cost cap
cat file | claude -p Pipe input
Scheduling & Remote
/loop 5m msg Recurring task
/rc Remote control
--remote Web session on claude.ai
⚙️ Config & Env
Config Files
~/.claude/settings.json User settings
.claude/settings.json Project (shared)
.claude/settings.local.json Local only
~/.claude.json OAuth, MCP, state
.mcp.json Project MCP servers
Key Env Vars
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
ANTHROPIC_MODEL
CLAUDE_CODE_EFFORT_LEVEL low/med/high
MAX_THINKING_TOKENS 0=off
CLAUDE_AUTOCOMPACT_PCT_OVERRIDE
🔧 Skills & Agents
Built-in Skills
/simplify Code review (3 parallel agents)
/batch Large parallel changes (5-30 worktrees)
/debug [desc] Troubleshoot from debug log
/loop [interval] Recurring scheduled task
/claude-api Load API + SDK reference
Custom Skill Locations
.claude/skills/<name>/ Project skills
~/.claude/skills/<name>/ Personal skills
Skill Frontmatter
description Auto-invocation trigger
allowed-tools Skip permission prompts
model Override model for skill
context: fork Run in subagent
$ARGUMENTS User input placeholder
!`cmd` Dynamic context injection
Built-in Agents
Explore Fast read-only (Haiku)
Plan Research for plan mode
General Full tools, complex tasks
Bash Terminal separate context
Agent Frontmatter
permissionMode default/acceptEdits/dontAsk/plan
isolation: worktree Run in git worktree
memory: user|project Persistent memory
background: true Background task
maxTurns Limit agentic turns
🖥️ CLI & Flags
Core Commands
claude Interactive
claude "q" With prompt
claude -p "q" Headless
claude -c Continue last
claude -r "n" Resume
claude update Update
Key Flags
--model Set model
-w Git worktree
--add-dir Add dir
--agent Use agent
--allowedTools Pre-approve
--output-format json/stream
--json-schema Structured
--max-turns Limit turns
--max-budget-usd Cost cap
--verbose Verbose
--remote Web session
--chrome Chrome