Overview

Slash commands are special commands prefixed with / that provide quick access to Claude Code features and custom functionality. They can execute bash scripts, reference files, and accept arguments.

Built-in Commands

Claude Code includes 30+ built-in slash commands for managing configuration and features:

Custom Slash Commands

Create custom commands as markdown files in specific directories. Project commands override personal commands with the same name.

File Locations

Command Naming

Command filenames determine the slash command name:

• review.md becomes /review
• run-tests.md becomes /run-tests
• deploy-prod.md becomes /deploy-prod

Command Structure

Commands are markdown files with optional YAML frontmatter and support special syntax for arguments, bash execution, and file references.

Basic Command Example

---
description: Run the test suite
allowed-tools: Bash
---

Run the project's test suite:

!`npm test`

Report the results and any failures.

Arguments: $ARGUMENTS and Positional

Commands can accept arguments using special variables:

• $ARGUMENTS - All arguments as a single string
• $1, $2, $3, etc. - Individual positional arguments

---
description: Search codebase for a pattern
argument-hint: search-pattern
allowed-tools: Grep, Read
---

Search the codebase for: $ARGUMENTS

Use Grep to find all occurrences and provide context.

Usage: /search "authentication logic"

Bash Execution with !

Execute bash commands inline using the !`command` syntax:

---
description: Show git status and recent commits
allowed-tools: Bash
---

Here's the current repository status:

!`git status`

Recent commits:

!`git log --oneline -10`

Analyze the state and suggest next steps.

File References with @

Reference files using @filename syntax to include their contents in context:

---
description: Review the main application file
allowed-tools: Read
---

Review the following file for code quality and best practices:

@src/app.js

Provide specific recommendations for improvements.

Combined Example

---
description: Analyze test coverage for a specific file
argument-hint: file-path
allowed-tools: Bash, Read, Grep
---

Analyzing test coverage for: $1

Source file:
@$1

Running coverage:
!`npm run test:coverage -- $1`

Find related test files:
!`find . -name "*$1*.test.js" -o -name "*$1*.spec.js"`

Provide a detailed coverage analysis and suggest missing test cases.

Frontmatter Configuration

Configure command behavior using YAML frontmatter at the top of the markdown file:

Full Example

---
description: Deploy application to specified environment
argument-hint: environment (staging|production)
allowed-tools: Bash
model: sonnet
---

Deploying to environment: $1

Pre-deployment checks:
!`npm run lint && npm run test`

Build for production:
!`npm run build`

Deploy to $1:
!`npm run deploy:$1`

Verify deployment:
!`curl https://$1.example.com/health`

Report deployment status and any issues.

Plugin Commands

Plugins can provide their own slash commands, which are automatically namespaced to prevent conflicts.

Namespacing Pattern

Plugin commands use the pattern /pluginname__commandname:

• Plugin: my-plugin
• Command file: my-plugin/commands/analyze.md
• Slash command: /my-plugin__analyze

MCP Slash Commands

Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers can expose prompts as slash commands using a special naming pattern.

Pattern: /mcp__server__prompt

MCP prompts are automatically available as slash commands:

• MCP Server: github
• Prompt name: create-issue
• Slash command: /mcp__github__create-issue

SlashCommand Tool

Claude can programmatically invoke slash commands using the SlashCommand tool. This enables autonomous command execution based on context.

How It Works

When Claude has access to the SlashCommand tool, it can:

• Automatically invoke appropriate commands based on conversation context
• Chain multiple commands together for complex workflows
• Execute commands with dynamic arguments

Enabling SlashCommand Tool

Configure in .claude/settings.json:

{
  "tools": {
    "SlashCommand": {
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

Skills vs Slash Commands

Understanding the difference between Skills and Slash Commands helps you choose the right tool for your workflow.

Best Practices

Related