Claude Code Cheat Sheet

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A searchable, printable Claude Code reference — CLI commands, slash commands, modes, flags, configuration and handy workflows. Free.

Launching

10
claude
Start an interactive session in the current dir
claude "fix the build"
Start with an initial prompt
claude -p "explain this repo"
Print mode: run once, print result, exit
cat log | claude -p "find the error"
Pipe stdin into print mode
claude -c / claude --continue
Continue the most recent conversation
claude -r / claude --resume
Resume: pick an earlier session
claude --resume <session-id>
Resume a specific session by id
claude update
Update the CLI to the latest version
claude doctor
Diagnose the installation and health
claude mcp
Configure MCP servers from the CLI

Slash commands

12
/help
List available commands and usage
/clear
Clear conversation history and context
/compact
Summarize and compact the context
/init
Generate a CLAUDE.md for the project
/model
Switch the active model
/agents
Create and manage subagents
/mcp
View and manage MCP server connections
/config
Open the settings / configuration panel
/review
Review a pull request or the current diff
/vim
Enable Vim keybindings in the prompt
/memory
Edit the CLAUDE.md memory files
/cost
Show token usage and cost for the session

Prompt prefixes

6
@path/to/file
Reference a file or directory in context
# remember this
Add a line to memory (choose which CLAUDE.md)
! ls -la
Bash mode: run a shell command directly
/command
Run a built-in or custom slash command
@folder/
Reference a whole directory
paste image
Paste a screenshot to include it

Modes

6
Shift + Tab
Cycle modes: normal → auto-accept → plan
auto-accept edits
Apply file edits without confirming each one
plan mode
Research and propose a plan; make no changes
normal mode
Ask for confirmation on each action
--permission-mode plan
Start directly in plan mode
--permission-mode acceptEdits
Start with edits auto-accepted

Keyboard shortcuts

9
Esc
Interrupt Claude mid-response
Esc Esc
Edit a previous message / rewind
Ctrl + C
Cancel current input or generation
Ctrl + D
Exit the Claude Code session
Ctrl + L
Clear the terminal screen
Ctrl + R
Toggle verbose / expanded output
Up / Down
Browse input history
Shift + Tab
Cycle permission modes
\ + Enter
Insert a newline in the prompt

Common flags

10
--model <name>
Choose the model (e.g. opus, sonnet)
--add-dir <path>
Grant access to an extra directory
--permission-mode <m>
plan | acceptEdits | default | bypassPermissions
--allowedTools "Bash,Edit"
Pre-allow specific tools
--disallowedTools "Bash"
Block specific tools
--output-format json
Structured output for scripting (print mode)
--max-turns 5
Limit agentic turns in print mode
--append-system-prompt "..."
Append to the system prompt
--verbose
Show full turn-by-turn output
--dangerously-skip-permissions
Skip all permission prompts (use with care)

Configuration & memory

9
.claude/settings.json
Project settings (shared, committed)
.claude/settings.local.json
Project settings (personal, git-ignored)
~/.claude/settings.json
User-level settings for all projects
CLAUDE.md
Project memory loaded into every session
CLAUDE.local.md
Personal project memory (git-ignored)
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md
Global memory for all projects
.claude/commands/*.md
Custom slash commands
.mcp.json
Project-scoped MCP server definitions
permissions.allow / deny
Allow / deny tool rules in settings.json

Hooks

8
PreToolUse
Run a command before a tool executes
PostToolUse
Run after a tool finishes (e.g. lint/format)
UserPromptSubmit
Run when you submit a prompt
Stop
Run when Claude finishes responding
SubagentStop
Run when a subagent finishes
SessionStart
Run when a session begins
Notification
Run on notifications (e.g. awaiting input)
matcher: "Edit|Write"
Scope a hook to specific tools

MCP servers

8
claude mcp add <name> -- <cmd>
Add a stdio MCP server
claude mcp add --transport http <name> <url>
Add a remote HTTP MCP server
claude mcp list
List configured MCP servers
claude mcp get <name>
Show details of one server
claude mcp remove <name>
Remove an MCP server
/mcp
View status and authenticate servers
--mcp-config <file>
Load MCP servers from a JSON file
@server:resource
Reference an MCP resource in a prompt

Handy workflows

8
claude "/review"
Review the current diff before committing
plan first, then build
Shift+Tab to plan mode, approve, then execute
# add a project convention
Quickly persist a rule to CLAUDE.md
@file.php explain this
Drop a file into context with a question
claude -p "..." | tee out.txt
Script Claude and capture the output
git diff | claude -p "write a commit msg"
Generate a commit message from a diff
/clear between tasks
Reset context when switching topics
/compact when long
Compact a long session to free up context

No entry matches “:q”.

About Claude Code Cheat Sheet

This Claude Code cheat sheet is a quick reference to the AI coding CLI: launching the tool, slash commands, prompt prefixes, modes, keyboard shortcuts, common flags, configuration and memory, hooks, MCP servers, and a section of handy workflows that combine them.

Agentic CLIs grow features quickly, and the useful ones — how to switch modes, which slash command manages memory, how to wire up an MCP server or a hook — are easy to forget between sessions. Each row here pairs the exact command or keystroke with a one-line description.

The sheet is free and rendered entirely in your browser. Filter it live with the search box, jump between sections from the sticky table of contents, copy any command with one click and print it as an onboarding hand-out for your team.

How to use Claude Code Cheat Sheet

  1. Skim the sections, from Launching and Slash commands through Hooks and MCP servers to Handy workflows.
  2. Search for a term like memory, mode or mcp to filter the commands live.
  3. Jump to a section such as Common flags or Configuration & memory via the sticky sidebar.
  4. Click a command or its copy icon to copy it into your terminal or notes.
  5. Print the sheet as a quick-start reference for teammates adopting the tool.

Frequently asked questions

Ten sections: launching, slash commands, prompt prefixes, modes, keyboard shortcuts, common flags, configuration and memory, hooks, MCP servers, and handy workflows that put the pieces together.

Developers using the Claude Code CLI — whether you are starting out and want the core slash commands, or already fluent and need a reminder of hook events, flags or MCP configuration.

Yes. Dedicated sections list the commands and configuration entries for hooks and for adding MCP servers, alongside workflow examples that show when to reach for them.

Yes. Click any command, or the copy icon on its row, and it is copied to your clipboard for pasting into a terminal.

Yes, it is free, searchable, printable and runs entirely in your browser.
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