CLI usage and controls

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Getting started

Claude Code provides two main ways to interact:

• Interactive mode: Run claude to start a REPL session
• One-shot mode: Use claude -p "query" for quick commands

# Start interactive mode
claude

# Start with an initial query
claude "explain this project"

# Run a single command and exit
claude -p "what does this function do?"

# Process piped content
cat logs.txt | claude -p "analyze these errors"

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CLI commands

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CLI flags

Customize Claude Code’s behavior with these command-line flags:

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Print mode details

The -p (or --print) flag enables non-interactive mode in Claude Code, allowing you to pipe input and output for programmatic use. This flag supports various output formats for different use cases.

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Basic usage

# Basic print mode - outputs just the final response text
claude -p "Explain how to use the print flag"

# With stdin input
echo "What is 2+2?" | claude -p

# Resume a session in print mode with a prompt
claude -p --resume <session-id> "Resume session with this prompt"

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Output formats

The --output-format option (used with -p) supports three formats:

1. Text Output (default)

claude -p "Explain the output formats"
# Outputs just the response text

2. JSON Output

claude -p --output-format json "Explain how to use JSON output"

Outputs a structured JSON object:

{
  "cost_usd": 0.003,
  "duration_ms": 1234,
  "duration_api_ms": 800,
  "result": "The response text here...",
  "session_id": "abc123"
}

3. Streaming JSON Output

claude -p --output-format stream-json "Create a Python script"

In streaming mode, each message is output as a separate JSON object as it’s received:

• Tool use messages
• Assistant text messages
• Tool result messages
• Final system message with stats

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Verbose output with print mode

When using --verbose with -p, it must be paired with --output-format json or --output-format stream-json:

claude -p --verbose --output-format json "Debug this code"

In verbose JSON mode, the output includes the full conversation transcript:

[
  {
    "role": "user",
    "content": "Debug this code"
  },
  {
    "role": "assistant",
    "content": "I'll help you debug that code..."
  },
  {
    "role": "system",
    "cost_usd": 0.003,
    "duration_ms": 1234,
    "duration_api_ms": 800,
    "result": "The response text here...",
    "session_id": "abc123"
  }
]

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Additional options for print mode

Max Turns

claude -p --max-turns 3 "Fix this code" < file.py

Limits the number of agentic turns in non-interactive mode.

Permission Prompt Tool

claude -p --permission-prompt-tool mcp_auth_tool "Create a file"

Specifies an MCP tool to handle permission prompts in non-interactive mode.

Resume Session

claude -p --resume abc123 "Resume session with this prompt"

Resume a specific session by ID in print mode with a new prompt.

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Continue Session

claude -c -p "Continue with this next task"

Continue the last conversation in this project.

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Slash commands

Control Claude’s behavior during an interactive session:

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Special shortcuts

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Quick memory with #

Add memories instantly by starting your input with #:

# Always use descriptive variable names

You’ll be prompted to select which memory file to store this in.

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Line breaks in terminal

Enter multiline commands using:

• Quick escape: Type \ followed by Enter
• Keyboard shortcut: Option+Enter (or Shift+Enter if configured)

To set up Option+Enter in your terminal:

For Mac Terminal.app:

1. Open Settings → Profiles → Keyboard
2. Check “Use Option as Meta Key”

For iTerm2 and VSCode terminal:

1. Open Settings → Profiles → Keys
2. Under General, set Left/Right Option key to “Esc+”

Tip for iTerm2 and VSCode users: Run /terminal-setup within Claude Code to automatically configure Shift+Enter as a more intuitive alternative.

See terminal setup in settings for configuration details.

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Vim Mode

Claude Code supports a subset of Vim keybindings that can be enabled with /vim or configured via /config.

The supported subset includes:

• Mode switching: Esc (to NORMAL), i/I, a/A, o/O (to INSERT)
• Navigation: h/j/k/l, w/e/b, 0/$/^, gg/G
• Editing: x, dw/de/db/dd/D, cw/ce/cb/cc/C, . (repeat)