Your AI Partner in the Terminal

Working Code

In a Claude Code session, type:

> /help

You'll see a list of available slash commands. Let's start with the most common ones:

> /status

This shows the current session state. Now let's work with files directly:

> Read the server.js file

Claude displays the file contents. Next, request a modification:

> Change the port number in server.js from 3000 to 8080

Claude shows the change as a diff and asks for approval. Press y to apply or n to cancel.

Try It Yourself

Follow these steps in order:

1. Run claude in any project.
2. Ask about a specific file's contents.
3. Request that Claude add a comment to that file.
4. Review the diff and try approving (y) or rejecting (n).

After approving, check in another terminal that the actual file has changed.

"Why?" — Why the Approval Flow Matters

Claude Code is a powerful tool that can directly modify files. That's why every change goes through your approval. This is both a safety mechanism and a learning opportunity. The habit of reading diffs builds your code review skills.

Key Slash Commands

| Command | Function | | ---------- | ----------------------------------------- | | /help | List available commands | | /status | Check current session state | | /clear | Reset conversation history | | /compact | Summarize conversation to save context | | /model | Check or change the current model | | /cost | View token usage and cost for the session |

Keyboard Shortcuts

| Key | Function | | -------- | ------------------------- | | Esc | Stop the current response | | Ctrl+C | End the session | | Tab | Autocomplete file paths |

Deep Dive