--- title: "CLI reference" description: "> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further." type: skill canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/cli-reference source: "Claudary" difficulty: intermediate author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack" date: 2026-07-10T11:14:02.013Z license: CC-BY-4.0 attribution: "CLI reference — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/cli-reference)" --- # CLI reference > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. ## Overview > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # CLI reference > Complete reference for Claude Code command-line interface, including commands and flags. ## CLI commands You can start sessions, pipe content, resume conversations, and manage updates with these commands: | Command | Description | Example | | :------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | :---------------------------------------------------------- | | `claude` | Start interactive session | `claude` | | `claude "query"` | Start interactive session with initial prompt | `claude "explain this project"` | | `claude -p "query"` | Query via SDK, then exit | `claude -p "explain this function"` | | `cat file \\| claude -p "query"` | Process piped content | `cat logs.txt \\| claude -p "explain"` | | `claude -c` | Continue most recent conversation in current directory | `claude -c` | | `claude -c -p "query"` | Continue via SDK | `claude -c -p "Check for type errors"` | | `claude -r "" "query"` | Resume session by ID or name | `claude -r "auth-refactor" "Finish this PR"` | | `claude update` | Update to latest version | `claude update` | | `claude install [version]` | Install or reinstall the native binary. Accepts a version like `2.1.118`, or `stable` or `latest`. See [Install a specific version](/en/setup#install-a-specific-version) | `claude install stable` | | `claude auth login` | Sign in to your Anthropic account. Use `--email` to pre-fill your email address, `--sso` to force SSO authentication, and `--console` to sign in with Anthropic Console for API usage billing instead of a Claude subscription | `claude auth login --console` | | `claude auth logout` | Log out from your Anthropic account | `claude auth logout` | | `claude auth status` | Show authentication status as JSON. Use `--text` for human-readable output. Exits with code 0 if logged in, 1 if not | `claude auth status` | | `claude agents` | List all configured [subagents](/en/sub-agents), grouped by source | `claude agents` | | `claude auto-mode defaults` | Print the built-in [auto mode](/en/permission-modes#eliminate-prompts-with-auto-mode) classifier rules as JSON. Use `claude auto-mode config` to see your effective config with settings applied | `claude auto-mode defaults > rules.json` | | `claude mcp` | Configure Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers | See the [Claude Code MCP documentation](/en/mcp). | | `claude plugin` | Manage Claude Code [plugins](/en/plugins). Alias: `claude plugins`. See [plugin reference](/en/plugins-reference#cli-commands-reference) for subcommands | `claude plugin install code-review@claude-plugins-official` | | `claude remote-control` | Start a [Remote Control](/en/remote-control) server to control Claude Code from Claude.ai or the Claude app. Runs in server mode (no local interactive session). See [Server mode flags](/en/remote-control#start-a-remote-control-session) | `claude remote-control --name "My Project"` | | `claude setup-token` | Generate a long-lived OAuth token for CI and scripts. Prints the token to the terminal without saving it. Requires a Claude subscription. See [Generate a long-lived token](/en/authentication#generate-a-long-lived-token) | `claude setup-token` | If you mistype a subcommand, Claude Code suggests the closest match and exits without starting a session. For example, `claude udpate` prints `Did you mean claude update?`. ## CLI flags Customize Claude Code's behavior with these command-line flags. `claude --help` does not list every flag, so a flag's absence from `--help` does not mean it is unavailable. | Flag | Description | Example | | :---------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `--add-dir` | Add additional working directories for Claude to read and edit files. Grants file access; most `.claude/` configuration is [not discovered](/en/permissions#additional-directories-grant-file-access-not-configuration) from these directories. Validates each path exists as a directory | `claude --add-dir ../apps ../lib` | | `--agent` | Specify an agent for the current session (overrides the `agent` setting) | `claude --agent my-custom-agent` | | `--agents` | Define custom subagents dynamically via JSON. Uses the same field names as subagent [frontmatter](/en/sub-agents#supported-frontmatter-fields), plus a `prompt` field for the agent's instructions | `claude --agents '{"reviewer":{"description":"Reviews code","prompt":"You are a code reviewer"}}'` | | `--allow-dangerously-skip-permissions` | Add `bypassPermissions` to the `Shift+Tab` mode cycle without starting in it. Lets you begin in a different mode like `plan` and switch to `bypassPermissions` later. See [permission modes](/en/permission-modes#skip-all-checks-with-bypasspermissions-mode) | `claude --permission-mode plan --allow-dangerously-skip-permissions` | | `--allowedTools` | Tools that execute without prompting for permission. See [permission rule syntax](/en/settings#permission-rule-syntax) for pattern matching. To restrict which tools are available, use `--tools` instead | `"Bash(git log *)" "Bash(git diff *)" "Read"` | | `--append-system-prompt` | Append custom text to the end of the default system prompt | `claude --append-system-prompt "Always use TypeScript"` | | `--append-system-prompt-file` | Load additional system prompt text from a file and append to the default prompt | `claude --append-system-prompt-file ./extra-rules.txt` | | `--bare` | Minimal mode: skip auto-discovery of hooks, skills, plugins, MCP servers, auto memory, and CLAUDE.md so scripted calls start faster. Claude has access to Bash, file read, and file edit tools. Sets [`CLAUDE_CODE_SIMPLE`](/en/env-vars). See [bare mode](/en/headless#start-faster-with-bare-mode) | `claude --bare -p "query"` | | `--betas` | Beta headers to include in API requests (API key users only) | `claude --betas interleaved-thinking` | | `--channels` | (Research preview) MCP servers whose [channel](/en/channels) notifications Claude should listen for in this session. Space-separated list of `plugin:@` entries. Requires Claude.ai authentication | `claude --channels plugin:my-notifier@my-marketplace` | | `--chrome` | Enable [Chrome browser integration](/en/chrome) for web automation and testing | `claude --chrome` | | `--continue`, `-c` | Load the most recent conversation in the current directory. Includes sessions that added this directory with `/add-dir` | `claud --- Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/cli-reference) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com