Claude Code Commands Cheat Sheet: Shortcuts, Flags, Settings

Claude Code commands come in two kinds: slash commands you type inside a session, such as /clear or /model, and shell commands with flags you type before it starts, such as claude -c. This cheat sheet lists the ones you will actually use, grouped by job, plus the keyboard shortcuts and the location of every settings file. Everything was checked against Anthropic's official commands reference in October 2026, when the current version was 2.1.302.

New to the tool? The beginner tutorial shows most of these in action, one step at a time.

Start, resume and update (in your shell)

Type these in Terminal or PowerShell, not inside Claude Code. The full list is in the CLI reference.

Everyday slash commands

Models, modes and permissions

Set up a project

Skills and MCP each have their own guide: how to create a Claude skill and what MCP is.

Check work and track usage

Account and everything else

Can't remember which command fits? Claude Code can answer questions about itself, so ask it directly:

I'm about to [TASK]. Which slash commands, shortcuts or settings would help me most? Explain each one in a single line and tell me when not to use it.

Keyboard shortcuts

From the interactive mode reference. Mac and Windows keys are the same unless noted.

In the desktop app, Shift+Tab doesn't cycle modes, so use the mode selector instead. Press Cmd+/ on a Mac or Ctrl+/ on Windows to see the app's own shortcuts.

Prefixes and multi-line input

Permission modes at a glance

Where settings and memory files live

~ means your home folder (%USERPROFILE% on Windows), ~/.claude is a hidden folder inside it, and a plain .claude means the folder inside your project. Details are in the official settings guide.

When the same setting appears in several files, the one highest in this order wins:

Lists such as permission rules are combined across files instead of replaced, and a deny rule anywhere beats an allow rule anywhere. What belongs inside the CLAUDE.md files has its own guide: the CLAUDE.md file explained.

A starter settings.json

Save this as .claude/settings.json in a project, or as ~/.claude/settings.json to apply it everywhere:

{
  "$schema": "https://json.schemastore.org/claude-code-settings.json",
  "permissions": {
    "defaultMode": "default",
    "deny": [
      "Read(./.env)",
      "Read(./.env.*)",
      "Read(./secrets/**)"
    ]
  }
}

"defaultMode": "default" makes new terminal sessions start in Manual mode, so Claude asks before each edit and command. The deny rules stop Claude's file tools from reading environment files, where passwords and keys usually live, and anything in a secrets folder.

Claude Code reloads most settings edits automatically. Run /status to confirm which files loaded.

What to do next

Print this page or keep it pinned, and learn three commands a week instead of all of them at once, starting with /clear, /context and /rewind. When long sessions start eating into your plan, the guide to Claude Code usage limits shows which of these commands stretch it furthest. The Claude Code course has a lesson dedicated to the shortcuts that save the most time.