This page covers the input methods, shortcuts, and permission modes of the interactive session (REPL) you meet when running Claude Code in the terminal.

Background reference

This page is background material on Claude Code itself, the platform MoAI-ADK runs on. MoAI-ADK’s own features are covered in the sections above it in the sidebar.

Info

One-line summary: Interactive mode is Claude Code’s cockpit — the place where every input converges, from a one-line prompt to / commands, ! bash execution, @ file references, and image pasting.

Running the claude command opens an interactive REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop). Here you send requests in natural language, and Claude responds by reading and modifying code and running commands. One request and response is called a turn, and conversational context accumulates while the session is alive.

The basic flow is simple.

1. Run claude → interactive session starts
2. Type a prompt → submit with Enter
3. Claude responds (tool calls + results)
4. Repeat follow-up requests → context accumulates
5. /clear for a new session, Ctrl+D to exit

While a session runs, input history is saved per working directory, and for complex multi-step work Claude creates a task list to track progress.

The input box in an interactive session is not a plain text field. Its behavior changes based on the first character.

Typing / at the very start of the input box brings up a menu of all available commands. Built-in commands, bundled skills, user-written skills, and commands contributed by plugins and MCP servers all gather in one menu. Continue typing after / and candidates narrow in real time. See the Slash Commands document for the full list.

Starting with ! switches to shell mode, where the command runs immediately without Claude’s interpretation.

! npm test
! git status
! ls -la

Shell mode adds the command and its output to the conversation context, so Claude stays aware of the results even during quick shell work. Long commands can be sent to the background with Ctrl+B, and you exit shell mode with Escape or Backspace on an empty input.

Typing @ brings up file-path autocomplete. Selecting a file pulls it into Claude’s context, so requests like “fix this file” land precisely.

Paste a screenshot or design mock with Ctrl+V and an [Image #N] chip is inserted at the cursor. Chips can be referenced positionally within the prompt, letting you mix text and images in an explanation.

Key shortcuts for the interactive session. Some behaviors may differ by platform and terminal.

Pressing Esc twice with an empty input box opens the rewind menu. It restores code and conversation to an earlier point or summarizes them; details are covered in the Checkpointing document.

Ctrl+R searches previous commands interactively. Type a query and matches are highlighted; press Ctrl+R again to move to older matches. Ctrl+S changes the search scope (this session / this project / all projects), Tab or Esc accepts for editing, and Enter runs immediately.

Option-key combos like Alt+B, Alt+F, and Alt+P require the terminal’s Option key to be set as Meta on macOS. In iTerm2, set Option to “Esc+” under Keys; in Apple Terminal, enable “Use Option as Meta Key”.

Claude Code controls how far file modifications and command execution are allowed automatically via permission modes. Cycle through modes with Shift+Tab.

flowchart TD
    A[Cycle modes with
Shift+Tab] --> B[default
Approval every time]
    B --> C[plan
Plan only]
    C --> D[acceptEdits
Auto-accept edits]
    D --> E[bypassPermissions
Bypass prompts]
    E --> B

Bypass mode skips permission checks, so it is only safe in trusted, isolated environments. MoAI-ADK uses these modes to match its workflow stages as well. Plan mode in particular sits on exactly the same philosophy as MoAI-ADK’s Implementation Kickoff Approval gate (the plan→run human gate) — “review the plan deeply, start implementation only after approval.” Fixing direction with cheap read-only turns before entering the expensive implementation turns is also the most economical choice in token terms.

How to enter multiple lines in one prompt varies by terminal.

If you need the Shift+Enter binding in VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Zed, and similar, run /terminal-setup.

Enable vim-style editing under Editor mode in /config. Move between NORMAL and INSERT modes with Esc and i/a, and use familiar vim behaviors as-is — h/j/k/l movement, dd/yy/p editing, and text objects like iw/a". Note that Ctrl+V block visual mode is not supported.

Adjust the theme, display options, and settings like Session recap in /config. Other frequently used extras include:

• /btw: quickly ask about the current work without polluting the conversation history. The answer appears only as a transient overlay.
• /recap: generates a session recap. It activates automatically for sessions longer than 3 minutes or beyond 3 turns.
• Task list: expand or collapse the task list Claude built for multi-step work with Ctrl+T. The task list survives context compaction.
• Extended thinking toggle: turn extended thinking mode on and off with Option+T (macOS) or Alt+T.

• Slash Commands
• Checkpointing
• Quickstart

• Claude Code Interactive mode (official docs)

Tip

The safest and fastest flow is to start in plan mode with Shift+Tab, confirm Claude’s approach first, then switch to acceptEdits once trust is established.