EDIBLOG · AI NEWS · Claude Code Slash Commands
Claude Code no longer pauses every turn. /goal · /loop · /batch · /background
Anthropic’s official docs just bundled four new slash commands: /goal · /loop · /batch · /background. The old default — wait for user input every turn — just split into four autonomy modes: condition, interval, isolation, parallel. Here’s what changed and when to reach for which.
/goal
/loop v2.1.72+
/batch parallel PRs
/background v2.1.139+
01 · SHIFTFrom “pause every turn” to “autonomous until condition”
Claude Code stopped at the end of every turn. You had to type “continue” over and over. Tasks like migrations that need N replies meant you couldn’t step away. These four commands change that default assumption.
Long task = stops the moment you leave
branch
Detached session / 5–30 parallel PRs
02 · INDICESFour commands at a glance
The official docs spell out, per command, how the next turn starts and what stops it. Token usage and operational overhead are the axes that diverge most.
03 · CAVEATAutonomy has a price tag
official docs
“Running several sessions or subagents at once multiplies token usage.”
Key point: /batch spins up 5–30 background subagents simultaneously, multiplying token usage. It also requires a git repository — each subagent works in an isolated worktree, then opens a PR. /goal runs a fast eval model (Haiku by default) on every turn to check the condition, but the docs note that “eval tokens are negligible compared to main-turn spend.”
/background processes stop after 1 hour of inactivity, but state persists on disk so claude respawn --all brings them back. /loop only runs while the session is open and auto-expires after 7 days.
04 · WHENWhen to reach for each one
Migrate a module until tests pass, implement a design doc until acceptance criteria are met, work the backlog until the queue is empty — anything with a clear stop condition
Poll a deploy until it’s done, watch a PR for new reviews, check a long-running build — anything that needs periodic re-checks. Omit the interval and Claude picks one between 1 minute and 1 hour
Codebase-wide migrations and mechanical refactors like “migrate src/ from Solid to React.” Auto-decomposed into 5–30 independent units, each landing as a worktree-scoped PR
Detach long-running tasks like “run the tests and fix what fails” so your terminal is free for other work. Track progress in the
claude agents view
These four aren’t mutually exclusive. Set a /goal inside /background so the detached session runs autonomously until the condition is met, or use /loop to poll a /goal’s progress on an interval.
“The era of pause-every-turn-by-default is over. Now you pick which of four autonomy modes fits the job.”
— ediblog · release notes recap
This isn’t just new features — Claude Code’s execution model itself has branched. Map your work to the right autonomy mode ahead of time and you’re set.
Disclosure: Based on official docs. No first-hand usage report. No ads, no affiliate links.
This post is part of an English mirror of a Korean dev experiments blog. Cross-posted for the global developer audience.