Run claude update to Stay on the Latest Version with New Features and Fixes
Claude Code improves constantly — new slash commands, faster tool execution, better code understanding, and bug fixes ship regularly. If you installed it weeks ago, you're probably missing features.
claude update
That's it. Claude Code downloads and installs the latest version. Your settings, CLAUDE.md files, custom commands, and MCP configurations are all preserved — nothing changes except the tool itself gets better.
Check your current version anytime:
claude --version
If you're managing Claude Code across a team, you can pin to specific versions in your project setup:
# Check the installed version
claude --version
# Update to the latest
claude update
# Verify the update
claude --version
Why staying updated matters:
- New features — commands, flags, and capabilities that didn't exist when you installed
- Performance — faster file reading, better context management, improved caching
- Model improvements — better code understanding, fewer mistakes, improved tool use
- Bug fixes — edge cases that caused errors or unexpected behavior
- Security patches — fixes for any vulnerabilities discovered since your version
A few tips for managing updates:
- Update before starting a major task — new versions often handle complex work better
- Check the changelog if you want to know what's new before updating
- If an update causes issues, you can install a specific older version
- Team leads can coordinate update timing to avoid surprises during critical work
Claude Code is a tool that gets better over time — claude update makes sure you're using the best version available.
via Claude Code
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When Claude writes error messages, button labels, validation text, or onboarding flows, it defaults to generic developer-speak. Add a "Users" section to your CLAUDE.md describing who your actual users are — their technical level, industry jargon, and what they care about — so Claude writes copy that makes sense to THEM, not to developers.
Use the --agent flag with custom markdown files in .claude/agents/ to launch purpose-built Claude sessions with restricted tools and scoped system prompts.
Every project has traps — the billing module that silently fails if you forget to queue the job, the legacy table with column names that don't match the model, the config value that must be set before tests run. Document these gotchas in your CLAUDE.md so Claude avoids the same mistakes your team spent days debugging.