Toggle /fast for Quicker Responses on Simple Tasks
When you're doing something straightforward — renaming a variable, adding a simple method, asking a quick question — you don't need Claude to deliberate. Fast mode gets you the answer sooner.
> /fast
Fast mode enabled.
> add a created_at timestamp to the orders table migration
Fast mode uses the same Claude model but optimizes for speed over depth. Responses come back noticeably quicker, which adds up fast during a session with lots of small tasks.
Toggle it off just as easily when the task gets complex:
> /fast
Fast mode disabled.
> refactor the payment processing pipeline to support multiple providers
The key is matching the mode to the task. Some tasks benefit from Claude taking its time — architectural decisions, complex debugging, multi-file refactors. Others just need a quick, correct answer.
Tasks that work great in fast mode:
- Simple edits — add a field, rename a method, update a constant
- Quick questions — "what does this function return?", "where is this route defined?"
- Boilerplate — generate a migration, scaffold a test, add an import
- Small fixes — typos, missing semicolons, wrong return types
- Routine commands — "run the tests", "show me the git log"
Tasks where you want fast mode off:
- Architecture decisions — designing a new system or restructuring an existing one
- Complex debugging — tracing a subtle bug across multiple files
- Large refactors — changes that cascade through the codebase
Use /fast like a gear shift — low gear for heavy lifting, high gear for cruising.
via Claude Code
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When Claude starts referencing files you've since deleted, remembering old code you've already changed, or getting confused by contradictory instructions from a long session — type /clear to wipe the slate clean. Unlike /compact which preserves context, /clear gives you a true fresh start without restarting the CLI.
Long sessions eat through your context window as conversation history piles up. Type /compact to summarize the conversation so far and reclaim space — keeping Claude's understanding of what you're working on while freeing up room for more work.
Type /cost at any point to see how many tokens you've used in the current session, how much it's costing, and which operations are consuming the most context — so you can make informed decisions about when to /compact, /clear, or switch models.