Toggle /fast Mode for Quicker Responses When Speed Beats Depth
Not every prompt needs Claude's deepest thinking. When you're asking quick questions, making small edits, or doing rapid iteration, the default output speed can feel slow. Toggle fast mode on.
/fast
Claude switches to faster output — same model, same capabilities, but optimized for speed over thoroughness. You'll notice responses arrive noticeably quicker.
Toggle it off when you need Claude to think harder:
/fast
It's a toggle — run it once to enable, run it again to disable. The mode persists until you switch it.
When to use fast mode:
- Quick lookups — "what's the syntax for a Laravel migration rollback?"
- Simple edits — "rename this variable from
usrtouser" - Rapid iteration — making small tweaks and testing repeatedly
- Boilerplate generation — creating standard files, templates, stubs
- Yes/no questions — "does this function handle null input?"
When to use normal mode:
- Architecture decisions — planning a new feature or refactor
- Complex debugging — tracing a subtle bug through multiple files
- Security reviews — where missing something matters
- Large refactors — changes that touch many files and need careful coordination
A typical workflow switches between both:
# Start in normal mode for planning
"Plan how to add search to the API"
# Switch to fast for the implementation
/fast
"Create the search endpoint"
"Add the route"
"Write the test"
# Back to normal for review
/fast
"Review everything we just built for edge cases"
Fast mode is like shifting gears — cruise in normal, sprint in fast, shift based on what the road ahead looks like.
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.
Not every task needs deep reasoning. Type /fast to switch Claude Code into fast mode — same model, faster output — for quick edits, simple questions, and routine changes. Toggle it off when you need Claude to think harder on complex problems.
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.