Type ! Before a Command to Run It Inline Without Leaving Your Session

Sometimes you want to run a command yourself — check test output, verify a build, or inspect something — without asking Claude to do it and without leaving the session. Just prefix with !.

! npm test

The command runs in your shell and the output lands directly in the conversation. Claude sees it too, so you can immediately follow up with "fix that failing test" and it already has the error output.

This is useful when you want to stay in control:

# Check the current state before asking Claude to make changes
! git status
! git diff --stat

# Run tests yourself to verify Claude's changes
! php artisan test --compact

# Inspect something without burning Claude's tool-use turns
! docker ps
! curl -s localhost:3000/health

The difference from asking Claude to run a command:

• ! command — you run it. Instant, no approval needed, no tool call. Output goes into the conversation as context.
• "run command" — Claude runs it. Goes through the tool-use flow, may need permission approval, counts toward turns.

A few practical patterns:

# Start a dev server in the background
! npm run dev &

# Check logs while debugging with Claude
! tail -20 storage/logs/laravel.log

# Verify a migration before Claude writes the next one
! php artisan migrate:status

The ! command inherits your full shell environment — aliases, PATH, environment variables, everything. It's exactly like running the command in your terminal, but the output stays in Claude's context.

! keeps you in the driver's seat — run commands yourself when you want control, ask Claude when you want help.

via Claude Code