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clawdbot/docs/tools/slash-commands.md
2026-01-23 00:49:40 +00:00

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---
summary: "Slash commands: text vs native, config, and supported commands"
read_when:
- Using or configuring chat commands
- Debugging command routing or permissions
---
# Slash commands
Commands are handled by the Gateway. Most commands must be sent as a **standalone** message that starts with `/`.
The host-only bash chat command uses `! <cmd>` (with `/bash <cmd>` as an alias).
There are two related systems:
- **Commands**: standalone `/...` messages.
- **Directives**: `/think`, `/verbose`, `/reasoning`, `/elevated`, `/exec`, `/model`, `/queue`.
- Directives are stripped from the message before the model sees it.
- In normal chat messages (not directive-only), they are treated as “inline hints” and do **not** persist session settings.
- In directive-only messages (the message contains only directives), they persist to the session and reply with an acknowledgement.
There are also a few **inline shortcuts** (allowlisted/authorized senders only): `/help`, `/commands`, `/status`, `/whoami` (`/id`).
They run immediately, are stripped before the model sees the message, and the remaining text continues through the normal flow.
## Config
```json5
{
commands: {
native: "auto",
nativeSkills: "auto",
text: true,
bash: false,
bashForegroundMs: 2000,
config: false,
debug: false,
restart: false,
useAccessGroups: true
}
}
```
- `commands.text` (default `true`) enables parsing `/...` in chat messages.
- On surfaces without native commands (WhatsApp/WebChat/Signal/iMessage/MS Teams), text commands still work even if you set this to `false`.
- `commands.native` (default `"auto"`) registers native commands.
- Auto: on for Discord/Telegram; off for Slack (until you add slash commands); ignored for providers without native support.
- Set `channels.discord.commands.native`, `channels.telegram.commands.native`, or `channels.slack.commands.native` to override per provider (bool or `"auto"`).
- `false` clears previously registered commands on Discord/Telegram at startup. Slack commands are managed in the Slack app and are not removed automatically.
- `commands.nativeSkills` (default `"auto"`) registers **skill** commands natively when supported.
- Auto: on for Discord/Telegram; off for Slack (Slack requires creating a slash command per skill).
- Set `channels.discord.commands.nativeSkills`, `channels.telegram.commands.nativeSkills`, or `channels.slack.commands.nativeSkills` to override per provider (bool or `"auto"`).
- `commands.bash` (default `false`) enables `! <cmd>` to run host shell commands (`/bash <cmd>` is an alias; requires `tools.elevated` allowlists).
- `commands.bashForegroundMs` (default `2000`) controls how long bash waits before switching to background mode (`0` backgrounds immediately).
- `commands.config` (default `false`) enables `/config` (reads/writes `clawdbot.json`).
- `commands.debug` (default `false`) enables `/debug` (runtime-only overrides).
- `commands.useAccessGroups` (default `true`) enforces allowlists/policies for commands.
## Command list
Text + native (when enabled):
- `/help`
- `/commands`
- `/skill <name> [input]` (run a skill by name)
- `/status` (show current status; includes provider usage/quota for the current model provider when available)
- `/allowlist` (list/add/remove allowlist entries)
- `/context [list|detail|json]` (explain “context”; `detail` shows per-file + per-tool + per-skill + system prompt size)
- `/whoami` (show your sender id; alias: `/id`)
- `/subagents list|stop|log|info|send` (inspect, stop, log, or message sub-agent runs for the current session)
- `/config show|get|set|unset` (persist config to disk, owner-only; requires `commands.config: true`)
- `/debug show|set|unset|reset` (runtime overrides, owner-only; requires `commands.debug: true`)
- `/usage off|tokens|full|cost` (per-response usage footer or local cost summary)
- `/stop`
- `/restart`
- `/dock-telegram` (alias: `/dock_telegram`) (switch replies to Telegram)
- `/dock-discord` (alias: `/dock_discord`) (switch replies to Discord)
- `/dock-slack` (alias: `/dock_slack`) (switch replies to Slack)
- `/activation mention|always` (groups only)
- `/send on|off|inherit` (owner-only)
- `/reset` or `/new [model]` (optional model hint; remainder is passed through)
- `/think <off|minimal|low|medium|high|xhigh>` (dynamic choices by model/provider; aliases: `/thinking`, `/t`)
- `/verbose on|full|off` (alias: `/v`)
- `/reasoning on|off|stream` (alias: `/reason`; when on, sends a separate message prefixed `Reasoning:`; `stream` = Telegram draft only)
- `/elevated on|off|ask|full` (alias: `/elev`; `full` skips exec approvals)
- `/exec host=<sandbox|gateway|node> security=<deny|allowlist|full> ask=<off|on-miss|always> node=<id>` (send `/exec` to show current)
- `/model <name>` (alias: `/models`; or `/<alias>` from `agents.defaults.models.*.alias`)
- `/queue <mode>` (plus options like `debounce:2s cap:25 drop:summarize`; send `/queue` to see current settings)
- `/bash <command>` (host-only; alias for `! <command>`; requires `commands.bash: true` + `tools.elevated` allowlists)
Text-only:
- `/compact [instructions]` (see [/concepts/compaction](/concepts/compaction))
- `! <command>` (host-only; one at a time; use `!poll` + `!stop` for long-running jobs)
- `!poll` (check output / status; accepts optional `sessionId`; `/bash poll` also works)
- `!stop` (stop the running bash job; accepts optional `sessionId`; `/bash stop` also works)
Notes:
- Commands accept an optional `:` between the command and args (e.g. `/think: high`, `/send: on`, `/help:`).
- `/new <model>` accepts a model alias, `provider/model`, or a provider name (fuzzy match); if no match, the text is treated as the message body.
- For full provider usage breakdown, use `clawdbot status --usage`.
- `/allowlist add|remove` requires `commands.config=true` and honors channel `configWrites`.
- `/usage` controls the per-response usage footer; `/usage cost` prints a local cost summary from Clawdbot session logs.
- `/restart` is disabled by default; set `commands.restart: true` to enable it.
- `/verbose` is meant for debugging and extra visibility; keep it **off** in normal use.
- `/reasoning` (and `/verbose`) are risky in group settings: they may reveal internal reasoning or tool output you did not intend to expose. Prefer leaving them off, especially in group chats.
- **Fast path:** command-only messages from allowlisted senders are handled immediately (bypass queue + model).
- **Group mention gating:** command-only messages from allowlisted senders bypass mention requirements.
- **Inline shortcuts (allowlisted senders only):** certain commands also work when embedded in a normal message and are stripped before the model sees the remaining text.
- Example: `hey /status` triggers a status reply, and the remaining text continues through the normal flow.
- Currently: `/help`, `/commands`, `/status`, `/whoami` (`/id`).
- Unauthorized command-only messages are silently ignored, and inline `/...` tokens are treated as plain text.
- **Skill commands:** `user-invocable` skills are exposed as slash commands. Names are sanitized to `a-z0-9_` (max 32 chars); collisions get numeric suffixes (e.g. `_2`).
- `/skill <name> [input]` runs a skill by name (useful when native command limits prevent per-skill commands).
- By default, skill commands are forwarded to the model as a normal request.
- Skills may optionally declare `command-dispatch: tool` to route the command directly to a tool (deterministic, no model).
- Example: `/prose` (OpenProse plugin) — see [OpenProse](/prose).
- **Native command arguments:** Discord uses autocomplete for dynamic options (and button menus when you omit required args). Telegram and Slack show a button menu when a command supports choices and you omit the arg.
## Usage surfaces (what shows where)
- **Provider usage/quota** (example: “Claude 80% left”) shows up in `/status` for the current model provider when usage tracking is enabled.
- **Per-response tokens/cost** is controlled by `/usage off|tokens|full` (appended to normal replies).
- `/model status` is about **models/auth/endpoints**, not usage.
## Model selection (`/model`)
`/model` is implemented as a directive.
Examples:
```
/model
/model list
/model 3
/model openai/gpt-5.2
/model opus@anthropic:claude-cli
/model status
```
Notes:
- `/model` and `/model list` show a compact, numbered picker (model family + available providers).
- `/model <#>` selects from that picker (and prefers the current provider when possible).
- `/model status` shows the detailed view, including configured provider endpoint (`baseUrl`) and API mode (`api`) when available.
## Debug overrides
`/debug` lets you set **runtime-only** config overrides (memory, not disk). Owner-only. Disabled by default; enable with `commands.debug: true`.
Examples:
```
/debug show
/debug set messages.responsePrefix="[clawdbot]"
/debug set channels.whatsapp.allowFrom=["+1555","+4477"]
/debug unset messages.responsePrefix
/debug reset
```
Notes:
- Overrides apply immediately to new config reads, but do **not** write to `clawdbot.json`.
- Use `/debug reset` to clear all overrides and return to the on-disk config.
## Config updates
`/config` writes to your on-disk config (`clawdbot.json`). Owner-only. Disabled by default; enable with `commands.config: true`.
Examples:
```
/config show
/config show messages.responsePrefix
/config get messages.responsePrefix
/config set messages.responsePrefix="[clawdbot]"
/config unset messages.responsePrefix
```
Notes:
- Config is validated before write; invalid changes are rejected.
- `/config` updates persist across restarts.
## Surface notes
- **Text commands** run in the normal chat session (DMs share `main`, groups have their own session).
- **Native commands** use isolated sessions:
- Discord: `agent:<agentId>:discord:slash:<userId>`
- Slack: `agent:<agentId>:slack:slash:<userId>` (prefix configurable via `channels.slack.slashCommand.sessionPrefix`)
- Telegram: `telegram:slash:<userId>` (targets the chat session via `CommandTargetSessionKey`)
- **`/stop`** targets the active chat session so it can abort the current run.
- **Slack:** `channels.slack.slashCommand` is still supported for a single `/clawd`-style command. If you enable `commands.native`, you must create one Slack slash command per built-in command (same names as `/help`). Command argument menus for Slack are delivered as ephemeral Block Kit buttons.