# cli-reference

Reference for Claude Code CLI commands, flags, and automation patterns. Helps configure agents for non-interactive execution and CI/CD pipelines.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 489 installs · ★ 3946
- Author: parcadei
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3/tree/HEAD/.claude/skills/cli-reference/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-01-26
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/cli-reference

## What it does

This skill equips coding agents with a structured command-line reference for Claude Code. It covers interactive REPL commands, session continuation via `--resume`, and tool permission controls like `--allowedTools` or `--disallowedTools`.

A central section covers headless workflows using `claude -p`. It documents schema validation, streaming with `stream-json`, external MCP server connections via `--mcp-config`, and inline subagent declaration through `--agents`.

Running headless calls without `--session-id`, `--dangerously-skip-permissions`, and `--max-turns` causes processes to hang. Omitting them breaks automated runs.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3 --skill cli-reference -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/cli-reference/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/cli-reference/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3 --skill cli-reference -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/cli-reference/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3 --skill cli-reference -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/cli-reference/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3 cli-reference
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/cli-reference/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3 --skill cli-reference -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3 --path .claude/skills/cli-reference
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/cli-reference/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3 --skill cli-reference -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3/tree/HEAD/.claude/skills/cli-reference/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- configure headless Claude Code runs inside CI/CD pipelines
- define inline subagents using the `--agents` parameter
- parse structured JSON output from automated terminal tasks
- restrict tool usage via `--allowedTools` and `--disallowedTools`

## Example prompts
- Show CLI flags for running Claude Code non-interactively in scripts
- How do I pass custom subagents using the --agents argument?
- How to resume an existing session using the --resume flag?

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

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BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 21fe01525576a8f0
````text
---
name: cli-reference
description: Claude Code CLI commands, flags, headless mode, and automation patterns
allowed-tools: [Read]
---

# CLI Reference

Complete reference for Claude Code command-line interface.

## When to Use

- "What CLI flags are available?"
- "How do I use headless mode?"
- "Claude in automation/CI/CD"
- "Output format options"
- "System prompt via CLI"
- "How do I spawn agents properly?"

## Core Commands

| Command | Description | Example |
|---------|-------------|---------|
| `claude` | Start interactive REPL | `claude` |
| `claude "query"` | REPL with initial prompt | `claude "explain this project"` |
| `claude -p "query"` | Headless mode (SDK) | `claude -p "explain function"` |
| `cat file \| claude -p` | Process piped content | `cat logs.txt \| claude -p "explain"` |
| `claude -c` | Continue most recent | `claude -c` |
| `claude -c -p "query"` | Continue via SDK | `claude -c -p "check types"` |
| `claude -r "id" "query"` | Resume session | `claude -r "auth" "finish PR"` |
| `claude update` | Update version | `claude update` |
| `claude mcp` | Configure MCP servers | See MCP docs |

## Session Control

| Flag | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| `--continue, -c` | Load most recent conversation | `claude --continue` |
| `--resume, -r` | Resume session by ID/name | `claude --resume auth-refactor` |
| `--session-id` | Use specific UUID | `claude --session-id "550e8400-..."` |
| `--fork-session` | Create new session on resume | `claude --resume abc --fork-session` |

## Headless Mode (Critical for Agents)

| Flag | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| `--print, -p` | Non-interactive, exit after | `claude -p "query"` |
| `--output-format` | `text`, `json`, `stream-json` | `claude -p --output-format json` |
| `--max-turns` | Limit agentic turns | `claude -p --max-turns 100 "query"` |
| `--verbose` | Full turn-by-turn output | `claude --verbose` |
| `--dangerously-skip-permissions` | Skip permission prompts | `claude -p --dangerously-skip-permissions` |
| `--include-partial-messages` | Include streaming events | `claude -p --output-format stream-json --include-partial-messages` |
| `--input-format` | Input format (text/stream-json) | `claude -p --input-format stream-json` |

## Tool Control

| Flag | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| `--allowedTools` | Auto-approve these tools | `"Bash(git log:*)" "Read"` |
| `--disallowedTools` | Block these tools | `"Bash(rm:*)" "Edit"` |
| `--tools` | Only allow these tools | `--tools "Bash,Edit,Read"` |

## Subagent Definition (--agents flag)

Define custom subagents inline via JSON:

```bash
claude --agents '{
  "code-reviewer": {
    "description": "Expert code reviewer. Use proactively after code changes.",
    "prompt": "You are a senior code reviewer. Focus on code quality and security.",
    "tools": ["Read", "Grep", "Glob", "Bash"],
    "model": "sonnet"
  },
  "debugger": {
    "description": "Debugging specialist for errors and test failures.",
````
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