Claude Code /help: The First Command to Type When You're Stuck

The first time you open Claude Code, it feels overwhelming. They say typing a slash (/) brings something up, but you're not sure exactly what you can use, and there are a ton of commands to memorize. Fortunately, you don't have to memorize them all. You just need to know one command to type first when you're stuck — and that's /help.

Definition (What It Is)

/help is a command that shows the list of commands available in Claude Code along with basic help, all on one screen.

There are dozens of slash commands (slash command — feature commands unique to Claude Code that start with /), and no one remembers them all. Think of /help as a kind of guide board that unfolds the whole list at once. You can survey at a glance what commands exist and what each does.

How to Use It (By Difficulty)

Basic — Viewing the Full List

Just type it.

/help

This lists out the commands you can use right now, with descriptions. At first, just reading through this list slowly gives you a feel for what Claude Code can do.

Intermediate — Using It With Command Autocomplete

Once you've found a command name via /help, you can just type a slash in the input box.

/

Typing / brings up the command autocomplete list. Typing more characters narrows the candidates. Seeing the big picture with /help, then picking quickly with slash autocomplete when actually typing, is the smoothest flow.

Advanced — Making It a Routine for Getting Unstuck

Instead of searching every time you don't know what to do, make the following sequence a habit.

1. When stuck, first check what commands exist with /help.
2. Note down the names of commands that look relevant.
3. Try typing those commands yourself to learn what happens.

The key isn't knowing commands by heart, but knowing the path to find them when needed. /help is exactly that path.

Real-World Example

When a beginner developer wondered "is there a command to tidy up the conversation log?", instead of searching Google, they typed /help first. Scanning the list, the relevant command jumped right out, and they solved it far faster than searching would have. Features inside Claude Code are found fastest from within Claude Code.

Taking It Further

After browsing the commands with /help, learn the features you'll use often one by one. To see Claude Code's extensions, you can check which skills are attached with /skills, and if you're curious about frequently used shortcut actions, you can find those commands in the /help list too. /help isn't the end — it's the starting point.

Summary

/help is the first guide board to type when you're stuck in Claude Code. Don't strain to memorize commands — build the habit of finding them with /help when needed. For beginners, this one command is the gateway to all the others.

Based on: Claude Code v2.1.154 (2026.05)