Claude/Code/Command/Slash/Docs/Comparison with Skills

• Note (2026-06): Claude/Code merged custom commands into skills. The distinction described below is now historical — .claude/commands/ files still work but skills (.claude/skills/) are the recommended format. The old docs URL below is stale; current reference: Extend Claude with skills. See also Claude/Code/Skill and the parallel Codex/CLI migration (Codex/CLI/Q/Why doesn't CodexCLI support slash commands?).
  

• Slash commands - Claude Docs

• Skills vs slash commands

  • Slash commands and Agent Skills serve different purposes in Claude Code

• Use slash commands for

  • Quick, frequently-used prompts
  • Simple prompt snippets you use often
  • Quick reminders or templates
  • Frequently-used instructions that fit in one file
  • Examples
  • /review → "Review this code for bugs and suggest improvements"
  • /explain → "Explain this code in simple terms"
  • /optimize → "Analyze this code for performance issues"

• Use Skills for

  • Comprehensive capabilities with structure
  • Complex workflows with multiple steps
  • Capabilities requiring scripts or utilities
  • Knowledge organized across multiple files
  • Team workflows you want to standardize
  • Examples
  • PDF processing Skill with form-filling scripts and validation
  • Data analysis Skill with reference docs for different data types
  • Documentation Skill with style guides and templates

• Key differences

  • Aspect	Slash Commands	Agent Skills
    Complexity	Simple prompts	Complex capabilities
    Structure	Single .md file	Directory with SKILL.md + resources
    Discovery	Explicit invocation (/command)	Automatic (based on context)
    Files	One file only	Multiple files, scripts, templates
    Scope	Project or personal	Project or personal
    Sharing	Via git	Via git

• Example comparison

  • As a slash command

  • **# .claude/commands/review.md**
    Review this code for:
    - Security vulnerabilities
    - Performance issues
    - Code style violations

  • Usage: /review (manual invocation)

  • As a Skill

  • .claude/skills/code-review/
    ├── SKILL.md (overview and workflows)
    ├── SECURITY.md (security checklist)
    ├── PERFORMANCE.md (performance patterns)
    ├── STYLE.md (style guide reference)
    └── scripts/
      └── run-linters.sh

  • Usage: "Can you review this code?" (automatic discovery)
  • The Skill provides richer context, validation scripts, and organized reference material

• When to use each

  • Use slash commands
  • You invoke the same prompt repeatedly
  • The prompt fits in a single file
  • You want explicit control over when it runs
  • Use Skills
  • Claude should discover the capability automatically
  • Multiple files or scripts are needed
  • Complex workflows with validation steps
  • Team needs standardized, detailed guidance
• Both slash commands and Skills can coexist. Use the approach that fits your needs. Learn more about Agent Skills.