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This reference covers all available commands and hotkeys in Slate CLI, with interaction commands prioritized for quick access.

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Quick Reference

Agent Interaction

1

Ctrl+X

Open external editor - Compose long prompts in your preferred editor
2

Ctrl+M

Open model picker - Switch between available models
3

Ctrl+O

Toggle subagent overlay - View active subagent sessions
4

Ctrl+B

Navigate to parent session - Return to the parent session from a subagent session
5

Ctrl+Z

Undo last clear - Restore the last cleared input
6

Ctrl+C

Cancel/Exit - Cancel current operation or exit the application
1

!

Enter shell mode - Type ! to enter bash command mode
2

↑/↓ arrows

Navigate history - Browse through previous commands
3

Tab

Autocomplete - Complete commands and file paths

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Slash Commands

All commands start with / and support autocomplete with Tab

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Core Commands

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Workspace Management

/workspace add <path>     # Add a directory to workspace
/workspace remove <path>  # Remove a directory from workspace
/workspace list          # List all workspace directories
/workspace clear         # Clear all workspace directories

/add-dir <path>          # Shortcut to add a directory

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Theme Commands

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System Commands

1

/auth

Login to your Slate account
2

/logout

Logout from your current account
1

/version

Check the current version of Slate CLI
2

/self-update

Update Slate CLI to the latest version
3

/hard-reset confirm

Delete all storage data (sessions, messages, etc.) — requires typing confirm
4

/quit

Exit the application gracefully

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Shell Mode

Type ! at the beginning of a line to enter shell mode for direct command execution

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Shell Mode Features

Command Execution
  • Run any shell command directly
  • Commands execute in the current workspace
  • Output is captured and displayed
  • Exit codes are reported
History & Completion
  • Full command history with ↑/↓ arrows
  • Tab completion for commands and paths
  • Persistent history across sessions

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Common Shell Operations

!ls -la              # List files in detail
!pwd                 # Show current directory
!cd src              # Change directory
!cat README.md       # Display file contents
!mkdir new-folder    # Create directory

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Special Key Combinations

KeyAction
EnterConfirm/Select
EscapeCancel/Close
Ctrl+CForce close/Cancel
↑/↓Navigate options
TabMove to next field

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Tips & Tricks

  • Press Tab after typing / to see all available commands with autocomplete
  • Use the up arrow in shell mode to quickly find previous commands
  • Drag and drop files directly into the prompt for automatic path references
  • Ctrl+X opens your system’s default editor for composing complex prompts
  • Ctrl+M opens the model picker to switch models without leaving the chat
  • Use /workspace add . to quickly add the current directory
  • Chain shell commands with !command1 && command2
  • Combine /diff with shell mode to review changes before committing
  • Use Ctrl+O to inspect subagent sessions while they run
  • Theme switching persists across sessions

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Exit Codes

Understanding exit codes helps diagnose issues when commands fail
CodeDescription
0Success
1General error or invalid usage
2Misuse of shell command
126Command found but not executable
127Command not found
128Invalid exit argument
130User interrupted (Ctrl+C)