Claude Code CLI

Default run is claude --print --output-format text "<prompt>" from the target directory. Read-only is --permission-mode plan. --print writes unless plan is set. Wrong cwd is BLOCKED.

Options

Derive product CLI argv from the request. Unspecified: --print, omit permission mode, --output-format text, from the target directory, parent wait 15m. "read-only" / "plan" → --permission-mode plan. "use opus" / named model → --model with that alias (fable, opus, sonnet). Unspecified model stays CLI default. "resume session <id>" → --resume <id>. "continue" → --continue. Both is BLOCKED. "worktree [name]" → --worktree [name]. Do not invent a path. "json" / "stream-json" → that --output-format with --print. "interactive" / "TUI" → omit --print. A missing needed session id or conflicting wording is BLOCKED.

Iron laws

1. --print can write. --permission-mode plan is read-only. Omit --print only for an asked-for TUI.
2. A skipped trust dialog is not skipped permissions. Never add --dangerously-skip-permissions or --permission-mode bypassPermissions to recover a prompt.
3. Gated, named waiver only: --dangerously-skip-permissions, --allow-dangerously-skip-permissions, and --permission-mode values bypassPermissions, dontAsk, and auto. Follow the gated table in ./references/permissions.md.
4. claude help is BLOCKED. claude remote-control is not a help command.

1. Resolve

Confirm claude is on PATH. If missing, follow First-run in ./references/cli-surface.md. Record workspace, prompt, permission mode, session, worktree, output format, and wall-clock. Check auth with claude auth status --text. Do not print secrets. Missing login is BLOCKED. Record: cmd | workspace | mode | session | worktree | gated | verified | terminal | wall-clock.

Done when binary, workspace, mode, auth state, and wall-clock are recorded.

2. Authorize

No gated flag without a named waiver. On a permission prompt under --print, follow Print-mode prompts in ./references/permissions.md. Do not add --dangerously-skip-permissions because --print skipped a trust dialog.

Done when gated state is recorded, or the run is BLOCKED / AWAITING_USER.

3. Build the command

Construct argv from the derived options. Add --permission-mode plan for read-only work. Quote the prompt. Run from the target directory. If --output-format is json or stream-json, follow --print output in ./references/cli-surface.md. If the user asked to install, update, or run the interactive TUI, follow that recipe in ./references/cli-surface.md.

Done when argv is recorded.

4. Run

Follow the matching recipe in ./references/orchestration.md for one-shot, streaming, sessions, worktrees, parallelism, cleanup, or failures. Wait for exit or the recorded wall-clock. Do not kill a still-working process.

Done when the process exits, a live handle is the intended outcome, or a named failure recipe applies.

5. Verify

Treat CLI text as unverified. Inspect git status and the diff. Run the narrowest covering tests for edited executable code. Read-only --permission-mode plan must leave the tree unchanged. For parallel or worktree runs, verify each tree from Parallelism in ./references/orchestration.md.

Done when each requested outcome is observed or BLOCKED with evidence.

6. Report

Lead with terminal state. Restate cmd, mode, session, worktree, gated waiver, wall-clock, and verification evidence.

Terminal values are SUCCESS, BLOCKED, NO_CHANGES, and AWAITING_USER.