This document details all commands supported by Qwen Code, helping you efficiently manage sessions, customize the interface, and control its behavior.
Qwen Code commands are triggered through specific prefixes and fall into three categories:
| Prefix Type | Function Description | Typical Use Case |
|---|---|---|
Slash Commands (/) |
Meta-level control of Qwen Code itself | Managing sessions, modifying settings, getting help |
At Commands (@) |
Quickly inject local file content into conversation | Allowing AI to analyze specified files or code under directories |
Exclamation Commands (!) |
Direct interaction with system Shell | Executing system commands like git status, ls, etc. |
Slash commands are used to manage Qwen Code sessions, interface, and basic behavior.
These commands help you save, restore, and summarize work progress.
| Command | Description | Usage Examples |
|---|---|---|
/init |
Analyze current directory and create initial context file | /init |
/summary |
Generate project summary based on conversation history | /summary |
/compress |
Replace chat history with summary to save Tokens | /compress |
/resume |
Resume a previous conversation session | /resume |
/restore |
Restore files to state before tool execution | /restore (list) or /restore <ID> |
Commands for adjusting interface appearance and work environment.
| Command | Description | Usage Examples |
|---|---|---|
/clear |
Clear terminal screen content | /clear (shortcut: Ctrl+L) |
/context |
Show context window usage breakdown | /context |
/theme |
Change Qwen Code visual theme | /theme |
/vim |
Turn input area Vim editing mode on/off | /vim |
/directory |
Manage multi-directory support workspace | /dir add ./src,./tests |
/editor |
Open dialog to select supported editor | /editor |
Commands specifically for controlling interface and output language.
| Command | Description | Usage Examples |
|---|---|---|
/language |
View or change language settings | /language |
→ ui [language] |
Set UI interface language | /language ui zh-CN |
→ output [language] |
Set LLM output language | /language output Chinese |
- Available built-in UI languages:
zh-CN(Simplified Chinese),en-US(English),ru-RU(Russian),de-DE(German) - Output language examples:
Chinese,English,Japanese, etc.
Commands for managing AI tools and models.
| Command | Description | Usage Examples |
|---|---|---|
/mcp |
List configured MCP servers and tools | /mcp, /mcp desc |
/tools |
Display currently available tool list | /tools, /tools desc |
/skills |
List and run available skills | /skills, /skills <name> |
/plan |
Switch to plan mode or execute the current plan | /plan, /plan <task>, /plan execute |
/approval-mode |
Change approval mode for tool usage | /approval-mode <mode (auto-edit)> --project |
→plan |
Analysis only, no execution | Secure review |
→default |
Require approval for edits | Daily use |
→auto-edit |
Automatically approve edits | Trusted environment |
→yolo |
Automatically approve all | Quick prototyping |
/model |
Switch model used in current session | /model |
/model --fast |
Set or select the fast model for background tasks | /model --fast qwen3.5-flash |
/extensions |
List all active extensions in current session | /extensions |
/memory |
Manage AI's instruction context | /memory add Important Info |
The /btw command allows you to ask quick side questions without interrupting or affecting the main conversation flow.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/btw <your question> |
Ask a quick side question |
?btw <your question> |
Alternative syntax for side questions |
How It Works:
- The side question is sent as a separate API call with recent conversation context (up to the last 20 messages)
- The response is displayed above the Composer — you can continue typing while waiting
- The main conversation is not blocked — it continues independently
- The side question response does not become part of the main conversation history
- Answers are rendered with full Markdown support (code blocks, lists, tables, etc.)
Keyboard Shortcuts (Interactive Mode):
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Escape |
Cancel (while loading) or dismiss (after completed) |
Space or Enter |
Dismiss the answer (when input is empty) |
Ctrl+C or Ctrl+D |
Cancel an in-flight side question |
Example:
(While the main conversation is about refactoring code)
> /btw What's the difference between let and var in JavaScript?
╭──────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ /btw What's the difference between let │
│ and var in JavaScript? │
│ │
│ + Answering... │
│ Press Escape, Ctrl+C, or Ctrl+D to cancel│
╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯
> (Composer remains active — keep typing)
(After the answer arrives)
╭──────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ /btw What's the difference between let │
│ and var in JavaScript? │
│ │
│ `let` is block-scoped, while `var` is │
│ function-scoped. `let` was introduced │
│ in ES6 and doesn't hoist the same way. │
│ │
│ Press Space, Enter, or Escape to dismiss │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯
> (Composer still active)
Supported Execution Modes:
| Mode | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Interactive | Shows above Composer with Markdown rendering |
| Non-interactive | Returns text result: btw> question\nanswer |
| ACP (Agent Protocol) | Returns stream_messages async generator |
Tip
Use /btw when you need a quick answer without derailing your main task. It's especially useful for clarifying concepts, checking facts, or getting quick explanations while staying focused on your primary workflow.
Commands for obtaining information and performing system settings.
| Command | Description | Usage Examples |
|---|---|---|
/help |
Display help information for available commands | /help or /? |
/about |
Display version information | /about |
/stats |
Display detailed statistics for current session | /stats |
/settings |
Open settings editor | /settings |
/auth |
Change authentication method | /auth |
/bug |
Submit issue about Qwen Code | /bug Button click unresponsive |
/copy |
Copy last output content to clipboard | /copy |
/quit |
Exit Qwen Code immediately | /quit or /exit |
| Shortcut | Function | Note |
|---|---|---|
Ctrl/cmd+L |
Clear screen | Equivalent to /clear |
Ctrl/cmd+T |
Toggle tool description | MCP tool management |
Ctrl/cmd+C×2 |
Exit confirmation | Secure exit mechanism |
Ctrl/cmd+Z |
Undo input | Text editing |
Ctrl/cmd+Shift+Z |
Redo input | Text editing |
In addition to the in-session /auth slash command, Qwen Code provides standalone CLI subcommands for managing authentication directly from the terminal:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
qwen auth |
Interactive authentication setup |
qwen auth qwen-oauth |
Authenticate with Qwen OAuth |
qwen auth coding-plan |
Authenticate with Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan |
qwen auth coding-plan --region china --key sk-sp-… |
Non-interactive Coding Plan setup (for scripting) |
qwen auth status |
Show current authentication status |
Tip
These commands run outside of a Qwen Code session. Use them to configure authentication before starting a session, or in scripts and CI environments. See the Authentication page for full details.
@ commands are used to quickly add local file or directory content to the conversation.
| Command Format | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
@<file path> |
Inject content of specified file | @src/main.py Please explain this code |
@<directory path> |
Recursively read all text files in directory | @docs/ Summarize content of this document |
Standalone @ |
Used when discussing @ symbol itself |
@ What is this symbol used for in programming? |
Note: Spaces in paths need to be escaped with backslash (e.g., @My\ Documents/file.txt)
Exclamation commands allow you to execute system commands directly within Qwen Code.
| Command Format | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
!<shell command> |
Execute command in sub-Shell | !ls -la, !git status |
Standalone ! |
Switch Shell mode, any input is executed directly as Shell command | !(enter) → Input command → !(exit) |
Environment Variables: Commands executed via ! will set the QWEN_CODE=1 environment variable.
Save frequently used prompts as shortcut commands to improve work efficiency and ensure consistency.
Note
Custom commands now use Markdown format with optional YAML frontmatter. TOML format is deprecated but still supported for backwards compatibility. When TOML files are detected, an automatic migration prompt will be displayed.
| Function | Description | Advantages | Priority | Applicable Scenarios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Namespace | Subdirectory creates colon-named commands | Better command organization | ||
| Global Commands | ~/.qwen/commands/ |
Available in all projects | Low | Personal frequently used commands, cross-project use |
| Project Commands | <project root directory>/.qwen/commands/ |
Project-specific, version-controllable | High | Team sharing, project-specific commands |
Priority Rules: Project commands > User commands (project command used when names are same)
| File Location | Generated Command | Example Call |
|---|---|---|
~/.qwen/commands/test.md |
/test |
/test Parameter |
<project>/.qwen/commands/git/commit.md |
/git:commit |
/git:commit Message |
Naming Rules: Path separator (/ or \) converted to colon (:)
Custom commands use Markdown files with optional YAML frontmatter:
---
description: Optional description (displayed in /help)
---
Your prompt content here.
Use {{args}} for parameter injection.| Field | Required | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
description |
Optional | Command description (displayed in /help) | description: Code analysis tool |
| Prompt body | Required | Prompt content sent to model | Any Markdown content after the frontmatter |
Warning
Deprecated: TOML format is still supported but will be removed in a future version. Please migrate to Markdown format.
| Field | Required | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
prompt |
Required | Prompt content sent to model | prompt = "Please analyze code: {{args}}" |
description |
Optional | Command description (displayed in /help) | description = "Code analysis tool" |
| Processing Method | Syntax | Applicable Scenarios | Security Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Context-aware Injection | {{args}} |
Need precise parameter control | Automatic Shell escaping |
| Default Parameter Processing | No special marking | Simple commands, parameter appending | Append as-is |
| Shell Command Injection | !{command} |
Need dynamic content | Execution confirmation required before |
| Scenario | TOML Configuration | Call Method | Actual Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Injection | prompt = "Fix: {{args}}" |
/fix "Button issue" |
Fix: "Button issue" |
| In Shell Command | prompt = "Search: !{grep {{args}} .}" |
/search "hello" |
Execute grep "hello" . |
| Input Situation | Processing Method | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Has parameters | Append to end of prompt (separated by two line breaks) | /cmd parameter → Original prompt + parameter |
| No parameters | Send prompt as is | /cmd → Original prompt |
🚀 Dynamic Content Injection
| Injection Type | Syntax | Processing Order | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| File Content | @{file path} |
Processed first | Inject static reference files |
| Shell Commands | !{command} |
Processed in middle | Inject dynamic execution results |
| Parameter Replacement | {{args}} |
Processed last | Inject user parameters |
| Operation | User Interaction |
|---|---|
| 1. Parse command and parameters | - |
| 2. Automatic Shell escaping | - |
| 3. Show confirmation dialog | ✅ User confirmation |
| 4. Execute command | - |
| 5. Inject output to prompt | - |
Example: Git Commit Message Generation
---
description: Generate Commit message based on staged changes
---
Please generate a Commit message based on the following diff:
```diff
!{git diff --staged}
```| File Type | Support Status | Processing Method |
|---|---|---|
| Text Files | ✅ Full Support | Directly inject content |
| Images/PDF | ✅ Multi-modal Support | Encode and inject |
| Binary Files | May be skipped or truncated | |
| Directory | ✅ Recursive Injection | Follow .gitignore rules |
Example: Code Review Command
---
description: Code review based on best practices
---
Review {{args}}, reference standards:
@{docs/code-standards.md}| Operation | Command/Code |
|---|---|
| 1. Create directory structure | mkdir -p ~/.qwen/commands/refactor |
| 2. Create command file | touch ~/.qwen/commands/refactor/pure.md |
| 3. Edit command content | Refer to the complete code below. |
| 4. Test command | @file.js → /refactor:pure |
---
description: Refactor code to pure function
---
Please analyze code in current context, refactor to pure function.
Requirements:
1. Provide refactored code
2. Explain key changes and pure function characteristic implementation
3. Maintain function unchanged| Practice Points | Recommended Approach | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Command Naming | Use namespaces for organization | Avoid overly generic names |
| Parameter Processing | Clearly use {{args}} |
Rely on default appending (easy to confuse) |
| Error Handling | Utilize Shell error output | Ignore execution failure |
| File Organization | Organize by function in directories | All commands in root directory |
| Description Field | Always provide clear description | Rely on auto-generated description |
| Security Mechanism | Protection Effect | User Operation |
|---|---|---|
| Shell Escaping | Prevent command injection | Automatic processing |
| Execution Confirmation | Avoid accidental execution | Dialog confirmation |
| Error Reporting | Help diagnose issues | View error information |