claude-code-20261008T035850Z / documentation capture

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163163| :- | :- | :- |

164164| `name` | No | Name of the output style, shown in the `/config` picker. Default: the file name |

165165| `description` | No | Description of the output style, shown in the `/config` picker |

166| `keep-coding-instructions` | No | Set to `true` to keep Claude Code's built-in software engineering instructions alongside your style. Default: `false` |

166| `keep-coding-instructions` | No | Set to `true` to keep Claude Code's section of built-in software engineering instructions, which only the full system prompt includes, alongside your style. See [How output styles work](#how-output-styles-work). Default: `false` |

167167| `force-for-plugin` | No | Plugin output styles only. Set to `true` to apply this style automatically whenever the plugin is enabled, without requiring users to select it. Overrides the user's `outputStyle` setting. If multiple enabled plugins set this, Claude Code uses the first one loaded. Default: `false` |

168168

169169<span id="comparisons-to-related-features" />

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190190An output style changes the instructions Claude Code gives Claude.

191191

192192* Claude Code sends the active style's instructions with every request.

193* Custom output styles leave out Claude Code's built-in software engineering instructions, such as how to scope changes, write comments, and verify work, unless `keep-coding-instructions` is set to `true`.

193* On the full system prompt, custom output styles leave out Claude Code's section of built-in software engineering instructions, such as how to scope changes, write comments, and verify work, unless `keep-coding-instructions` is set to `true`. The shorter system prompt doesn't include that section, so the field has no effect there. To rely on the field, set [`CLAUDE_CODE_SIMPLE_SYSTEM_PROMPT`](/docs/en/env-vars#variables) to `0`, which selects the full prompt on any model.

194194

195Output styles apply to the main conversation and to a [fork](/docs/en/sub-agents#fork-the-current-conversation), which inherits the parent's full conversation and system prompt. Other [subagents run their own system prompt](/docs/en/sub-agents#what-loads-at-startup), so styles don't change how they respond.

195Output styles apply to the main conversation and to a [fork](/docs/en/sub-agents#fork-the-current-conversation), which inherits the parent's whole conversation and system prompt. Other [subagents run their own system prompt](/docs/en/sub-agents#what-loads-at-startup), so styles don't change how they respond.

196196

197197Token usage depends on the style. A style's instructions add input tokens, though prompt caching reduces this cost after the first request in a session.

198198

quickstart Changed · +5 / -5 lines

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2727 <Tab title="Native Install (Recommended)">

2828 **macOS, Linux, WSL:**

2929

30 ```bash theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null}

30 ```bash theme={null}

3131 curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

3232 ```

3333

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3535

3636 **Windows PowerShell:**

3737

38 ```powershell theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null}

38 ```powershell theme={null}

3939 irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

4040 ```

4141

4242 **Windows CMD:**

4343

44 ```batch theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null}

44 ```batch theme={null}

4545 curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

4646 ```

4747

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5959 </Tab>

6060

6161 <Tab title="Homebrew">

62 ```bash theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null}

62 ```bash theme={null}

6363 brew install --cask claude-code

6464 ```

6565

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7171 </Tab>

7272

7373 <Tab title="WinGet">

74 ```powershell theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null}

74 ```powershell theme={null}

7575 winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

7676 ```

7777

setup Changed · +5 / -5 lines

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3535 <Tab title="Native Install (Recommended)">

3636 **macOS, Linux, WSL:**

3737

38 ```bash theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null}

38 ```bash theme={null}

3939 curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

4040 ```

4141

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4343

4444 **Windows PowerShell:**

4545

46 ```powershell theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null}

46 ```powershell theme={null}

4747 irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

4848 ```

4949

5050 **Windows CMD:**

5151

52 ```batch theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null}

52 ```batch theme={null}

5353 curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

5454 ```

5555

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6767 </Tab>

6868

6969 <Tab title="Homebrew">

70 ```bash theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null}

70 ```bash theme={null}

7171 brew install --cask claude-code

7272 ```

7373

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7979 </Tab>

8080

8181 <Tab title="WinGet">

82 ```powershell theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null} theme={null}

82 ```powershell theme={null}

8383 winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

8484 ```

8585

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108108

109109An output style is a markdown file with [frontmatter](/docs/en/output-styles#frontmatter) for metadata, followed by the prompt content. Save it to `~/.claude/output-styles/` for a user-level style available in every project, or `.claude/output-styles/` in your repository for a project-level style you can commit and share with your team.

110110

111A custom output style leaves the `claude_code` preset's software engineering instructions out and uses your own. To keep them and layer your instructions on top, set `keep-coding-instructions: true` in the frontmatter. Those instructions are only in Claude Code's full system prompt, so the setting has no effect in a session on the shorter system prompt, which you pin on or off with [`CLAUDE_CODE_SIMPLE_SYSTEM_PROMPT`](/docs/en/env-vars#variables). Keep them when your agent is still doing software engineering work. Leave them out when you're replacing the role entirely.

111A custom output style leaves the `claude_code` preset's software engineering instructions out and uses your own. To keep them and layer your instructions on top, set `keep-coding-instructions: true` in the frontmatter. Those instructions are only in Claude Code's full system prompt, so the setting has no effect in a session on the shorter system prompt; set [`CLAUDE_CODE_SIMPLE_SYSTEM_PROMPT`](/docs/en/env-vars#variables) to `0` to select the full prompt on any model. Keep them when your agent is still doing software engineering work. Leave them out when you're replacing the role entirely.

112112

113113The example below defines a code-review persona that keeps the coding instructions, since reviewing code still benefits from Claude Code's security and code-quality guidance. Save it as `~/.claude/output-styles/code-reviewer.md` to make it available across projects:

114114

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210210

211211### Output style

212212

213A configuration that changes the instructions Claude Code gives Claude, to set response behavior, tone, or format. Unlike [CLAUDE.md](#claude-md), which adds project context alongside Claude Code's default instructions, a custom output style can replace the default software engineering instructions.

213A configuration that changes the instructions Claude Code gives Claude, to set response behavior, tone, or format. Unlike [CLAUDE.md](#claude-md), which adds project context alongside Claude Code's default instructions, a custom output style adds its own instructions and can leave out the default software engineering instructions.

214214

215215Learn more: [Output styles](/docs/en/output-styles)

216216

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