--force
A Claude Code CLI flag, read out of the shipped bundle. It has been in the build since v2.1.138, including the newest one read.
Auto-memory file deletion now rejects every flag except -f or --force, so fewer commands slip through.
Not Anthropic's. This is the line from the earliest changelog entry here that named it, v2.1.219.
In the changelogs
17Releases whose published page names --force.
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v2.1.293
New messages for the built-in Claude Test feature and
/claude-testClaude Test gains sign-in-dependent access and messages for when it is still loading or its browser helper failed to load
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.290
BYOC runner recovers from stale worktree records and cleans up more safely
The BYOC runner now clears git's stale record of a missing worktree and retries, and deletes worktrees through a helper limited to a trusted folder
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.290
Worktree cleanup tries a careful removal before forcing it
Before forcing a worktree's removal, Claude Code now tries a step that checks the copy's state and can remove, refuse or leave it
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.290
Removing an agent's worktree now refuses before deleting when something looks wrong
Agent worktree cleanup now uses a safer remover that stops before deleting anything if the worktree's link to git looks wrong
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.285
Safer cleanup of leftover git worktrees
Claude Code now removes stale git worktrees more carefully, checking each one before deleting and replacing the old prune step
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.285
Git worktree cleanup now confirms the repository first
Before listing or removing git worktrees, Claude Code now confirms the git directory and does nothing if it cannot
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.283
PowerShell path checks now pass on the actual file paths
Checks on PowerShell commands now return the list of paths they accepted instead of a simple yes or no
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.268
reload_plugins SDK request gains a hold_on_cache_impact option to avoid silent cache invalidation
reload_plugins can now hold off reloading if it would invalidate the prompt cache, via a new hold_on_cache_impact option
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.229
The built-in commit and PR command now blocks risky flags
The built-in commit-and-PR command can no longer use flags that rewrite history.
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.222
Git invocations hardened with sanitized args and environment
Many more git commands now run with a scrubbed environment so stray variables can't redirect them.
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.219
Auto-memory rm allowlist reworked
Auto-memory file deletion now rejects every flag except -f or --force, so fewer commands slip through.
named in this entry, found in this entry's text
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v2.1.196
Git Destructive Command Target Analysis
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.163
/reload-plugins Cache Impact Warning
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.118
/plugin tag Command
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.83
XAA IdP Authentication for MCP Servers
found in this entry's text
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v2.1.16
Git Worktree Support for Teammates
found in this entry's text
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v1.0.31
Native Installation Command
found in this entry's text
First cited
3The earliest release whose published evidence quoted --force was v2.1.16, 22 Jan 2026. That is the oldest release this project wrote about it, so it is a floor on the name's age and not the release that introduced it. It is not a presence reading: which builds carried the name is the table below.
Presence across releases
1Build by build
149One row per release since the first build this name was read out of. Absent means the build was read and the name was not in it, never mined means no bundle for that release was ever archived, and a declared type or a default is only ever what that release's own bundle stated.
Read out of the published npm bundle release by release, and out of Anthropic's own documentation as this site captured it. Nothing on this page is a description anybody here wrote about what the CLI flag does. All CLI flags.