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Sweep 22 Sep 2026 · 17:19Z Build v2.1.280 501 read Stable v2.1.267 Latest v2.1.280 Next v2.1.280 Feeds RSS JSON llms.txt Unofficial
Claude Code v2.1.271 ·

New system reminder against using cat on files near the Bash output limit

New guidance tells Claude to use the Read tool instead of cat for large files

TierYou'll noticehow much it should matter to you
Useful2my rating, 1 to 5
Signal1worth watching, 1 to 5
AreaBash Toolwhat it touches
KindImprovementsin v2.1.271,
You'll notice

New guidance tells Claude to use the Read tool instead of cat for large files

What

A new instruction tells Claude to open files with the Read tool rather than the shell command cat, because output from the Bash tool beyond its inline size limit does not come back in full.

Why

This avoids a scenario where running cat on a large file inside a Bash command silently truncates the output, leading Claude to work from an incomplete view of the file's contents. The Bash and Read tool descriptions themselves are unchanged as of this release.

See this entry in the whole of v2.1.271 →

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