What
When Claude Code switches its terminal interface mode, it restarts itself. It now carries over the extra working folders you gave it, so folders added with the --add-dir flag (an option typed when starting Claude Code) or the /add-dir command are still there after the switch.
Why
Before, switching modes could lose those extra folders, and Claude would no longer be able to read and edit files in them until you added them again.
The entry above is what we published on the day. These lines were added later, as Anthropic's own pages caught up, and they sit beside the original rather than replacing it.
Confirmed since
Anthropic's documentation has since written up /add-dir, on Create custom subagents.
When you add a directory with `--add-dir` or `/add-dir`, Claude Code also loads its `.claude/agents/` folder, alongside your project subagents. See [Additional directories](/docs/en/permissions#additional-directories-grant-file-access-not-…sub-agents see the edit
Added since
A small documentation edit on CLI reference touched a line naming --add-dir after this was published.
| `--bare` | Minimal mode: skip auto-discovery of hooks, skills, custom commands, subagents, installed plugins, MCP servers, auto memory, and CLAUDE.md so scripted calls start faster. Skills in a directory you pass with `--add-dir` still l…cli-reference see the edit
Confirmed since
Anthropic's documentation has since written up --add-dir, on Claude Code changelog.
* Fixed repository, user and `--add-dir` skills, commands and skills-directory plugin manifests pre-approving their own tools via `allowed-tools` under managed `allowManagedPermissionRulesOnly`changelog see the edit
Two sources agreeTwo things we can check say the same as this entry.
Anthropic's documentation agrees
Anthropic's documentation has since written up --add-dir, on Claude Code changelog.
Anthropic's release notes agree
Fixed CLAUDE.md and rules files from an --add-dir directory inside the working directory being sent to the model twice in headless and SDK…