Claude Code Basics — Stay in Control (lesson deck)

Claude Code Basics · you're the boss

You decide how much it can do

Reading your files is always safe — Claude does that freely. But anything that changes things — an edit, a command — happens on your terms, from "ask me every time" to "just go." Out of the box, it asks first.

📖

Reads freely — looking at your files never needs approval.

✋

Asks first, by default — before an edit or a command it checks with you; you see the change and approve or deny.

🎚️

You set the autonomy — loosen it to move faster, or lock it down. Your call, any time.

The default mode is the cautious one. Looser modes trade prompts for speed — you opt into them.

Think before doing

Plan mode: see the plan first

For anything big, switch to Plan mode. Claude explores and shows you exactly what it intends to do — and changes nothing until you say go.

1

Switch to Plan mode

Pick Plan from the mode menu, or press Shift+Tab to cycle modes — works in the panel and the terminal.

2

Read the plan

Claude lays out its approach. Give feedback, or approve.

3

Then it builds

Only after you say go. No surprises.

Your control panel

Five modes, from cautious to hands-off

🛑

Ask before edits — the default. Asks before every edit & command. Safest — start here.

⚡

Edit automatically — applies edits (and safe commands) for you; still asks before risky ones.

🗺️

Plan mode — read-only; plans first, changes nothing.

🤖

Auto mode — runs on its own with safety checks that block obviously dangerous moves. (newer)

🚀

Bypass permissions — no prompts; Claude just runs. Hands-off, for when you trust the task — keep your work in git so anything can be undone.

Switch with the mode menu or Shift+Tab.
Going the wrong way? Hit Stop (or Esc) and redirect.

You hold the keys.

Your undo button

Made a mistake? Rewind

Took a wrong turn? Rewind rolls your session back to an earlier point — the conversation and the file changes Claude made — so you can experiment without fear.

⏪

Run /rewind — or press Esc twice. Pick an earlier point to roll back to.

🔀

Choose what to restore — the code, the conversation, or both.

🧷

git is your bigger net — Rewind undoes Claude's edits this session; commit to git for everything beyond that.

A session-level safety net — it doesn't undo raw shell commands (like deleting files); that's what git is for.