Background shells

A shell command can run in the background: the turn goes on, the command keeps running, and its end is reported to Claude.

Move a command to the background

• On the card of a running Bash command, click Run in background, or press Ctrl+Shift+B (⌘ Shift B on a Mac) while the session runs one. The card becomes a background shell card. Cards of Bash commands that a subagent runs have the button too.
• A ! command of bash mode has the same button.
• While Claude works, a ! command you type waits in the queue like a message and runs when the session is idle.

The shells list

1. Click N shells in the status bar under the prompt box, run Background shells in the command palette, or type /tasks (or /bashes) in the prompt box.
2. The list shows every shell of the session, running ones first, with command, description, status (running, completed, failed or killed) and run time.
3. Open a shell to read its output. It updates live while the shell runs. A shell started before /clear still shows its output.
4. Kill stops a running shell after you confirm.

Good to know

• Stop or Esc stops the turn, not the background shells.
• A running shell counts as work: the session shows as working, and is not closed as idle.
• Claude learns of a shell you killed with your next message.