> ## Documentation Index
>
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Output styles

> Adapt Claude Code for uses beyond software engineering

Output styles allow you to use Claude Code as any type of agent while keeping
its core capabilities, such as running local scripts, reading/writing files, and
tracking TODOs.

## Built-in output styles

Claude Code's **Default** output style is the existing system prompt, designed
to help you complete software engineering tasks efficiently.

There are two additional built-in output styles focused on teaching you the
codebase and how Claude operates:

- **Explanatory**: Provides educational "Insights" in between helping you
  complete software engineering tasks. Helps you understand implementation
  choices and codebase patterns.

- **Learning**: Collaborative, learn-by-doing mode where Claude will not only
  share "Insights" while coding, but also ask you to contribute small, strategic
  pieces of code yourself. Claude Code will add `TODO(human)` markers in your
  code for you to implement.

## How output styles work

Output styles directly modify Claude Code's system prompt.

- All output styles exclude instructions for efficient output (such as
  responding concisely).
- Custom output styles exclude instructions for coding (such as verifying code
  with tests), unless `keep-coding-instructions` is true.
- All output styles have their own custom instructions added to the end of the
  system prompt.
- All output styles trigger reminders for Claude to adhere to the output style
  instructions during the conversation.

## Change your output style

You can either:

- Run `/output-style` to access a menu and select your output style (this can
  also be accessed from the `/config` menu)

- Run `/output-style [style]`, such as `/output-style explanatory`, to directly
  switch to a style

These changes apply to the [local project level](/en/settings) and are saved in
`.claude/settings.local.json`. You can also directly edit the `outputStyle`
field in a settings file at a different level.

## Create a custom output style

Custom output styles are Markdown files with frontmatter and the text that will
be added to the system prompt:

```markdown theme={null}
---
name: My Custom Style
description: A brief description of what this style does, to be displayed to the user
---

# Custom Style Instructions

You are an interactive CLI tool that helps users with software engineering
tasks. [Your custom instructions here...]

## Specific Behaviors

[Define how the assistant should behave in this style...]
```

You can save these files at the user level (`~/.claude/output-styles`) or
project level (`.claude/output-styles`).

### Frontmatter

Output style files support frontmatter, useful for specifying metadata about the
command:

| Frontmatter                | Purpose                                                                     | Default                 |
| :------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :---------------------- |
| `name`                     | Name of the output style, if not the file name                              | Inherits from file name |
| `description`              | Description of the output style. Used only in the UI of `/output-style`     | None                    |
| `keep-coding-instructions` | Whether to keep the parts of Claude Code's system prompt related to coding. | false                   |

## Comparisons to related features

### Output Styles vs. CLAUDE.md vs. --append-system-prompt

Output styles completely "turn off" the parts of Claude Code's default system
prompt specific to software engineering. Neither CLAUDE.md nor
`--append-system-prompt` edit Claude Code's default system prompt. CLAUDE.md
adds the contents as a user message _following_ Claude Code's default system
prompt. `--append-system-prompt` appends the content to the system prompt.

### Output Styles vs. [Agents](/en/sub-agents)

Output styles directly affect the main agent loop and only affect the system
prompt. Agents are invoked to handle specific tasks and can include additional
settings like the model to use, the tools they have available, and some context
about when to use the agent.

### Output Styles vs. [Skills](/en/skills)

Output styles modify how Claude responds (formatting, tone, structure) and are always active once selected. Skills are task-specific prompts that you invoke with `/skill-name` or that Claude loads automatically when relevant. Use output styles for consistent formatting preferences; use skills for reusable workflows and tasks.
