docs/cli/tui-mode.mdx
Run cn to start an interactive session. You get a prompt where you can type messages, reference files with @, and use slash commands. cn uses the same underlying agent as the Continue IDE extensions.
@ ContextUse @ to point the agent at specific files or directories:
> @src/auth/middleware.ts Why is this middleware rejecting valid tokens?
> @tests/ Write missing test cases for the auth module
> @package.json @tsconfig.json Help me set up path aliases
The agent reads the referenced files and uses them as context for its response.
Type / to see available commands. Run /help for the full list.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/help | Show the help message and keyboard shortcuts |
/clear | Clear the chat history |
/login | Authenticate with your account |
/logout | Sign out of your current session |
/update | Update the Continue CLI |
/whoami | Check who you're currently logged in as |
/info | Show session information, including token usage and cost |
/model | Switch between configured chat models |
/config | Switch configuration or organization |
/mcp | Manage MCP server connections |
/init | Create an AGENTS.md file for the current project |
/compact | Summarize chat history into a compact form |
/resume | Resume a previous chat session |
/fork | Start a forked chat session from the current history |
/title | Set the title for the current session |
/rename | Rename the current session (alias for /title) |
/exit | Exit the chat |
/jobs | List background jobs |
When you're connected to a remote environment, Continue also adds remote-only slash commands such as /diff and /apply.
Pick up where you left off:
# Resume the most recent session
cn --resume
# Or use the slash command inside a session
> /resume
This restores the full conversation history, so the agent remembers prior context.
The agent can use the AskQuestion tool to gather clarifications before it continues. You will see a quiz-style prompt directly in the terminal.
This is useful when the agent needs decisions like scope, preferences, or environment details before making edits.
Tools that can modify your system (file writes, terminal commands) prompt for approval before executing. You get three options:
~/.continue/permissions.yamlRead-only tools (Read, List, Search, Fetch, Diff, AskQuestion) run automatically. See tool permissions for the full policy system.