Ask /btw side questions without derailing the main task
Use /btw for single-turn clarifications that share full context but never enter conversation history or burn future tokens.
The problem
Mid-task you need a quick clarification, but asking in the main thread adds tokens to every later turn and can pull Claude off the implementation path.
The hack
While Claude is working, run `/btw <question>`. You get a one-shot answer with full session context and no tool calls — then dismiss and continue.
Why it works
Anthropic’s power-user guide recommends /btw specifically for this: full context, zero tools, zero history pollution. It is the inverse of a research subagent.
Setup
1. Start any Claude Code session and begin a task. 2. While Claude is working (or between turns), type `/btw what does the retry logic do?` 3. Read the overlay answer. 4. Dismiss and continue — the exchange does not stay in the transcript.
Prompt
/btw what was the original function name before the rename?
Discussion
No comments yet. Be the first to say whether this worked for you.