| name | restart |
| description | Restart the Claude Code session by gracefully exiting so the launcher loop restarts it.
Use when you need to pick up config changes, plugin updates, or env var changes.
Requires a launcher script (e.g., run-agent.sh) that restarts Claude after exit.
|
Restart
This skill enables Claude to restart its own session by performing a graceful exit (SIGINT), relying on the launcher script to restart the process.
When to Use This Skill
- After making configuration changes that require a restart (plugin updates, settings changes)
- After environment variable changes that only take effect on session start
- When the handler requests a restart
- When you need a fresh session to pick up new hooks or rules
How It Works
Restart is simply an exit with the expectation that a launcher script will restart Claude:
- Validate git state -- same checks as
/exit (no uncommitted changes, no unpushed commits)
- Save continuation state -- optionally write a continuation prompt so the restarted session picks up where you left off
- Send SIGINT -- gracefully exit the session
- Launcher restarts -- the wrapper script (e.g.,
run-agent.sh) detects the exit and starts a new Claude session
Prerequisites
- A launcher script that restarts Claude after exit (e.g., a
while true loop)
- If no launcher is present, restart behaves identically to exit -- the session simply ends
Quick Method
Use the exit script -- restart is just exit with launcher support:
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/bin/exit.sh
Saving Continuation State
Before restarting, you may want to save state so the new session can resume:
- Write a continuation prompt to
.claude/tmp/continuation-prompt.md
- Update
.claude/scratch/tasks.md with current progress
- Commit any in-progress work
The launcher script or SessionStart hook can then read the continuation prompt on startup.
Difference from Exit
| Aspect | /exit | /restart |
|---|
| Intent | End the session | Restart with fresh state |
| Mechanism | SIGINT | SIGINT (same) |
| Launcher behavior | Session ends | Launcher restarts Claude |
| State preservation | Not expected | Save continuation prompt |
| Git validation | Required | Required |
See Also
/exit -- graceful session exit without restartrestart skill in the project repo -- may contain project-specific restart procedures
