Claude Code One-Shot
For deep coding sessions that need lots of context and are straightforward to test. One-shot execution — no questions, no help, just results.
When to Use
- •Complex refactoring or feature implementation
- •Tasks with clear success criteria (tests pass, script runs, etc.)
- •Delegating work that would bloat your context
- •Parallel task execution across worktrees
Basic Usage
bash
# One-shot task (exits when done) claude --print "Your detailed task here" --dangerously-skip-permissions # In a specific directory cd /path/to/project && claude --print "Build X" --dangerously-skip-permissions
Key Flags
| Flag | Purpose |
|---|---|
--print "prompt" | One-shot mode, exits when complete |
--dangerously-skip-permissions | Auto-approve all file/command operations |
Prompt Style
Be explicit. Tell it exactly what to do and NOT to do:
bash
claude --print "Create fizzbuzz.sh that prints FizzBuzz 1-30. Make it executable. ONE SHOT - no questions, just implement it." --dangerously-skip-permissions
Key phrases:
- •"No questions, just do it"
- •"ONE SHOT"
- •"Do NOT ask for clarification"
Background Execution
For longer tasks, run in background with PTY:
bash
# Start in background exec pty:true background:true workdir:~/project command:"claude --print 'Build a REST API for todos' --dangerously-skip-permissions" # Monitor progress process action:log sessionId:XXX # Check completion process action:poll sessionId:XXX
Parallel Tasks with Worktrees
For multiple independent tasks:
bash
# Create worktrees git worktree add -b feat/auth /tmp/auth-work main git worktree add -b feat/api /tmp/api-work main # Run Claude Code in each (parallel) cd /tmp/auth-work && claude --print "Implement OAuth2 login" --dangerously-skip-permissions & cd /tmp/api-work && claude --print "Add REST endpoints for users" --dangerously-skip-permissions & # Wait for both wait
NixOS Note
Claude Code may generate #!/bin/bash shebangs. Fix with:
bash
sed -i '1s|#!/bin/bash|#!/usr/bin/env bash|' script.sh
Rules
- •Verify results — run the code, check the tests, confirm it works
- •Clear prompts — ambiguity leads to questions or wrong output
- •Isolated workspaces — don't run in your main project directory for risky tasks
- •Git init required — Claude Code needs a git repo to operate