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Command Reference

Claude Octopus provides 46+ commands organized into workflow commands, system commands, and specialized skills. Commands can be invoked explicitly (e.g., /octo:embrace) or triggered naturally through conversational prompts.

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Command Categories

Workflow Commands

Double Diamond methodology phases and full lifecycle workflows

System Commands

Setup, configuration, diagnostics, and mode switching

Skill Commands

Specialized capabilities like debate, review, security, TDD, and more

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Quick Reference

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Core Workflow Commands

CommandPurposeMulti-AIWhen to Use
/octo:embraceFull 4-phase workflowYesComplex features needing research → delivery
/octo:discoverResearch & explorationYesStarting new features, researching options
/octo:defineRequirements & scopeYesClarifying requirements, scoping features
/octo:developImplementationYesBuilding features with quality gates
/octo:deliverValidation & reviewYesFinal quality assurance and testing

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Alternative Phase Names

Each workflow phase has alternative names from the original Double Diamond methodology:
  • Discover = Probe (divergent research)
  • Define = Grasp (convergent scoping)
  • Develop = Tangle (divergent implementation)
  • Deliver = Ink (convergent validation)

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Smart Router

CommandPurposeExample
/octoNatural language router/octo research OAuth patterns

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System Commands

CommandPurposeExample
/octo:setupConfigure providersCheck setup status and get config instructions
/octo:doctorEnvironment diagnosticsVerify all components working
/octo:statusProject stateView current workflow status
/octo:resumeRestore contextResume from last session
/octo:devDev Work modeSwitch to development personas
/octo:kmKnowledge modeSwitch to research personas

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Specialized Skills

CommandPurposeMulti-AIWhen to Use
/octo:debateAI debate hubYesComparing options, adversarial review
/octo:reviewCode reviewYesPre-commit checks, quality assessment
/octo:securitySecurity auditYesOWASP compliance, vulnerability detection
/octo:tddTest-driven devYesRed-green-refactor implementation
/octo:factoryDark FactoryYesSpec-in, software-out autonomous pipeline
/octo:prdPRD generationYesAI-optimized product requirements
/octo:clawOpenClaw adminNoGateway lifecycle management

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Planning & Orchestration

CommandPurposeMulti-AIWhen to Use
/octo:planStrategic planningNoCreate execution plans before running
/octo:parallelTeam of teamsYesDecompose work into parallel packages
/octo:multiForce multi-providerYesManual override for parallel execution
/octo:specNLSpec authoringYesWrite structured specifications

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Command Syntax

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Explicit Commands

/octo:embrace "build user authentication"
/octo:discover "OAuth security patterns"
/octo:review src/auth.ts

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Natural Language (Smart Router)

/octo research OAuth patterns
/octo build authentication system
/octo should we use Redis or Memcached?

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With Arguments

/octo:factory --spec path/to/spec.md
/octo:km on                    # Switch to Knowledge Work mode
/octo:km off                   # Switch to Dev Work mode

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Common Flags and Options

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Global Flags

--autonomy supervised    # Pause after each phase (default)
--autonomy semi-auto    # Only pause on quality gate failures
--autonomy autonomous   # Run all phases without intervention
--ci                   # Non-interactive mode for automation

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Model Configuration

export OCTOPUS_CODEX_MODEL="gpt-4"           # Override Codex model
export OCTOPUS_GEMINI_MODEL="gemini-pro"     # Override Gemini model
export OCTOPUS_OPUS_MODE="fast"              # Use fast Opus (6x cost)

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Provider Control

export CODEX_SKIP=true     # Disable Codex provider
export GEMINI_SKIP=true    # Disable Gemini provider

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Visual Indicators

When multi-AI workflows execute, you’ll see provider indicators:
  • 🐙 Claude Octopus mode active
  • 🔴 Codex CLI executing (uses OPENAI_API_KEY)
  • 🟡 Gemini CLI executing (uses GEMINI_API_KEY)
  • 🟣 Perplexity web search (uses PERPLEXITY_API_KEY)
  • 🔵 Claude processing (included with Claude Code)

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Cost Awareness

ProviderCost RangeSource
Codex$0.01-0.15/queryUser’s OPENAI_API_KEY
Gemini$0.01-0.03/queryUser’s GEMINI_API_KEY
Perplexity$0.01-0.05/queryUser’s PERPLEXITY_API_KEY
ClaudeIncludedClaude Code subscription
Opus Fast30/30/150 per MTok6x cost, lower latency
For simple tasks that don’t need multi-AI perspectives, Claude handles them directly without invoking external providers.

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Auto-Activation

Claude Octopus automatically activates for:
  • Research keywords: “research”, “investigate”, “explore”
  • Build keywords: “build”, “create”, “implement” (with clear target)
  • Validation keywords: “validate”, “review”, “check”, “audit”
  • Debate keywords: “should”, “vs”, “or”, “compare”
  • Lifecycle keywords: “complete”, “full”, “end-to-end”
No need to memorize commands—just describe what you want naturally.

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Next Steps

Workflow Commands

Learn the Double Diamond phases

System Commands

Configure your environment

Skill Commands

Explore specialized capabilities

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