This release introduces powerful new capabilities, including dynamic workflows that orchestrate work across multiple agents for complex tasks, and the availability of Opus 4.8 with a default high-effort setting. Opus 4.8 also offers a significantly faster and more cost-effective fast mode option. Users will benefit from improved agent decision-making, the ability to run shell commands in the background, and better control over plugin activation. Extensive stability and reliability fixes address issues with background sessions, dangerous path blocking, and various terminal rendering quirks, ensuring a smoother and more secure experience.
Added1
- Added Claude Opus 4.8 support and 4.7 → 4.8 migration guidance to the `/claude-api` skill
Improved1
- Improved the auto-mode classifier's detection of data exfiltration, particularly bulk transfers of repository contents
Changed18
- Opus 4.8 is here! Now defaults to high effort · /effort xhigh for your hardest tasks
- Introducing dynamic workflows: ask Claude to create a workflow and it orchestrates work across tens to hundreds of agents in the background, so you can take on larger, more complex tasks. Run `/workflows` to view your runs
- Fast mode on Opus 4.8 is now available at a fraction of its previous cost: 2x the standard rate for 2.5x the speed
- The lean system prompt is now the default for all models except Haiku, Sonnet, and Opus 4.7 and earlier
- Claude now reserves the multiple-choice question prompt for decisions it genuinely cannot make itself, instead of asking when it already has enough context to proceed
- Renamed the `/effort` slider labels from "Speed"/"Intelligence" to "Faster"/"Smarter" for clarity
- `claude agents`: type `! <command>` to run a shell command as a background session you can attach to and detach from. Also available as `claude --bg --exec '<command>'`
- `claude agents`: `/logout` now signs you out instead of being sent to a background session
- `←←` to open the agents view now works on Bedrock, Vertex, Foundry, and with telemetry disabled
- Claude in Chrome: pick which connected browser to use via `/chrome` → "Select browser…", or in-chat when a browser action runs with multiple connected
- Plugins can now declare `defaultEnabled: false` in `plugin.json` or a marketplace entry; enable them with `/plugin` or `claude plugin enable`. Dependencies of enabled plugins are still enabled automatically
- The `/plugin` Discover tab now pins plugins whose relevance signals match the current directory with a "suggested for this directory" annotation
- Streaming tool execution is now always enabled, including when telemetry is disabled or on Bedrock/Vertex/Foundry (previously behind a feature flag)
- Stdio MCP server subprocesses now receive `CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_ID` and `CLAUDECODE=1` in their environment
- `claude mcp list`/`get` now show unapproved `.mcp.json` servers as `⏸ Pending approval` instead of auto-approving and connecting when output is piped
- `/remote-control` autocomplete now shows "Disconnect Remote Control" when Remote Control is already active
- Deprecated `CLAUDE_CODE_OPUS_4_6_FAST_MODE_OVERRIDE` (will be removed on 06/01). To use fast mode on Opus 4.6, switch with `/model claude-opus-4-6[1m]` and then `/fast on`
vscodeAuto mode no longer requires the bypass-permissions setting to appear in the mode picker, and a dismissable notice on the new-session screen explains auto mode the first time it's active
Fixed23
- `/simplify` now runs a cleanup-only review (reuse, simplification, efficiency, altitude) and applies the fixes, instead of running the full `/code-review --fix` bug-hunting review
- Fixed `rm -rf $HOME` not being blocked as a dangerous path when `HOME` has a trailing slash
- Fixed `$TMPDIR` resolving to different directories in sandboxed vs unsandboxed Bash commands within the same session
- Fixed unreadable highlighted-row text in `claude agents` when the Claude Code theme doesn't match the terminal background
- Fixed background-agent completion notifications triggering premature "out of context" behavior on some 1M-context models
- Fixed background-session classifier losing the user's goal when a scheduled `/command` fires
- Fixed pinned background sessions respawning every minute after a Claude Code update, causing repeated agent-start notifications and process churn at idle
- Fixed background sessions stuck at "blocked", "running", or "working" not retiring after the idle grace period
- Fixed subagents in background sessions bypassing the worktree-isolation guard and writing to the shared checkout
- Fixed orphaned `claude --bg-pty-host` processes spinning at 100% CPU after the daemon exits on macOS
- Fixed number key shortcuts not working for options shown below the divider in option dialogs
- Fixed `worktree.baseRef: "head"` resolving to the main checkout's HEAD instead of the current worktree's HEAD when spawning subagents or calling `EnterWorktree` from inside a linked worktree
- Fixed a stray leading space on wrapped lines when the previous line ended exactly at the terminal width
- Fixed intermittent terminal rendering corruption in VS Code by capping the number of distinct colors the thinking spinner produces
- Fixed plan file names including `[Image #N]` / `[Pasted text #N]` placeholders when a plan-mode prompt starts with pasted images or text
- Fixed a phantom expand/click affordance on colored tool output: short ANSI-colored lines that fit on screen no longer show a "ctrl+o to expand" hint
- Fixed a single invalid `allowedMcpServers`/`deniedMcpServers` entry in managed settings discarding all managed-settings policy; the bad entry is now dropped with a `claude doctor` warning
- Fixed API 400 errors on models that don't support the effort parameter when `CLAUDE_CODE_ALWAYS_ENABLE_EFFORT` is set
- Windows: Fixed update failures caused by `claude.exe` being in use showing a generic error instead of telling you to close other sessions and retry
- Fixed the task panel below the prompt showing a stray unselectable "main" row when only a workflow is running
- Fixed /mcp tools list and tool detail rendering when MCP servers have long or multi-line tool names or long descriptions
- Fixed the /model picker not showing fast mode pricing on the Default option for API (pay-as-you-go) users when fast mode is on
- Fixed auto mode incorrectly blocking actions with "could not evaluate this action" when the safety classifier ran out of output tokens while reasoning
Removed1
- Removed the stale "& for background" hint from the shortcuts help panel
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