Custom commands - Symbiotic Security

Custom commands let you define reusable prompts that run when you type /command-name in the TUI. They support dynamic flow via arguments, shell output, and file references.

Creating commands

Markdown files (recommended)

Create .md files in one of two directories:

Scope	Directory
Global	`~/.symbiotic/commands/`
Project	`.symbiotic/commands/`

The filename (without .md) becomes the command name.

If your command file is in a project directory, it will only be available if you launch Symbiotic Code from that directory.

Example

Create a file named test.md in .symbiotic/commands/ with the following content:

---
description: Run tests with coverage
model: claude-opus-4-6
---

Run the full test suite with coverage report and show any failures.
Focus on the failing tests and suggest fixes.

Use it in Symbiotic Code TUI:

/test

JSON config

Alternatively, define commands in symbiotic.json or .symbiotic/symbiotic.json (project), or the same files under ~/.symbiotic/ (global):

{
  "command": {
    "fix": {
      "template": "Fix all issues in @$ARGUMENTS and explain each change.",
      "description": "Fix a file"
    },
    "review": {
      "template": "Review $1 focusing on $2.\\n\\nRecent changes:\\n!`git diff HEAD~1 HEAD -- $1`",
      "description": "Review a file with git context"
    },
    "test": {
      "template": "Run the full test suite with coverage report and show any failures.\\nFocus on the failing tests and suggest fixes.",
      "description": "Run tests with coverage",
      "model": "claude-sonnet-4-5"
    }
  }
}

Supports // single-line comments (.jsonc style).

Frontmatter Options

Field	Required	Description
`description`	No	Short description shown in the command palette
`model`	No	Override the model used for this command

Template syntax

Use these placeholders in your command templates:

`$ARGUMENTS` — full argument string

Pass the entire argument string as a value in the prompt. Example:

---
description: Fix a file
---

Fix all issues in $ARGUMENTS and explain each change.

/fix src/core/session.ts

↪ $ARGUMENTS is replaced with src/core/session.ts in the prompt written from the custom command template.

`$1`, `$2`, `$3`… — positional arguments

Pass the argument at the specified position as a value in the prompt. Example:

---
description: Create a component
---

Create a TUI component named $1 in $2.
Follow the existing patterns in that directory.

/create-component Sidebar src/cli/tui/components

$1 → Sidebar
$2 → src/cli/tui/components

Arguments also support quoting:

/create-component "My Component" src/cli/tui/components

`!`command“ — shell output injection

Inject the output of a shell command into the prompt.

---
description: Review recent git changes
---

Recent git changes:
!`git diff HEAD~1 HEAD --stat`

Review these changes and suggest improvements.

The shell command runs in the current working directory. Its stdout is injected inline into the prompt.

Commands priority

When the same command name exists in multiple sources, the highest-priority source wins:

Priority	Scope	Source
1	Project	.symbiotic/symbiotic.json
2	Project	symbiotic.json
3	Project	markdown file
4	Global	.symbiotic/symbiotic.json
5	Global	symbiotic.json
6	Global	markdown file

This lets project commands override global defaults, and JSON config override markdown for the same name.

​Creating commands

​Markdown files (recommended)

​Example

​JSON config

​Frontmatter Options

​Template syntax

​$ARGUMENTS — full argument string

​$1, $2, $3… — positional arguments

​!command“ — shell output injection

​Commands priority

Creating commands

Markdown files (recommended)

Example

JSON config

Frontmatter Options

Template syntax

`$ARGUMENTS` — full argument string

`$1`, `$2`, `$3`… — positional arguments

`!`command“ — shell output injection

Commands priority