Cmd. /side
Start an ephemeral side conversation from the current thread.
Key takeaways
- Start an ephemeral side conversation from the current thread.
- Check the input surface and availability before using the examples below.
Purpose
Start an ephemeral side conversation from the current thread.
/sideAvailability
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Input surface | Running CLI prompt |
| Kind | Built-in |
| Status | Current reference |
| Aliases | /btw |
| Documented minimum | Not specified |
| Reviewed against | 2026-09-22 · Codex CLI 0.155.1 |
The installed command menu and account or organization settings determine availability.
Examples
/sideWhen to use it
- Use
/side Check whether this plan has an obvious riskfor a short independent critique. - Ask a policy or documentation question without polluting the main transcript.
- Let the human decide whether the side result should influence the parent thread.
Choosing related commands
| Command | Difference | Choose It When |
|---|---|---|
/side | Temporary side conversation | You need a short detour |
/fork | New longer-lived thread | You need alternate implementation work |
/agent | Switches to a spawned agent thread | You need to inspect an existing agent |
Effects and persistence
Handles a side question separately from the main task flow.
/side (/btw) starts a focused side conversation without switching the main task away from the parent
thread.
Cautions
- You cannot open
/sidefrom inside another side conversation. /sideis unavailable in review mode.- Use
/forkfor longer alternate implementations.
Official sources
Complete command list · Verification scope · History for this command