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Day 31 of 52 · about 10 min · Skills · Bonus

Change how Claude answers with output styles

Some days you want a one-line answer, and some days you want to know why Claude chose what it did. An output style sets that for the whole session, so you stop typing “be brief” or “explain” every time.

You’ll finish with

  • Answers that switch between Concise and Explanatory with one command
  • A custom Plain English style in .claude/output-styles/

You’ll need

  • Claude Code v2.1.269 or later. Check with claude -v; claude update gets the latest.
  • Any project folder. The practice kit for this day includes the custom style.
Start from the practice project as of Day 23 (.zip, 30 KB)Download the practice project as of Day 31 (.zip, 31 KB)

Before you start

Tell us about your setup and the steps change to fit it. Your answers stay in this browser, and you can change them at any time.

Which system are you on?

Commands differ between systems. Pick the one you’ll run Claude Code on.

The steps

One step at a time. When a step’s check matches, tick it and the next one opens.

0 of 3 steps done0%

  1. Step 1 of 3: See the styles you have

    List the built-in styles and see which one is on.
    In Claude Code

    You type: /output-style

    What happens: Lists Default plus Proactive, Concise, Explanatory and Learning, and any custom styles. The current one is marked.

    Default means no style: Claude Code’s standard instructions.

    Check it worked

    The list shows Default and the four other built-in styles, with the one you use now marked.

  2. Step 2 of 3: Try Concise, then Explanatory

    Ask the same question in two styles and compare the answers.
    In Claude Code

    You type: /output-style concise

    You type: How does this project round money?

    What happens: The answer leads with the result, in a few sentences.

    You type: /output-style explanatory

    You type: How does this project round money?

    What happens: Claude explains its reasoning and adds short blocks labelled Insight.

    A new style applies from your next message.

    Check it worked

    Two clearly different answers. .claude/settings.local.json now has an outputStyle entry: your choice is saved for this project, on this machine.

  3. Step 3 of 3: Write your own style

    Save a Markdown file with a name, a description and the instructions Claude should follow.
    .claude/output-styles/plain-english.mdMarkdown
    ---
name: Plain English
description: Replies a non-developer can follow, with what changed and how to check it
keep-coding-instructions: true
---

Write every reply for someone who runs the business, not for a developer.

- Start with what changed or what the answer is, in one or two sentences.
- Use everyday words. When a technical term is needed, explain it in a few
  words the first time.
- After a code change, add a short "How to check it" list: what to run or
  open, and what they should see.
- Mention file names only when the reader has to open or check that file.
- If something is risky or uncertain, say so plainly and say what you would
  do next.
    .claude/output-styles/plain-english.md
    name: Plain English
    Shown in the style list. Without it, the file name is used
    description: Replies a non-developer can follow…
    Shown in the /config picker
    keep-coding-instructions: true
    Keeps Claude Code’s coding instructions where the full system prompt is used; newer models’ shorter prompt ignores it. Leave it out for a style that isn’t about code
    Every field is optional. The text below the frontmatter is the style.

    Style files are read when Claude Code starts, so restart it. Then run /config, open Output style and pick Plain English.

    Check it worked

    Ask for a small change. The reply opens with what changed in everyday words and ends with a "How to check it" list.

    If it didn’t work

    Plain English is not in the list

    Check the file is in .claude/output-styles/ and ends in .md, then restart Claude Code.

Finish · 3 of 3 steps to go

You choose how Claude talks to you

Run /output-style default to go back. A style is an instruction Claude follows, not a guarantee: for rules that must always hold, use a hook.

What you’ll have checked

  • Concise and Explanatory answers look different
  • Plain English appears in the style list

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Questions

Questions about Day 31

Does my style change how subagents answer?

No. Subagents run their own instructions, so only your main conversation (and a fork of it) uses the style.

Sources

Checked against the official Claude Code docs on .

Independent resource, not affiliated with Anthropic. HorizonLux wrote this lesson; Claude Code is made by Anthropic.