claude-restart

Restart Claude Code sessions to reload skills or manage context.

3|Updated Oct 17, 2025
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/ManuelKugelmann/BitBot --skill claude-restart
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: claude-restart
Source: https://github.com/ManuelKugelmann/BitBot/tree/main/.bitbot/internal/container/templates/bitbot-dev/.claude/skills/claude-restart
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/ManuelKugelmann/BitBot --skill claude-restart

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires tmux, and includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Provides a quick and controlled way to refresh Claude's environment. This is essential for applying new skill definitions, clearing accumulated context, or troubleshooting by starting with a clean slate, all without manual setup.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Skill Reload: Instantly load newly added or modified skills and configuration.
  • Context Management: Choose to resume with existing context, compact it, or start a completely fresh session.
  • Use Case: After developing a new skill, use this to restart Claude and make the new skill immediately available for use.

Quick Start

Restart Claude to reload skills and resume your current session. .claude/skills/claude-restart/scripts/claude-restart.sh resume

Frequently Asked Questions about claude-restart

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I reload skills after adding new ones to Claude?

Restart Claude Code using the claude-restart Skill with the resume mode to reload newly added or modified skills without losing your current context. Run `.claude/skills/claude-restart/scripts/claude-restart.sh resume` to apply skill changes instantly.

What's the best way to clear Claude's accumulated context?

Claude-restart provides three modes: resume preserves context, compact reduces accumulated tokens, and clear starts a completely fresh session. Choose clear mode when you need a blank slate or troubleshoot by discarding all prior conversation history.

Can I restart Claude without losing my current work?

Yes. Claude-restart's resume mode restarts the session while preserving your existing context, allowing you to reload skills and refresh the environment without losing prior messages or state.

Do I need tmux installed to use claude-restart?

Yes, tmux is a dependency for claude-restart. It manages the Claude session lifecycle, enabling graceful termination and controlled restart without manual setup.

When should I use compact mode instead of clear mode?

Use compact mode to optimize context size and improve performance when accumulated tokens slow responses but you want to keep recent conversation history. Use clear mode only when you need a completely fresh start for troubleshooting or a new workflow.

How does claude-restart detect and terminate the Claude session?

Claude-restart discovers the Claude process ID, detects the session ID from the running environment, then performs a self-pkill restart workflow to gracefully terminate and relaunch the session with your chosen mode.