Shortcut Instructions
Version note: the unified command, target, reference, and approval-reply protocol is available starting with
v0.0.4.beta.
Shortcut instructions perform explicit session operations. They are not ordinary tasks sent to the Agent and do not require the model to infer the user's intent.
How to Use Them
Enter / in the Agent Session composer. The page shows commands available for the current session. Select a command and send it.
Commands should normally be sent by themselves without ordinary task text after them. For example:
/compress
If a command does not apply to the selected session, or the session is running or waiting for confirmation, the page explains why it cannot run.
Available Commands
| Command | Where it works | Effect |
|---|---|---|
/refresh_messages | Main and sub-sessions | Synchronizes the current page's session messages again |
/delete | Sub-sessions only | Deletes the current sub-session and removes it from the session list |
/clear-history | Main session only | Clears the currently visible main-session history and continues from a new context boundary |
/compress | Main and sub-sessions | Manually compresses the current session context |
The page only suggests commands that apply to the selected session. A main session does not show /delete, and a sub-session does not show /clear-history.
Refresh Messages
/refresh_messages
Use this when messages appear incomplete, the page has not updated, or you want to refresh the session after reconnecting.
It only synchronizes the page again. It does not rerun the task or delete server records.
Delete a Sub-session
/delete
This command only works for a sub-session. It removes the sub-session from the active session list and cannot delete the main session.
Before deleting it, confirm that important results have been returned to the main session or saved in the appropriate location.
Clear Main-session History
/clear-history
This command only works for the main session. It moves earlier messages outside the currently visible history and lets later work continue from a new context boundary.
Important boundaries:
- This is not secure erasure and does not mean the underlying history was physically deleted.
- Workspace files, Skills, Tools, secret configuration, and user memory are not deleted.
- Save important conclusions as files or restate them in the next task before clearing history.
/clear_history and /clear history are accepted as aliases. The interface shows /clear-history as the standard form.
Manually Compress Context
/compress
Use this when a session has become long and you want to reduce context usage while preserving the current task's main line.
Compression keeps the current goal, progress, constraints, working facts, and important artifact references. It does not delete workspace files and is different from clearing history. Compression may take some time and uses model capacity.
If there is not enough context to compress, the page reports that directly. Handle a running task or pending approval before starting manual compression.
Targets, Object References, and Approval Replies
xAgent uses different prefixes for routing and object references:
@{session:session-id} Continue this task
Analyze #{file:file-id}
@{approval:approval-id} approve
@{session:session-id}targets the following message or command at a specific session.#{type:id}only references an object in the current message. It does not reroute or execute an action.@{approval:approval-id} approve/rejectsubmits a control reply to a specific approval.#{approval:approval-id}only references an approval record and cannot decide it.
Prefer text generated by the interface, Connector notification, or suggestion menu instead of guessing object IDs manually. See the Shortcut Instruction Protocol for complete semantics, combinations, and security boundaries.
Notes
- An unknown
/commandreturns an error instead of becoming an ordinary Agent task. - Do not append ordinary task instructions after a command.
- Some commands are unavailable while a session is running or waiting for confirmation.
/clear-historyis not a data-destruction feature.- A directed target must appear at the beginning.
@{session:id}in the middle of ordinary text does not reroute the message. - Object references do not bypass file boundaries, approval policy, or other permission checks.