Set up
Find a command
Search available actions or read the command-line reference.
Vera has a command palette for actions and help pages for learning the controls.
Use Ctrl+P to find an action, /commands to browse executable commands, or
/help to read guidance without running anything.
From the terminal
vera --help
vera <command> --helpvera --help lists commands and flags. vera <command> --help shows one
command’s usage and names the page of this manual that covers it. -h is the
same flag. vera help points you at these two. Help works without a running
host, provider, or network request.
In the TUI
Start in the composer.
/palette opens the same command palette as Ctrl+P. In /help, choose a
page with Up/Down and Enter. Escape returns to the menu.
The help pages are General, Keys, Slash commands, and Extensions. General is text; the other pages are searchable lists. Tab moves between Search and the list. Typing from the list starts a search.
Conversation commands
Enter these in the composer. A command that opens a picker uses Up/Down to choose, Enter to open, and Escape to return. Commands act on the focused conversation unless they open a broader browser.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/resume | Choose a saved conversation to resume. Same picker as Ctrl+E. |
/search | Search past work. |
/work | Show conversations that need you or are running. |
/sidebar | Show or hide the sidebar of running conversations. Same as Ctrl+X, then B. |
/rename [name] | Name the conversation, or remove its name when omitted. |
/clone | Duplicate the conversation. |
/fork | Choose an earlier prompt to fork from. |
/rewind | Choose a point to rewind the active conversation. |
/compact | Summarize earlier messages to free context. |
/clear [stop or keep] | Start a new conversation; choose close or keep running, or name the choice to skip asking. /new is the same command. |
/close | Stop this conversation and retain its saved file. |
/subagents | List this conversation’s asynchronous children. |
/parent | Return to the parent conversation. |
/back | Return to the previously viewed conversation. |
See Switching conversations for what keeps running when you move between them, and Context settings for compaction controls.
Settings and inspection
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/model | Open Switch model. |
/models | Browse every model, with favorites, defaults, and providers. |
/effort [level] | Set the next turn’s reasoning effort; supported levels depend on the model. Every level but max also becomes the default for new conversations. |
/agent [name] | Choose a definition, or switch to the named one. |
/settings | Open settings controls. |
/configure | Choose a configuration file to open in your editor. |
/themes | Choose a terminal theme. |
/nudges | Manage standing preferences. |
/extensions | Inspect and manage extension copies. |
/diagnostics | Inspect the current session or resident host. |
/usage | Open recorded usage and cost. |
/failure-report | Write a report of recorded model failures. |
Installed skills and extensions contribute commands too. Their availability
depends on the active definition and enabled extensions. Use /help for the
commands currently loaded, or read Included extensions.
For another tool
This manual ships with Vera as plain Markdown in the docs/ directory of the
install, so another program can read it directly. vera --help prints the
path.