#Built-in session commands

Manage a Shell session from the inside — list what you can do, review what just happened, check the cost, condense the history, stop a runaway command, and close cleanly.

#Overview

Inside a Shell session you can type a small set of built-in commands that act on the session itself, not on your machine. They let you steer the session, understand what it has done, keep a long session manageable, and stop or end it on your terms. They are always available while you work, and they are distinct from the ordinary commands you run for the actual task.

These commands are the difference between watching a session and being in control of one. With them you can orient yourself at any moment, halt a command the instant something looks wrong, and leave a session in a clean state when you are finished.

#What you can do

There are seven built-in commands. Each does one thing, clearly.

#How to use it

You type a built-in command in the session the same way you would type any command, and it acts on the session immediately. Here is when to reach for each one.

#help

When you want to see what the session itself can do, type:

help

You get a list of the available session commands. Use it when you are new to the Shell or have forgotten the exact name of a command — and if you would rather search than remember, the command palette finds the same things by name as you type.

#context

To review what has happened so far in the session, type:

context

This shows recent context from the session — the steps and output leading up to now. It is the fastest way to re-orient after stepping away, to remind yourself what a long-running task has been doing, or to check the last few steps before deciding what to do next. You can ask for a specific amount of recent context by giving a number of lines:

context 50

#cost

To see what the current session has used, type:

cost

Some of the Shell's heavier work draws on credits, and cost tells you what this session has consumed so far. Check it during a long session to stay aware of usage, or at the end to see what a piece of work cost.

#compact

When a session has run for a long time and its history has grown large, condense it with:

compact

This keeps the meaning of what has happened while shrinking the history, so a long session stays responsive and easy to follow. Use it when a session has been going for a while and you intend to keep working in it — nothing important is thrown away, the history is simply made leaner.

#kill

To stop the command that is currently running — without ending the session — type:

kill

This halts the running command and leaves the session itself open, so you can read the output, adjust, and run something else. Reach for it the moment a command is stuck, runs longer than expected, or is clearly going the wrong way. Stopping always works immediately.

#close

When you are done with a session, end it cleanly with:

close

This is a clean stop. The session's durable receipt of what it did remains available afterward, so closing never loses your history or results — it simply finishes the session.

#exit

To leave the Shell entirely, type:

exit

This steps you out of the Shell. Use it when you are finished with hands-on work in the Shell and want to return to the rest of Nourva.

#Examples

You ask:

context 30

What you see: the last stretch of the session — the recent commands and their live output — gathered so you can review exactly what happened before deciding your next move.

You ask:

kill

What you see: the command that was running stops immediately, the session stays open, and you are returned to a ready prompt where you can read what happened and run something else.

You ask:

cost

What you see: a clear figure for what this session has used so far, so you know where you stand before continuing or closing.

#Tips

• Use context before you act, not just after — a quick look at recent steps prevents you from repeating work or stepping on a job that is still running.
• Reach for kill without hesitation. It stops only the running command and keeps the session, so there is no cost to stopping early and checking.
• Run compact on sessions you plan to keep open for a long time; it keeps a marathon session as nimble as a fresh one.
• Remember the difference between close and exit: close ends this session, exit leaves the Shell. Closing always preserves the session's durable receipt, so you can return to what it did.

#Related

• What the Shell is
• How sessions work
• The command palette
• Running your own commands
• Troubleshooting