How to Suspend and Resume Claude Code

Claude Code can be suspended mid-session and resumed later using standard terminal process control commands.

How to Suspend

Press Ctrl+Z to suspend Claude Code immediately. This pauses the process and returns control to your terminal prompt.

How to Resume

Run fg in your terminal to bring Claude Code back to the foreground and resume your session exactly where you left off.

Alternative: Shell Commands from Within Claude Code

Use ! prefix to run shell commands without suspending Claude Code:

!git status
!npm test
!ls -la

This executes commands directly from Claude Code's prompt without leaving your session.

When to Use

Use ! commands for:

• Quick shell commands - !git status, !npm test, !ls without leaving Claude Code
• Simple operations - Single commands that don't require interaction

Suspend Claude Code when you need to:

• Interactive commands - Commands requiring input or extended interaction
• Switch between tasks - Temporarily work on something else without losing your session
• Free terminal resources - Pause Claude Code while running resource-intensive commands
• Complex shell work - Multiple commands or shell navigation

Benefits:

• Session preservation - Your conversation history and context remain intact
• Quick access - Instant terminal availability without losing work
• Resource management - Free CPU/memory temporarily while maintaining state

The suspend/resume functionality provides efficient session management for developers who need to switch between Claude Code and other terminal tasks.

See Also: Terminal Controls|Session Management|Getting Started