Session
One conversation tied to a folder, with its own . See what it is, how it works, how it is used and what to watch for, with pictures and examples.
What it is
A session is one conversation with in one folder. While you work, Claude Code writes every message, tool use and result to a file under ~/.claude/projects/. Because it is saved, you can close the and come back to the same conversation later. Each new session starts with a fresh , so it does not remember earlier sessions unless you use CLAUDE.md or auto .
How it works
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Run claude inside your project folder
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Talk; saves everything as you go
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Exit or run for a new start
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Reopen it later with --continue or /resume
How to use it
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claude --continuereopens the most recent session in the current folder.
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claude --resumeor/resumeopens a list of saved sessions so you can pick one.
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/rename auth-refactororclaude -n auth-refactorgives a session a name so you can find and resume it by that name.
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/branchor--fork-sessioncopies the conversation into a new session, so you can try another idea and keep the original as it was.
Watch out
Resuming keeps the same session and adds to the old conversation, while branching makes a new ID and leaves the original untouched. Sessions do not share their history, so put rules you always need in CLAUDE.md. The saved transcripts are plain text on your computer, so do not paste secrets into a session.
Related terms
Original and official docs
This page explains the term in plain words. The original is the authority: if they differ, follow the original.