CLAUDE_CODE_BRIEF

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_BRIEF is a Claude Code environment variable: Toggle brief/concise output mode — shorter responses from Claude. Useful for scripted workflows or agents that don't need verbose explanations. Added between v2.1.70 and v2.1.72 and still present in v2.1.294. It is not in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.294
Added	Added between v2.1.70 and v2.1.72
Category	Other
Official docs	Not listed

How to set it

For one session, export it in the shell that starts Claude Code:

export CLAUDE_CODE_BRIEF=<value>
claude

To apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_CODE_BRIEF": "<value>"
  }
}

Release notes that mention it

Claude Code v2.1.72 — 6 New Environment Variables: Brief Mode, Cron Control & Two-Stage Classifier

Related variables

CLAUDE_CODE_BRIEF_UPLOAD: Brief mode specifically for upload operations.
CLAUDE_CODE_MORNING_BRIEF_PROMPT
ANTHROPIC_BETAS: Comma-separated beta feature headers.
ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS: Custom HTTP headers (newline-separated Key: Value).
ANTHROPIC_FEDERATION_RULE_ID
ANTHROPIC_ORGANIZATION_ID
ANTHROPIC_WORKSPACE_ID
BETA_TRACING_ENDPOINT: Custom endpoint for beta tracing.

Frequently asked questions

What does CLAUDE_CODE_BRIEF do?

Toggle brief/concise output mode — shorter responses from Claude. Useful for scripted workflows or agents that don't need verbose explanations.

Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_CODE_BRIEF?

Added between v2.1.70 and v2.1.72 and still present in v2.1.294.

How do I set CLAUDE_CODE_BRIEF?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_CODE_BRIEF=value), or add it to the "env" object in ~/.claude/settings.json to apply it to every session.

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.