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Custom Slash Commands

Custom slash commands are file prompts: reusable prompt templates that work like shortcuts in the Dexto CLI and Web UI. Think of them as your personal command library that you can invoke with a simple /command-name syntax.

They are not skills. Skills live in skills/<id>/SKILL.md directories, are managed by SkillManager, and are listed with /skills or the server skill catalog API (GET /api/skills).

What are Custom Slash Commands?​

Markdown files with prompt templates that support:

  • Positional arguments – $1, $2, etc. for structured inputs
  • Free-form content – $ARGUMENTS for flexible text
  • Local or global scope – Project-specific or user-wide
  • Auto-discovery – Loaded automatically on startup

Creating a Command​

Create a .md file with frontmatter and your prompt template:

---
description: Translate text between languages
argument-hint: [from-lang] [to-lang] [text]
---

Translate from $1 to $2:

$3

Save locations:

  • Local (project-specific): <your-project>/commands/translate.md
  • Global (available everywhere): ~/.dexto/commands/translate.md

Using Commands​

In Web UI: Type / to discover and invoke your custom commands.

In CLI:

dexto
> /translate english spanish "Hello world"

This expands to:

Translate from english to spanish:

Hello world

Frontmatter Fields​

FieldRequiredDescription
description✅ YesBrief description shown in command list
argument-hint⚠️ RecommendedArgument names for UI hints like [style] [length?]
name❌ OptionalOverride the filename as command name

Placeholder Types​

Positional ($1-$9):

---
description: Code review comment
argument-hint: [file] [line] [severity]
---

**Code Review for $1 (Line $2)**
Severity: $3

Free-form ($ARGUMENTS):

---
description: Improve any text
---

Please improve the following text:

$ARGUMENTS

Mixed approach:

---
description: Analyze code with focus
argument-hint: [language] [focus]
---

Analyze this $1 code focusing on: $2

$ARGUMENTS

Escape literal dollar signs with $$:

The cost is $$100 per month.

Example: Git Commit Message​

File: commands/commit-msg.md

---
description: Generate semantic commit message
argument-hint: [type]
---

Generate a commit message of type "$1" for these changes:

$ARGUMENTS

Follow conventional commits format. Be concise and descriptive.

Usage:

/commit-msg feat "Added user authentication with OAuth2"

Viewing Available Commands​

In Web UI: Type / to see all commands.

In CLI:

> /prompts

Shows commands from:

  • Built-in starter prompts
  • Local commands/ directory
  • Global ~/.dexto/commands directory
  • Connected MCP server prompts

Skills do not appear in /prompts; use /skills for the skill catalog.

Best Practices​

✅ DO:

  • Use descriptive names (analyze-performance not analyze)
  • Add clear descriptions for discoverability
  • Use argument-hint for inline hints
  • Use kebab-case filenames (my-command.md)

❌ DON'T:

  • Use spaces in filenames (breaks resolution)
  • Make overly complex prompts (split into multiple commands)
  • Forget the description field (required to appear)

How It Works​

Dexto's PromptManager loads prompts from your agent configuration, command files, custom prompt storage, and MCP prompt providers. For file-based prompts, it parses markdown files with frontmatter and registers them as slash commands. When invoked, placeholders expand with your arguments and send the resolved prompt text to the LLM.

Troubleshooting​

Command doesn't appear:

  • File must end with .md
  • Valid YAML frontmatter required
  • description field must be present
  • Must be in commands/ or ~/.dexto/commands

Arguments not expanding:

  • Use $1-$9 or $ARGUMENTS only
  • Match argument order to argument-hint
  • Use $$ for literal dollar signs

See Also​