English transcript

Coding agents like Cloud Code are fundamentally

changing how software gets built. In this video,

we cover the top 12 Cloud Code features that matter most.

Every time you start a new session,

Cloud knows nothing about your project structure

and your coding preferences.

Cloud.md fixes this.

It is a markdown file containing things

like coding preferences and project structure

sitting in your project root.

Cloud reads it at the start of every session,

using it as a memory.

You write rules like always write unit tests,

and Cloud follows them in every session.

There is no required format for Cloud.md.

Just keep it short and human readable.

If you type a slash init in your Cloud session,

it automatically creates Cloud.md

for your current project.

Coding agents are powerful, but risky

since they can edit files and run commands on your machine.

By default, Cloud Code asks for your approval

before editing files or running bash commands.

Permissions let you customize this behavior.

You can pre-approve safe actions,

like running tests or committing code,

and block dangerous ones, like deleting files.

Inside that session, type a slash permissions.

This opens an interactive menu where

you can add or remove tools from your allow list.

Permissions are the balance between speed and safety.

Start conservative and gradually open up

as you build trust with specific workflows.

Coding right away is tempting, but on complex tasks,

Cloud can edit the wrong files and waste tokens.

Plan mode separates planning from doing.

Press Shift plus tab to switch between plan mode

and normal mode.

When enabled, Cloud can read your files, ask questions,

and propose a step-by-step plan.

Only read-only tools are allowed in this mode,

so Cloud cannot make changes.

Once you review and approve the plan,

you switch back to normal mode and Cloud executes it.

You asked Cloud to refactor a module.

After editing many files, you realize the approach is wrong.

Now you are stuck manually undoing everything.

Checkpoints solve this.

Before each edit, Cloud automatically

snapshots your files, so you can rewind to any earlier state

if anything goes wrong.

Type a slash rewind in Cloud Session

to see a list of checkpoints with timestamps

and descriptions.

Select the one you want to restore,

choose what to rewind, and you are back to that exact state.

Checkpoints let you try bold experiments

and explore risky ideas without losing working code.

Some workflows need the same detailed instructions

every time.

Typing them out repeatedly is tedious.

Skills are predefined instructions

Cloud can load on demand.

Each skill is a skill.md file with a name, description,

and instructions.

At session start, we provide Cloud

with a list of available skills.

And it auto-invokes the right skill when needed.

Skills turn repeated workflows into repeatable,

shareable automation.

Build a skill once, and your entire team

benefits from it without memorizing long prompts.

Some actions should happen every single time,

like formatting code after every code changes.

Cloud Code works through a workflow loop,

deciding when to call tools and repeating

that process as needed.

Hooks are scripts that run automatically

at specific points you choose in that workflow,

such as before or after a tool run.

Use hooks for deterministic actions

that must always happen, formatting, security

checks, or logging.

Cloud Code can read files and run bash commands.

But what about external tools, like your Figma files

or Slack content?

MCP is an open protocol that allows anyone to build

and expose tools to agents.

You add an MCP server, and Cloud gets access

to all the tools it exposes.

MCP gives you immediate access to thousands

of publicly available MCP servers.

You have spent hours configuring the perfect setup,

custom skills, hooks, sub-agents, MCP servers.

Now your teammate wants the same setup.

Do you walk them through every config file manually?

Plugins are bundles that package skills, hooks, agents,

MCP servers, and metadata into a single installable unit.

You create a plugin, publish it to a marketplace

or a Git repository, and then use it

and your teammates install it with one command.

Cloud Code works within a fixed context window

of about 200,000 tokens.

As your conversation grows, that window fills up.

When it gets close to capacity, Cloud

can compact the conversation, preserving key decisions

while freeing up space.

Run a slash context to see exactly what is consuming

your context window.

Cloud.mt files skills MCP tool descriptions

and conversation story.

If anything critical is close to being lost,

run a slash compact with instructions

before it happens automatically.

Some actions are so common that typing them every time

slows you down.

Slash commands act like keyboard shortcuts for Cloud Code.

They give you a quick way to trigger common workflows,

such as checking costs, managing context,

or clearing your current session.

You invoke by typing a slash followed by the command name.

For complex tasks, doing everything in one session

gets messy fast.

A sub-agent is a separate Cloud session for one specific job.

Cloud splits a complex task into smaller focused pieces

and hands them off.

The sub-agents work independently,

then return a short summary to the main session.

Type a slash agents and select create agent.

Give it a name and a prompt focused on a specific area,

like security review.

Sub-agents keep your main conversation clean

and your context window lean.

Use them for any task that involves heavy exploration,

parallel work, or specialized expertise.

Now Cloud Code feels simple and structured.

The best way to learn is to open a terminal,

type Cloud, and start building.

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