Quick commands are pre-configured prompts or shell commands that you can execute with a single click or keystroke. They let you automate repetitive actions -- committing code, running tests, linting -- without typing the same instructions over and over.
Built-in Commands
Lanes ships with a set of default quick commands so you can be productive immediately:
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| Commit | Asks Claude Code to commit the current changes |
| Release | Walks through versioning and release prep |
| Review Changes | Reviews uncommitted work against the base branch |
| Add Tests | Generates tests for recent changes |
| Fix Lint | Finds and fixes linting errors |
| Refactor | Suggests and applies refactoring improvements |
| Test Worktree | Runs the project test suite inside the worktree |
| Complete & Merge | Finishes the issue and merges the worktree branch |
You can modify or remove any of these, and add your own.
Command Types
Every quick command has a type that determines how it runs:
-
Claude -- Sends a prompt into the active Claude Code session. The prompt is injected into the terminal as if you typed it, so Claude Code picks it up and acts on it. Use this for anything you would normally ask an AI agent to do.
-
Terminal -- Executes a raw shell command directly in the session terminal. Use this for deterministic scripts like
npm test,cargo build, orgit push.
Command Categories
Commands are also grouped into two categories that control where they appear:
-
General -- Available everywhere. These show up in the quick-command menu regardless of whether the issue has a worktree. Good for universal actions like "Commit" or "Fix Lint."
-
Worktree -- Only shown when the selected issue has an active worktree. These are for operations that only make sense in a worktree context, like "Test Worktree" or "Complete & Merge."
Running Quick Commands
There are two ways to fire a quick command:
From the Sidebar
Click the lightning bolt icon in the sidebar to open the quick-command menu. You will see a list of available commands filtered by the current context (general commands always appear; worktree commands appear only when relevant). Click one to run it.
When you run a quick command from the sidebar without an issue selected, Lanes creates a new misc issue to host the session. This keeps your board organized -- every command execution is tracked against an issue.
With Keyboard Shortcuts
Press Cmd+Alt+1 through Cmd+Alt+9 to run the first through ninth quick command by position. The numbering matches the order in your quick-command list, so you can reorder them to put your most-used commands on the easiest shortcuts.
Creating Custom Quick Commands
- Open Settings (Cmd+, or the gear icon in the sidebar).
- Switch to the Quick Actions tab.
- Click the add button to create a new command.
- Fill in the fields:
- Name -- A short label that appears in the menu (e.g., "Deploy Staging").
- Prompt / Command -- The text to send. For Claude-type commands this is the prompt; for Terminal-type commands this is the shell command.
- Type -- Choose "Claude" or "Terminal."
- Category -- Choose "General" or "Worktree."
- Save your changes.
Editing and Reordering
From the same Quick Actions tab in Settings, you can:
- Edit any command by clicking on it and changing its fields.
- Reorder commands by dragging them up or down in the list. The order here determines both the menu order and which keyboard shortcut (Cmd+Alt+1-9) maps to which command.
- Delete a command you no longer need.
Changes take effect immediately -- no restart required.
Tips
- Combine Claude-type commands with detailed prompts for repeatable AI workflows. For example, a "Write Changelog" command could include specific formatting instructions.
- Use Terminal-type commands for build scripts, deployment commands, or anything that does not need AI involvement.
- Keep your most-used commands in positions 1-9 so the keyboard shortcuts stay convenient.