Claude Code, the AI agent that runs in your terminal, has just been updated to v2.1, and its usability has improved significantly! Moving away from the traditional global npm installation, it now uses optimized native binaries downloaded directly from the website. Installation feels much faster and lighter now.

What I personally like most about this update is the addition of features that directly help save on token costs. Specifically, try setting your output style to 'Concise' using the /config command. It strips out unnecessary explanations and greetings, providing only the essential code. This alone can reportedly reduce token usage by up to 40%. 😄 Also, a /skill-doctor command has been added to diagnose and prevent unused sub-agents from wasting your context window, enabling much smarter context management.

Don't forget the keyboard shortcuts to maximize your terminal workflow. When changing the agent's operation mode, pressing Shift+Tab allows you to quickly toggle between Normal mode, Auto mode (which automatically approves file edits), and Read-only Plan mode. If you want to revert your code to a previous state while working, pressing the Esc key twice in a row opens the rewind menu, which is super convenient.

If you are still using the previous version, install the new native build with the command below and experience these improved features for yourself!