Lesson Content

A normal prompt asks the AI to do thinking or writing: "summarize this," "help me plan this," "explain this error," or "draft a checklist." A slash command is different. A slash command changes or opens part of the working environment. It may switch the model, open a status panel, start a review workflow, compact the chat context, choose a project, or open a tool status view.

Think of it like a car. A normal prompt is telling the passenger where you want to go. A slash command is touching the dashboard controls: changing the driving mode, opening navigation, checking fuel, or switching which road map is active. Both matter, but they do different jobs.

OpenAI's command list says available commands vary by environment and access. That matters for students because memorizing one screenshot is fragile. The better skill is learning the command categories: session setup, project location, model/reasoning control, review, memory/context, tool status, and support.

Professional Use Case: A freelancer is using Codex to fix a small website bug. Before asking for code changes, the freelancer checks status, confirms the project, chooses the right model/reasoning setting, and decides whether they want planning first. The commands do not fix the bug by themselves; they make the work safer before the first coding prompt.

Student task: Open a fresh ChatGPT or Codex chat where slash commands are available. Type / in the composer, but do not run a command yet. In a notes file, write down five commands you see, the short description shown for each, and whether each one changes the session, opens information, starts a workflow, or organizes the chat.

?Use a notes file such as Notepad, Word, Google Docs, or another editor. A "session" means the current chat and its working settings. If your menu does not show the same commands as the lesson, that is normal. Write what your account shows, then add one note saying "available commands vary by environment and access."

Starter scenario: You are about to ask Codex to review a WordPress plugin. Before asking for the review, decide which commands might help you confirm where the chat is running, what model is selected, and whether you should start with planning.

Starter clarification prompt: "Before we start, explain which session settings or command-menu items I should check so this review happens in the right project and does not touch unrelated files."

Troubleshooting: If typing / does not open a command list, check whether you are in a supported app surface. If you only see a few commands, do not assume your account is broken; commands can depend on plan, workspace policy, installed plugins, and whether the chat is local, cloud, or projectless.

Quality Rubric:

• The student identifies command categories, not only command names.
• The student records commands from their real interface.
• The student explains why availability can vary.