Descriptions:
Nick Saraev walks through a recently added Claude Code feature called /btw — a side-channel command that opens a lightweight parallel conversation window mid-task without interrupting or restarting the main active thread. The feature solves a common friction point: needing to ask a follow-up question, correct a detail, or provide updated instructions while Claude Code is already running a long operation.
Before /btw, the only option was opening an entirely new Claude Code session, which Saraev estimates costs 10,000–20,000 tokens just to reload context — a significant overhead for users running frequent, context-heavy tasks. With /btw, users type the command followed by their message in the same terminal session; a small yellow-labeled side panel opens, Claude responds, and the user can dismiss it with space, enter, or escape before snapping back to the main thread. Both conversations share context, so no context re-establishment is required.
The video covers setup requirements (terminal mode must be enabled, Claude Code version 2.1.73 or later), how to update the extension in VS Code, and the three dismissal options after reading a /btw response. Saraev frames the feature as both a cost reduction and a quality improvement, since keeping everything in a single unified context window should produce more coherent responses across the full task.
📺 Source: Nick Saraev · Published March 11, 2026
🏷️ Format: Tutorial Demo
