CC - Conversational Mode
Claude Code doesn't have a mode dropdown — but the equivalent of Copilot's Ask mode is simply starting a claude session and chatting. By default, Claude won't edit files or run commands unless you ask it to. It's purely conversation until you direct it otherwise.
cd your-project
claudeOne of the best things to do when you first start with a codebase is to explore it conversationally — ask questions, get oriented, understand how things fit together. Claude can actively read the files in your project and answer almost any question straight from the source, often replacing the need to read docs or setup instructions.
✏️ Run this prompt
Tell me about the app and how to get it running on my machine
Claude will read through your project files — package.json, README, config files, entry points — and give you a rundown of the app and how to get started.
Every message you send includes the full conversation history, so Claude remembers everything you've discussed in the session. As you explore the codebase and ask clarifying questions, it can bridge topics naturally.
Now ask about something specific:
✏️ Run this prompt
Where is the code for the Home page welcome message?
In conversational mode, Claude will ask permission to perform most actions. If this case, it wants to use “grep”, a command line search tool. Claude already has the ability to read files, but it recognizes that it would be slow for it to read every file, while grep is very fast. I know grep is fairly safe, so I will give it permission to run.
Claude should point you to the exact file and line of code. This kind of targeted exploration is what conversational mode is for — building understanding before making any changes.
✏️ Optional:
Manually change the welcome message in VS Code to something different and save the file.
Next Steps