[FEATURE] Add --output-style flag for non-interactive mode

Resolved 💬 5 comments Opened Sep 10, 2025 by 0x4rm4nd Closed Sep 11, 2025

Preflight Checklist

  • [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
  • [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)

Problem Statement

Currently, output styles work perfectly in interactive mode via /output-style <CUSTOM_STYLE>, but there's no equivalent for non-interactive/programmatic usage with --print mode. This creates a gap for automation workflows that need consistent, structured responses.

Verbose and error-prone

claude --print --append-system-prompt "CRITICAL: Output pure JSON without explanations..."  "Analyze strength & weakness of architecture"

Proposed Solution

# Clean and intuitive
claude --print --output-style architecture-json "Analyze strength & weakness of architecture"

Alternative Solutions

_No response_

Priority

High - Significant impact on productivity

Feature Category

CLI commands and flags

Use Case Example

  • CI/CD Integration: Automated analysis reports with consistent JSON structure
  • Docker/Container Workflows: Microservices orchestration requiring predictable output

formats

  • API Integration: Programmatic consumption of Claude responses
  • Batch Processing: Large-scale analysis with standardized output schemas

Additional Context

Implementation Details

The feature should:

  1. Load output styles from ~/.claude/output-styles/*.md
  2. Apply the style's system prompt when --print and --output-style are used together
  3. Provide clear error messages for invalid style names

Benefits

  • Consistency: Eliminates manual system prompt management
  • Maintainability: Centralized style definitions in .md files
  • Developer Experience: Matches the intuitive /output-style command from interactive mode
  • Automation-Friendly: Essential for programmatic Claude Code usage

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