How do I see what commands Claude Code, Codex or Cursor ran?

Kayvan Zahiri · October 25, 2026

Each agent keeps its own record of the commands it ran. In Claude Code, press Ctrl+O for the transcript viewer, which shows each tool call in detail, or /export the session. In Codex, commands appear in the chat as they run, and /export session.md saves the conversation. In Cursor, the agent runs commands in your terminal, and your Run Mode decides which ones it asks about first. Git shows what those commands changed in files, not what they did anywhere else.

BuildGist is a Mac app for Claude Code, Cursor and Codex. Download for Mac.

Why the diff is not enough

git diff shows file changes. A command can do things no diff records: install a package globally, delete a file Git was ignoring, call an API, run a database migration, or push a branch. For those you need the command list.

Claude Code

Ctrl+O toggles the transcript viewer. Anthropic's documentation says it shows detailed tool usage and execution, with a timestamp on each assistant message.
/export saves the conversation as plain text: /export session.txt.
The session file. Claude Code writes each message, tool use and result to a JSONL file under ~/.claude/projects/. Search it for the shell tool calls when you need an exact command from an earlier session. Where the files are, and how long they are kept, is in Claude Code session history.

Claude Code's checkpoints do not track changes made by shell commands, so rewinding will not undo what a command did. Check the list before you rely on a rewind.

Codex

Codex shows commands and diffs in the chat as they happen. To keep a copy, wait for the turn to end and type /export session.md; Codex writes the conversation to Markdown. Reopen an older chat with codex resume. Where Codex keeps its state is in Codex session history location.

Cursor

Cursor's agent runs shell commands in your terminal. Its Run Mode controls when commands run on their own, when Cursor asks first, and when they run in its sandbox. Scroll the chat to see each command and its output. If you want to approve each command, choose a Run Mode that asks.

A checklist after a run

Scan the command list for anything outside the project: installs, deletes, network calls, pushes.
Run git status to catch new files, including ones a command generated.
Run the tests yourself. A command that printed "passed" in the chat is not the same as a passing test now.
If something was installed, check your lockfile in the diff.

Make commands easier to audit next time

Use the agent's stricter approval setting for unfamiliar work, so each command is shown before it runs.
Ask the agent to end each task with a list of the commands it ran and why. Treat the answer as the agent's account and compare it with the transcript.
Give risky work its own branch or git worktree.

What BuildGist records, and what it does not

BuildGist explains each meaningful run of Claude Code, Cursor or Codex in plain English. It records the request you typed, the files changed with line counts, and the tests that ran with their result. It does not keep a log of every shell command; for that, use the agent's transcript above. Small changes stay quiet, so the Inbox is where the runs that matter show up. The explanation is written by AI, so check it against the code and the tests. How to read a run's changes in order of risk is in how to review AI code before merging.

Questions

Where can I see the commands Claude Code ran?

Press Ctrl+O for the transcript viewer, or type /export to save the session. Every tool call is also in the session's JSONL file under ~/.claude/projects/.

Does git diff show what commands an agent ran?

No. It shows file changes only. Installs, network calls, pushes and changes to ignored files do not appear.

Does BuildGist log every command an agent runs?

No. It records the request, the files changed and the tests that ran, and explains each meaningful run. Use the agent's own transcript for every command.

Sources

Claude Code interactive mode, commands and how Claude Code works, checked October 25, 2026.
Codex developer commands, checked October 25, 2026.
Cursor terminal, checked October 25, 2026.

What you need

A Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 12 or later.
Claude Code, Cursor or Codex.
A Git project. No commit, push, remote or GitHub repository is needed.
A GitHub account, to sign in. BuildGist does not access your GitHub repositories.

Codex needs you to approve BuildGist once, in Codex. BuildGist shows the steps. Setup is in Getting started.

To explain a run, your computer sends BuildGist what that run needs, and BuildGist passes it to Anthropic. BuildGist does not keep this material. It does not send your whole repository, files the run did not change, or files named like secrets, such as .env files and keys. It keeps the explanation and short cited excerpts of changed code, at most 12 lines each. Secret masking is best-effort. Privacy has the full list.

Every account gets 7 days of BuildGist Pro free, with no card. The 7 days start at your first explanation or Continue handoff. Nobody is charged when the trial ends. After that, BuildGist Pro is $12 per month, plus any applicable tax shown at checkout. See pricing.

Try BuildGist Download for Mac

Apple silicon, macOS 12 or later. United States, 18 or older.

Questions: kayvanandre@gmail.com.