# Using Arguments


A prompt template is a Markdown file under `~/.config/kli/prompts/` or `<repo>/.kli/prompts/` that you run in a session as `/<name> ...`. Whatever you type after the command name becomes the template's arguments. This page shows how to read those arguments inside the template body. For the file format and frontmatter, see [Prompt template anatomy](/kli/extend/prompt-templates/anatomy).

Before substitution, kli splits the text after the command name into arguments: whitespace separates them, and single or double quotes group text into one argument and are dropped. So `/review src/auth.lisp "the login path"` produces two arguments: `src/auth.lisp` and `the login path`. There is no escape handling, and empty arguments never appear.

## Read one argument by position

Use `$N` to insert the Nth argument, counting from 1. The placeholder is replaced in place, so you can put it anywhere in a sentence.

```markdown
Review the file $1 and focus on $2.
```

Run with `/review src/auth.lisp "error handling"` and the body expands to:

```
Review the file src/auth.lisp and focus on error handling.
```

A position past the end of the supplied arguments expands to an empty string rather than an error. `$0` also expands to empty.

## Read a range of arguments

Use `${@:start:len}` to insert a slice of the arguments, joined by single spaces. `start` is the 1-based position of the first argument to take; `len` is how many to take.

```markdown
Compare these files: ${@:2:3}
```

Run with `/diff base.lisp a.lisp b.lisp c.lisp d.lisp` and the slice takes three arguments starting at the second, expanding to:

```
Compare these files: a.lisp b.lisp c.lisp
```

`len` is optional. Drop it to take everything from `start` to the end:

```markdown
Remaining paths: ${@:2}
```

If `len` runs past the end, the slice stops at the last argument.

## Read all arguments

`$ARGUMENTS` and `$@` both expand to every argument joined by single spaces. They are equivalent; use whichever reads better in the body.

```markdown
Run the test suite for $ARGUMENTS and report failures.
```

Run with `/test parser evaluator` and the body expands to:

```
Run the test suite for parser evaluator and report failures.
```

Because arguments are joined with single spaces, runs of whitespace and the quotes you typed do not survive here. `/test "the parser"` expands `$ARGUMENTS` to `the parser` without quotes.

## Read the unsplit text

`$RAW_ARGUMENTS` expands to everything you typed after the command name, verbatim. It is not split into arguments and not re-joined, so original spacing, quotes, and any characters that look like placeholders are kept literally.

```markdown
Commit message:
$RAW_ARGUMENTS
```

Run with `/commit fix:  handle "empty input" in $1 path` and the body expands to:

```
Commit message:
fix:  handle "empty input" in $1 path
```

The double space, the quotes, and the literal `$1` all survive. `$RAW_ARGUMENTS` is substituted after the positional, slice, and all-argument placeholders, so a `$1` sitting inside the raw text is never expanded a second time.

Reach for `$RAW_ARGUMENTS` when the body needs the input exactly as typed, such as a commit message or a free-form instruction. Reach for `$1`, `${@:start:len}`, `$ARGUMENTS`, or `$@` when you want the input split into discrete arguments.