Claude Code: ultracode Replaces workflow as the Dynamic Workflow Trigger Keyword
Claude CodeClaude Code v2.1.160 renames the in-prompt trigger keyword for dynamic workflows: the word "workflow" no longer causes Claude to spin up a dynamic workflow run. Users must now type "ultracode" in their prompt to trigger a workflow explicitly, or describe the task in their own words. The /effort ultracode session setting remains unchanged. A new "Workflow keyword trigger" toggle in /config lets users disable the keyword trigger entirely. This is a breaking behavioral change for anyone who relied on typing "workflow" in prompts.
Sources & Mentions
5 external resources covering this update
Orchestrate subagents at scale with dynamic workflows
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Claude Dynamic Workflows and Ultracode: How to Use Them
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Claude Code Dynamic Workflows: Scripts Replace Context Windows, Ultracode Automates Orchestration
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Releases - anthropics/claude-code
GitHub
Claude Code Dynamic Workflows: A Deep Dive and Best Practices
AgentUpdate.ai
Dynamic Workflow Trigger Keyword Changes from workflow to ultracode
Claude Code v2.1.160 delivers a meaningful behavioral change for users of dynamic workflows: the keyword that triggers an inline workflow run in a prompt has been renamed from workflow to ultracode.
What Changed
When dynamic workflows launched with Claude Opus 4.8 in v2.1.154, users could type the word "workflow" anywhere in a prompt to signal that Claude should orchestrate a dynamic workflow for that task, fanning work out across parallel subagents rather than proceeding turn by turn. The word was highlighted in violet in the prompt input to confirm detection.
Starting with v2.1.160, "workflow" no longer triggers a run. The new trigger keyword is "ultracode". Describing a task in plain language (for example, "create a workflow to migrate this codebase") still works. What no longer works is using the literal word "workflow" as the trigger signal.
The renamed keyword aligns the prompt trigger with the /effort ultracode session setting, creating a consistent vocabulary where "ultracode" means "invoke dynamic orchestration," whether as a session mode or as a per-prompt signal.
What Stays the Same
The /effort ultracode setting is unchanged: activating it pins reasoning to xhigh and instructs Claude to decide automatically whether each task in the session warrants spinning up a dynamic workflow. The /workflows command for viewing current workflow runs is also unaffected.
A New Config Toggle
v2.1.160 also adds a "Workflow keyword trigger" setting in /config. Users who want to prevent the ultracode keyword in a prompt from ever triggering a workflow can disable it there. This mirrors the Alt+W escape hatch introduced with dynamic workflows, which allowed users to cancel a workflow trigger on the current prompt.
Who Is Affected
Any user who has established a habit of typing "workflow" in prompts to trigger a dynamic workflow run will find that the keyword now does nothing. Prompts phrased as "workflow: audit this repo for security issues" or similar patterns need to be updated to "ultracode: audit this repo for security issues", or phrased naturally without relying on the trigger word.
The change also affects any documented team playbooks, CLAUDE.md files, or Claude Code skills that include "workflow" as a deliberate trigger. These should be updated to use "ultracode" instead.