Terminal AI

A CLI application that uses AI to process natural language commands and execute them in the terminal.

It supports openAI gpt-4o, gpt-4o-mini and llama3.2 through ollama. It will support claude and gemini soon.

Installation

npm install -g terminal-ai-tool

Setup

If you are using ollama, make sure the server is running and the llama3.2 model is downloaded.

Run the initialization command to configure your AI provider:

ai setup

This will guide you through setting up your preferred AI provider and API key. The configuration will be stored in ~/.terminal-ai/config.yaml.

Usage

Non-interactive mode

In non-interactive mode, the AI converts your natural language request into a single terminal command and executes it:

ai "your command in natural language"

Examples

ai "list all files in the current directory"
ai "delete all files in current folder"

When using a potentially destructive command, the application will ask for confirmation before executing.

Interactive mode

In interactive mode, the AI maintains a continuous conversation, suggesting and executing commands with your permission:

ai --interactive "your task description"

Or use the shorthand:

ai -i "your task description"

The agent will:

• Analyze your request and suggest appropriate commands
• Provide reasoning for each suggested command
• Ask for confirmation before executing potentially dangerous commands
• Return command output to the AI for further analysis
• Maintain conversation context for multi-step tasks

To exit agent mode, type exit or quit.

Examples

ai -i "help me find large files on my system"
ai -i "set up a basic Node.js project"

Advanced Usage

Using with Pipes

The AI CLI can process input from other commands via pipes:

# Process file contents
cat config.json | ai "validate this JSON file"

# Filter command output
ps aux | ai "find all Node.js processes"

# Analyze logs
tail -n 100 server.log | ai "what errors occurred in the last 100 lines"

Thread Management

Threads allow you to maintain conversational context across multiple interactions with the AI. This is especially useful for complex tasks that require multiple steps or when you want to continue a conversation later.

Thread Basics

Each thread maintains its conversation history, allowing the AI to reference previous commands and responses. This provides continuity and context awareness for ongoing tasks.

Managing Threads

Listing Threads

To view all available threads:

ai thread list

You can filter threads by name:

ai thread list --filter "project"

After listing threads, you can select one interactively to continue the conversation.

Attaching to a Thread

To continue a conversation in an existing thread:

ai thread attach <thread-id>

This will resume the conversation where you left off, with all previous context intact.

Using a Thread for a Single Command

To use a specific thread for a one-time command without entering agent mode:

ai --thread <thread-id> "your command"

Renaming Threads

To give a thread a more descriptive name:

ai thread rename <thread-id> "React project setup"

Deleting Threads

When you're done with a thread, you can delete it:

ai thread delete <thread-id>

Thread Workflow Example

1. Start a new task in agent mode:

   ai -a "set up a React project"

   This creates a new thread automatically.

2. Later, list your threads to find the React project:

   ai thread list

3. Attach to the thread to continue the setup:

   ai thread attach <thread-id>

4. After completing the task, rename the thread for future reference:

   ai thread rename <thread-id> "React project setup"

Profile Management

Profiles allow you to manage multiple AI provider configurations, making it easy to switch between different providers or models without reconfiguring your settings each time.

Profile Basics

Each profile contains:

• A unique name
• An AI provider (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, or Ollama)
• An API key
• A selected model

The active profile determines which AI provider and model is used for processing your commands.

Managing Profiles

Listing Profiles

To view all configured profiles:

ai profile list

This shows all profiles with their provider, model, and pricing information. The active profile is marked.

Setting the Active Profile

To switch to a different profile:

ai profile set <profile-name>

All subsequent commands will use this profile until you change it again.

Deleting a Profile

To remove a profile you no longer need:

ai profile delete <profile-name>

If you delete the active profile, another profile will automatically be set as active.

Viewing Available Models

To see all available models with their pricing information:

ai profile models

You can filter models by provider:

ai profile models --provider openai

Using a Specific Profile for a Command

You can temporarily use a different profile for a single command:

ai --profile <profile-name> "your command"

Or use the shorthand:

ai -p <profile-name> "your command"

Profile Setup Example

1. Run the setup wizard to create your first profile:

   ai setup

2. Create additional profiles for different providers:

   # The setup command will guide you through creating a new profile
   ai setup

3. Switch between profiles as needed:

   ai profile set work-openai
   ai profile set personal-claude

4. Use a specific profile without switching:

   ai -p work-openai "analyze this log file"

Cost Tracking

Cost Tracking is not completly correct but it will give you an idea of the cost of your commands.