path: root/README.md

# Aichat: All-in-one AI-Powered CLI Chat & Copilot

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AIChat is a cutting-edge CLI chat and copilot tool that seamlessly integrates with over 10 leading AI platforms, providing a powerful combination of chat-based interaction, context-aware conversations, and AI-assisted shell capabilities, all within a customizable and user-friendly environment.

![AIChat Command](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/assets/4012553/84ae8382-62be-41d0-a0f1-101b113c5bc7)

![AIChat Chat-REPL](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/assets/4012553/13470451-9502-4b3e-b49a-e66aa7760208)

## Key Features

- Integrate with 20+ AI platforms
- Support [Chat-REPL](#chat-repl)
- Support [Roles](#defining-roles)
- Support sessions (context-aware conversation)
- Support image analysis (vision)
- [Shell commands](#shell-commands): Execute commands using natural language
- [Shell integration](#shell-integration): AI-based shell auto-completion
- Support extensive configuration and theme customization
- Support stream/non-stream
- Provide access to all LLMs using OpenAI format API
- Host LLM playground/arena web applications

## Supported AI Platforms

- OpenAI GPT-3.5/GPT-4 (paid, vision)
- Gemini: Gemini-1.0/Gemini-1.5 (free, paid, vision)
- Claude: Claude-3 (vision, paid)
- Mistral (paid)
- Cohere: Command-R/Command-R+ (paid)
- Perplexity: Llama-3/Mixtral (paid)
- Groq: Llama-3/Mixtral/Gemma (free)
- Ollama (free, local)
- Azure OpenAI (paid)
- VertexAI: Gemini-1.0/Gemini-1.5 (paid, vision)
- VertexAI-Claude: Claude-3 (paid, vision)
- Bedrock: Llama-3/Claude-3/Mistral (paid, vision)
- Cloudflare (free, paid, vision)
- Replicate (paid)
- Ernie (paid)
- Qianwen (paid, vision)
- Moonshot (paid)
- ZhipuAI: GLM-3.5/GLM-4 (paid, vision)
- Deepseek (paid)
- Other openAI-compatible platforms

## Install

### Package Managers

- **Rust Developers:** `cargo install aichat`
- **Homebrew/Linuxbrew Users:** `brew install aichat`
- **Pacman Users**: `yay -S aichat`
- **Windows Scoop Users:** `scoop install aichat`
- **Android Termux Users:** `pkg install aichat`

### Pre-built Binaries

Download pre-built binaries for macOS, Linux, and Windows from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/releases), extract them, and add the `aichat` binary to your `$PATH`.

## Configuration

Upon first launch, AIChat will guide you through the configuration process. An example configuration file is provided below:

```
> No config file, create a new one? Yes
> AI Platform: openai
> API Key: <your_api_key_here>
✨ Saved config file to <user-config-dir>/aichat/config.yaml
```

Feel free to adjust the configuration according to your needs.

> 💡 Use the `AICHAT_CONFIG_DIR` environment variable to custom the config dir for aichat files.

```yaml
model: openai:gpt-3.5-turbo      # Specify the language model to use
temperature: null                # Set default temperature parameter
top_p: null                      # Set default top-p parameter
save: true                       # Indicates whether to persist the message
save_session: null               # Controls the persistence of the session, if null, asking the user
highlight: true                  # Controls syntax highlighting
light_theme: false               # Activates a light color theme when true
wrap: no                         # Controls text wrapping (no, auto, <max-width>)
wrap_code: false                 # Enables or disables wrapping of code blocks
auto_copy: false                 # Enables or disables automatic copying the last LLM response to the clipboard 
keybindings: emacs               # Choose keybinding style (emacs, vi)
prelude: null                    # Set a default role or session to start with (role:<name>, session:<name>)

# Command that will be used to edit the current line buffer with ctrl+o
# if unset fallback to $EDITOR and $VISUAL
buffer_editor: null

# Compress session when token count reaches or exceeds this threshold (must be at least 1000)
compress_threshold: 1000

clients:
  - type: openai
    api_key: sk-xxx

  - type: openai-compatible
    name: localai
    api_base: http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1
    models:
      - name: llama3
        max_input_tokens: 8192

  ...
```

Refer to the [config.example.yaml](config.example.yaml) file for a complete list of configuration options.

## Command line

```
Usage: aichat [OPTIONS] [TEXT]...

Arguments:
  [TEXT]...  Input text

Options:
  -m, --model <MODEL>        Select a LLM model
      --prompt <PROMPT>      Use the system prompt
  -r, --role <ROLE>          Select a role
  -s, --session [<SESSION>]  Start or join a session
      --save-session         Forces the session to be saved
      --serve [<ADDRESS>]    Serve the LLM API and WebAPP
  -e, --execute              Execute commands in natural language
  -c, --code                 Output code only
  -f, --file <FILE>          Include files with the message
  -H, --no-highlight         Turn off syntax highlighting
  -S, --no-stream            Turns off stream mode
  -w, --wrap <WRAP>          Control text wrapping (no, auto, <max-width>)
      --light-theme          Use light theme
      --dry-run              Display the message without sending it
      --info                 Display information
      --list-models          List all available models
      --list-roles           List all available roles
      --list-sessions        List all available sessions
  -h, --help                 Print help
  -V, --version              Print version
```

Here are some practical examples:

```sh
aichat                                          # Start REPL

aichat -e install nvim                          # Execute
aichat -c fibonacci in js                       # Code

aichat -s                                       # REPL + New session
aichat -s session1                              # REPL + New/Reuse 'session1'

aichat --info                                   # View system info
aichat -r role1 --info                          # View role info
aichat -s session1 --info                       # View session info

cat data.toml | aichat -c to json > data.json   # Pipe stdio/stdout

aichat -f data.toml -c to json > data.json      # Send files

aichat -f a.png -f b.png diff images            # Send images
```

### Shell commands

Simply input what you want to do in natural language, and aichat will prompt and run the command that achieves your intent.

```
aichat -e <text>...
```

![aichat-execute](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/assets/4012553/a52edf31-b642-4bf9-8454-128ba2c387df)

AIChat is aware of OS and shell  you are using, it will provide shell command for specific system you have. For instance, if you ask `aichat` to update your system, it will return a command based on your OS. Here's an example using macOS:

```
$ aichat -e update my system
? sudo softwareupdate -i -a
```

The same prompt, when used on Ubuntu, will generate a different suggestion:
```
$ aichat -e update my system
? sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
```

### Shell integration

This is a **very handy feature**, which allows you to use `aichat` shell completions directly in your terminal, without the need to type `aichat` with prompt and arguments. This feature puts `aichat` completions directly into terminal buffer (input line), allowing for immediate editing of suggested commands.

![aichat-integration](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/assets/4012553/873ebf23-226c-412e-a34f-c5aaa7017524)

To install shell integration, go to [./scripts/shell-integration](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/tree/main/scripts/shell-integration) to download the script and source the script in rc file. After that restart your shell. You can invoke the completion with `alt+e` hotkey.

### Generating code

By using the `--code` or `-c` parameter, you can specifically request pure code output.

![aichat-code](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/assets/4012553/2bbf7c8a-3822-4222-9498-693dcd683cf4)

**The `-c/--code` option ensures the extraction of code from Markdown.**

## Chat REPL

AIChat has a powerful Chat REPL.

REPL Features:

- Tab auto-completion
- [Custom REPL Prompt](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/wiki/Custom-REPL-Prompt)
- Emacs/VI keybinding
- Edit/paste multi-line text
- Open an editor to edit the current prompt
- History and Undo

### `.help` - show help message

```
> .help
.help                    Show this help message
.info                    View system info
.model                   Change the current LLM
.prompt                  Create a temporary role using a prompt
.role                    Switch to a specific role
.info role               View role info
.exit role               Leave the role
.session                 Begin a chat session
.info session            View session info
.save session            Save the chat to file
.clear messages          Erase messages in the current session
.exit session            End the current session
.file                    Include files with the message
.set                     Adjust settings
.copy                    Copy the last response
.exit                    Exit the REPL

Type ::: to start multi-line editing, type ::: to finish it.
Press Ctrl+O to open an editor to edit the input buffer.
Press Ctrl+C to cancel the response, Ctrl+D to exit the REPL
```

### `.info` - view information

```
> .info
model               openai:gpt-3.5-turbo
max_output_tokens   4096 (current model)
temperature         -
top_p               -
dry_run             false
save                true
save_session        -
highlight           true
light_theme         false
wrap                no
wrap_code           false
auto_copy           true
keybindings         emacs
prelude             -
compress_threshold  2000
config_file         /home/alice/.config/aichat/config.yaml
roles_file          /home/alice/.config/aichat/roles.yaml
messages_file       /home/alice/.config/aichat/messages.md
sessions_dir        /home/alice/.config/aichat/sessions
```

> 💡 Run `.info role` to view your current role information.
> 💡 Run `.info session` to view your current session information.

### `.model` - change the current LLM

```
> .model openai:gpt-4
> .model ollama:llama3
```

> Tab autocompletion helps in quickly typing the model names.

### `.role` - switch to a specific role

Select a role:

```
> .role emoji
```

Send message with the role:

```
emoji> hello
👋
```

Leave current role:

```
emoji> .exit role

> hello
Hello there! How can I assist you today?
```

Temporarily use a role without switching to it:
```
> .role emoji hello
👋

>
```

### `.session` - Begin a chat session

By default, aichat behaves in a one-off request/response manner.

You should run aichat with `-s/--session` or use the `.session` command to start a session.


```
> .session

temp) 1 to 5, odd only                                                                    0
1, 3, 5

temp) to 7                                                                        19(0.46%)
1, 3, 5, 7

temp) .exit session                                                               42(1.03%)
? Save session? (y/N)  

```

### `.prompt` - create a temporary role using a prompt

There are situations where setting a system message is necessary, but modifying the `roles.yaml` file is undesirable.
To address this, we leverage the `.prompt` to create a temporary role specifically for this purpose.

```
> .prompt your are a js console

%%> Date.now()
1658333431437
```

### `.file` - read files and send them as input

```
Usage: .file <file>... [-- text...]

.file message.txt
.file config.yaml -- convert to toml
.file a.jpg b.jpg -- What’s in these images?
.file https://ibb.co/a.png https://ibb.co/b.png -- what is the difference?
```

> The capability to process images through `.file` command depends on the current model’s vision support.

### `.set` - adjust settings (non-persistent)

```
.set max_output_tokens 4096
.set temperature 1.2
.set top_p 0.8
.set compress_threshold 1000
.set dry_run true
```

## Server

AIChat comes with a built-in lightweight web server.

```
$ aichat --serve
Chat Completions API: http://127.0.0.1:8000/v1/chat/completions
LLM Playground:       http://127.0.0.1:8000/playground
LLM ARENA:            http://127.0.0.1:8000/arena

$ aichat --serve 0.0.0.0:8080  # to specify a different server address
```

### OpenAI format API

AIChat offers the ability to function as a proxy server for all LLMs. This allows you to interact with different LLMs using the familiar OpenAI API format, simplifying the process of accessing and utilizing these LLMs.

Test with curl:

```sh
curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{
  "model":"claude:claude-3-opus-20240229",
  "messages":[{"role":"user","content":"hello"}], 
  "stream":true
}' http://127.0.0.1:8000/v1/chat/completions
```

### LLM Playground

The LLM Playground is a webapp that allows you to interact with any LLM supported by AIChat directly in your browser.

![image](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/assets/4012553/68043aa3-5778-4688-9c2f-3d96aa600b7a)

### LLM Arena

The LLM Arena is a web-based platform where you can compare different LLMs side-by-side. 

![image](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/assets/4012553/dc6dbf5a-488f-4bf4-a710-f1f9fc76933b)

## Defining Roles

The `roles.yaml` file allows you to define a variety of roles, each with its own unique prompt and behavior. This enables the LLM to adapt to specific tasks and provide tailored responses.

We can define a role like this:

```yaml
- name: emoji
  prompt: >
    I want you to translate the sentences I write into emojis.
    I will write the sentence, and you will express it with emojis.
    I don't want you to reply with anything but emoji.
```

This enables the LLM to respond as a Linux shell expert.

```
> .role emoji

emoji> fire
🔥
```

## Wikis

- [Role Guide](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/wiki/Role-Guide)
- [Environment Variables](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/wiki/Environment-Variables)
- [Custom REPL Prompt](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/wiki/Custom-REPL-Prompt)
- [Custom Theme](https://github.com/sigoden/aichat/wiki/Custom-Theme)

## License

Copyright (c) 2023-2024 aichat-developers.

AIChat is made available under the terms of either the MIT License or the Apache License 2.0, at your option.

See the LICENSE-APACHE and LICENSE-MIT files for license details.