chait

🤖 Chat with AI directly from your command line and more!

Quick Start

# Ask a quick question (non-interactive mode is default)
chait "What is the capital of France?"

# Process command output with AI
ls -la | chait "Explain what these files are"

# Get AI explanation of a code file
cat main.go | chait "Explain this code"

# Start interactive chat mode for multi-turn conversations
chait -i

# Start interactive mode with an initial question
# This will automatically send the question to the AI
chait -i "Tell me about quantum computing"

# Analyze a file and have a conversation about it
cat config.json | chait -i

Overview

Chait is a Golang-based command-line tool that allows you to have natural, fluid conversations with various AI models without leaving your terminal. Whether you're a developer, system administrator, or command-line enthusiast, chait provides a convenient AI interaction experience right where you work.

Key Features

💬 Command-Line AI Chat

• Seamless Terminal Experience: Chat with AI directly in your familiar command-line environment without switching applications
• Quick Query Mode: By default, get quick answers without entering interactive mode
• Interactive Chat Mode: Support for multi-turn conversations with context continuity using -i flag
• Streaming Responses: See AI responses in real-time as they're generated
• Instant Responses: Quickly get AI answers to boost your productivity

🔄 Multi-Model Support

• Multiple Providers: Currently supports major AI providers including OpenAI, Deepseek, Grok, and more
• Flexible Model Switching: Easily switch between different AI models
• Customizable Parameters: Adjust temperature and other parameters to control response creativity

Installation

Option 1: Using Go Install

If you have Go installed on your system, you can install chait directly using the Go toolchain:

go install github.com/plucury/chait@latest

Option 2: Download from GitHub Releases

You can also download pre-compiled binaries from the GitHub Releases page:

# For macOS (Apple Silicon)
curl -L https://github.com/plucury/chait/releases/latest/download/chait-darwin-arm64 -o chait
chmod +x chait
sudo mv chait /usr/local/bin/

# For macOS (Intel)
curl -L https://github.com/plucury/chait/releases/latest/download/chait-darwin-amd64 -o chait
chmod +x chait
sudo mv chait /usr/local/bin/

# For Linux (AMD64)
curl -L https://github.com/plucury/chait/releases/latest/download/chait-linux-amd64 -o chait
chmod +x chait
sudo mv chait /usr/local/bin/

# For Linux (ARM64)
curl -L https://github.com/plucury/chait/releases/latest/download/chait-linux-arm64 -o chait
chmod +x chait
sudo mv chait /usr/local/bin/

Alternatively, you can manually download the appropriate binary for your system from the Releases page, make it executable, and move it to a directory in your PATH.

Supported Providers

OpenAI

• Models: gpt-4o, gpt-4o-mini, gpt-4.5, o1, o3-mini
• Temperature range: 0.0-1.0

Deepseek

• Models: deepseek-chat, deepseek-reasoner
• Temperature range: 0.0-2.0

Grok

• Models: grok-2-1212
• Temperature range: 0.0-2.0 (Higher values like 0.8 make output more random, lower values like 0.2 make it more focused)

Usage Guide

Command Structure

chait [options] ["your question here"]

Common Options

-i, --interactive    # Enter interactive mode for multi-turn conversations
-p, --provider       # Interactively select a provider
-m, --model          # Interactively select a model for the current provider
-t, --temperature    # Interactively set temperature for the current provider
-v, --version        # Display the current version
--help               # Show help information

Usage Modes

1. Quick Query Mode (Default)

By default, chait runs in non-interactive mode for quick answers:

# Single question
chait "What is the capital of France?"

# Multiple arguments combined as one question
chait "Tell me about" "the history of" "AI"

2. Interactive Mode

Use -i flag to enter interactive mode for multi-turn conversations:

# Start interactive mode with a question
chait -i "Tell me about quantum computing"

# Start interactive mode without an initial question
chait -i

3. Model Selection

Interactively select a model for the current provider:

# Select a model interactively
chait -m

4. Temperature Setting

Interactively set the temperature for the current provider:

# Set temperature interactively
chait -t

5. Piped Input

Process command outputs or file contents:

# Process command output with AI (non-interactive mode)
ls -la | chait "Explain these files"

# Analyze code
cat main.go | chait "What does this code do?"

# Analyze logs
grep ERROR app.log | chait "Explain these errors"

# Process input and enter interactive mode for follow-up questions
ls -la | chait -i "Explain these files"
cat config.json | chait -i
git diff | chait -i

Interactive Mode Commands

When in interactive mode, you can use these special commands:

:h              # Show help information
:c       # Start a new conversation
:m              # Switch between available models
:t              # Set the temperature parameter
:p              # Configure or switch provider
:k              # Set the API key for the current provider
ctrl+c          # Exit interactive mode

Interactive Mode Features

API Key Management

• Direct API Key Input: If the current provider is not ready (missing API key), you'll be prompted to enter your API key directly in the interactive mode
• Manual API Key Setting: Use the :k command to set or update the API key for the current provider at any time
• Persistent Configuration: API keys are securely saved to your configuration file for future sessions

User Interface

• Full-Screen Terminal UI: Utilizes the entire terminal window for a distraction-free experience
• Message History: View your entire conversation history with clear visual distinction between user and AI messages
• Real-Time Streaming: See AI responses as they're generated in real-time
• Text Selection: Select and copy text from the conversation using mouse or keyboard
• Scrolling: Navigate through long conversations with keyboard shortcuts
• Visual Feedback: Different message types (System, User, Assistant, Error) are visually distinguished

Keyboard Navigation

• PageUp/PageDown: Scroll through conversation history one page at a time
• Home/End: Jump to the beginning or end of the current input
• Ctrl+Home/Ctrl+End: Jump to the top or bottom of the conversation history
• Enter: Send your message or confirm selection
• Esc: Cancel current selection or operation

Error Handling

• Clear Error Messages: Errors are displayed with distinct formatting to help troubleshoot issues
• API Connection Errors: Automatically detects and reports issues with API connections
• Provider Configuration: Guides you through fixing configuration issues when they occur