Operator surface

Pick the task. Get the right CLI.

Use task lanes to choose a tool, verify it safely, and understand the first agent-safe loop before you commit to it.

Task lane

Start with the task, not the tool name.

Pick a lane, write the task in plain language, then work from the recommended CLI and its first safe loop.

Task prompt

Narrow the lane

Recommended CLI

Local AI

claude

claude is a strong fit for local ai. Official and easy to trust.

Best for

coding agent, refactors, and codebase search from the terminal.

First move

$ claude --help

Trust signal

10M npm weekly downloads

Open playbook Repository family

Safe first loop

01Check model, runtime, and auth state.
02Run a small verification prompt or command.
03Apply the tool to the real task with structured, non-interactive commands when possible.
04Ask before code edits, shell writes, or paid model usage.

Why this pick

claude fits local ai well, especially for coding agent, refactors, and codebase search from the terminal.
It is the official CLI from Anthropic.
Verify with `claude --help` first.

Supporting tools

Keep nearby tools in the same lane.

6 support tools

codex

OpenAIAI

coding agent, terminal code tasks, and prompted edits from the terminal.

You work with AI models and inference and want a fast terminal interface.

Coding agent, terminal code tasks, and prompted edits from the terminal.

3.7M npm weekly downloadsAgent-ready

Codex CLI

gemini

Google GeminiAI

coding agent, prompting, and terminal assistance from the terminal.

You work with AI models and inference and want a fast terminal interface.

Coding agent, prompting, and terminal assistance from the terminal.

660.6K npm weekly downloadsAgent-ready

Gemini CLI

ollama

OllamaAI

local models, ai prototyping, and private inference from the terminal.

You want AI models and inference that runs entirely on your machine.

Local models, ai prototyping, and private inference from the terminal.

67.6K Homebrew installs (30d)Agent-ready

Ollama

aider

aiderAI

code editing, agent loops, and repo-aware chat from the terminal.

You work with AI models and inference and want a fast terminal interface.

Code editing, agent loops, and repo-aware chat from the terminal.

1.5K Homebrew installs (30d)Agent-ready

aider

llm

Simon WillisonAI

prompting, local plugins, and structured llm outputs from the terminal.

You want AI models and inference you can script with structured output.

Prompting, local plugins, and structured llm outputs from the terminal.

1.4K Homebrew installs (30d)Agent-ready

LLM

mcporter

Peter SteinbergerAI

mcp workflows, tool server connections, and agent integrations from the terminal.

You need AI models and inference in both local dev and CI.

Runtime and CLI for connecting to configured Model Context Protocol servers.

142.9K npm weekly downloadsAgent-ready

mcporter

Repository families

Open the creators behind this task lane only when you need the full family.

Open archive

Peter Steinberger

individual / 3 matched

3 total

mcporter142.9K npm weekly downloads

oracle31.8K npm weekly downloads

summarize20.1K npm weekly downloads

Charmbracelet

small-team / 1 matched

3 total

mods78 Homebrew installs (30d)

Astral

small-team / 1 matched

2 total

uv209.4K Homebrew installs (30d)

Simon Willison

individual / 1 matched

2 total

llm1.4K Homebrew installs (30d)

Vercel

org / 1 matched

2 total

turbo11.2M npm weekly downloads

aider

small-team / 1 matched

1 total

aider1.5K Homebrew installs (30d)

Lane catalog

Scan every CLI in local ai.

9 CLIs in AI

claude

AnthropicAI

coding agent, refactors, and codebase search from the terminal.

You work with AI models and inference and want a fast terminal interface.

Coding agent, refactors, and codebase search from the terminal.

10M npm weekly downloadsAgent-ready

Claude Code

codex

OpenAIAI

coding agent, terminal code tasks, and prompted edits from the terminal.

You work with AI models and inference and want a fast terminal interface.

Coding agent, terminal code tasks, and prompted edits from the terminal.

3.7M npm weekly downloadsAgent-ready

Codex CLI

gemini

Google GeminiAI

coding agent, prompting, and terminal assistance from the terminal.

You work with AI models and inference and want a fast terminal interface.

Coding agent, prompting, and terminal assistance from the terminal.

660.6K npm weekly downloadsAgent-ready

Gemini CLI

ollama

OllamaAI

local models, ai prototyping, and private inference from the terminal.

You want AI models and inference that runs entirely on your machine.

Local models, ai prototyping, and private inference from the terminal.

67.6K Homebrew installs (30d)Agent-ready

Ollama

aider

aiderAI

code editing, agent loops, and repo-aware chat from the terminal.

You work with AI models and inference and want a fast terminal interface.

Code editing, agent loops, and repo-aware chat from the terminal.

1.5K Homebrew installs (30d)Agent-ready

aider

llm

Simon WillisonAI

prompting, local plugins, and structured llm outputs from the terminal.

You want AI models and inference you can script with structured output.

Prompting, local plugins, and structured llm outputs from the terminal.

1.4K Homebrew installs (30d)Agent-ready

LLM

mcporter

Peter SteinbergerAI

mcp workflows, tool server connections, and agent integrations from the terminal.

You need AI models and inference in both local dev and CI.

Runtime and CLI for connecting to configured Model Context Protocol servers.

142.9K npm weekly downloadsAgent-ready

mcporter

oracle

Peter SteinbergerAI

reasoning-heavy prompts, terminal ai workflows, and model experimentation from the terminal.

You need AI models and inference in both local dev and CI.

CLI wrapper around OpenAI Responses API with high-reasoning model modes.

31.8K npm weekly downloadsAgent-ready

oracle

summarize

Peter SteinbergerAI

summaries, long-form content, and terminal research from the terminal.

You need AI models and inference in both local dev and CI.

Summaries, long-form content, and terminal research from the terminal.

20.1K npm weekly downloadsAgent-ready

summarize