ayechat 0.28.7.dev20251202024736

Aye Chat: Terminal-first AI Code Generator

Aye Chat: AI-powered terminal workspace

Your terminal, but with AI. Edit files, run commands, chat with AI - all in one session.

Install in 30 seconds

$ pip install ayechat
$ aye chat          # Start in any project

What it does

$ aye chat
> fix the bug in server.py
✓ Fixed undefined variable on line 42

> vim server.py
[opens real vim, returns to chat after]

> refactor: make it async
✓ Updated server.py with async/await

> pytest
✗ Tests fail

> restore
✓ Reverted last changes

No copy-pasting. No context switching. AI edits your files directly.

Why developers love it

• Zero config - Automatically reads your project files (respects .gitignore)
• Instant undo - restore command reverts any AI changes immediately
• Real shell - Run git, pytest, even vim without leaving the chat
• 100% local backups - Your code is safe, changes stored in .aye/
• No prefixes - Just type. Commands run, everything else goes to AI

Quick examples

# In your project directory:
aye chat

> refactor this to use dependency injection
> pytest
> fix what broke  
> git commit -m "refactored DI"

Get started

1. Install: pip install ayechat
2. Start chatting: aye chat in any project folder

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📚 Full command reference

Core Commands

Authentication

Does not require authentication

Starting a Session

aye chat                          # Start chat with auto-detected files
aye chat --root ./src             # Specify a different project root
aye chat --include "*.js,*.css"   # Manually specify which files to include

In-Chat Commands

Your input is handled in this order:

1. Built-in Commands (like restore or model)
2. Shell Commands (like ls -la or git status)
3. AI Prompt (everything else)

Session & Model Control

• new - Start a fresh chat session
• model - Select a different AI model
• verbose [on|off] - Toggle verbose output on or off
• exit, quit, Ctrl+D - Exit the chat
• help - Show available commands

Reviewing & Undoing AI Changes

• restore, undo - Instantly undo the last set of changes made by AI
• history - Show the history of changes made by AI
• diff <file> - Compare current version against last change

Shell Commands

• Run any command: ls -la, git status, docker ps
• Interactive programs work: vim, nano, less, top

⚙️ Configuration & Privacy

Configuration

• Aye Chat respects .gitignore and .ayeignore - private files are never touched
• Change history and backups stored locally in .aye/ folder
• Configure default model and preferences in ~/.aye/config.yaml

Privacy & Security

• All file backups are local only
• API calls only include files you explicitly work with
• No telemetry or usage tracking
• Open source - audit the code yourself

🧩 Plugins & Extensions

Extensible via Plugins

The core experience is enhanced by plugins:

• Shell execution plugin
• Autocompletion plugin
• Custom command plugins
• Model provider plugins

🪟 Windows install notes

On some Windows setups, pip install puts console scripts (like aye.exe) in a directory that is not on your PATH by default. If, after installing, aye is not recognized, you have a few options:

1. Run via Python directly (works immediately):

   python -m aye chat
   

2. Add the Python Scripts folder to PATH so aye is found directly. For a typical user install this is something like:

   C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Roaming\Python\PythonXX\Scripts
   

   (Replace PythonXX with your actual Python version directory.)

3. Use pipx for a smoother global install (recommended on Windows):

   pip install pipx
   pipx ensurepath
   pipx install ayechat
   
   aye chat
   

pipx installs Python CLI tools into an isolated environment and puts the entry points on your PATH automatically.

🪟 Windows install notes

On some Windows setups, pip install puts console scripts (like aye.exe) in a directory that is not on your PATH by default. If, after installing, aye is not recognized, you have a few options:

1. Run via Python directly (works immediately):

   python -m aye chat
   

2. Add the Python Scripts folder to PATH so aye is found directly. For a typical user install this is something like:

   C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Roaming\Python\PythonXX\Scripts
   

   (Replace PythonXX with your actual Python version directory.)

3. Use pipx for a smoother global install (recommended on Windows):

   pip install pipx
   pipx ensurepath
   pipx install ayechat
   
   aye chat
   

pipx installs Python CLI tools into an isolated environment and puts the entry points on your PATH automatically.

Contributing

Aye Chat is open source! We welcome contributions.

• Report bugs: GitHub Issues
• Submit PRs: Fork and contribute
• Get help: Discord Community

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file

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Ready to code with AI without leaving your terminal?

pip install ayechat && aye chat

Wiki • Discord • GitHub