ayechat 0.31.1.dev20251210203353

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

macOS (Homebrew):

brew install acrotron/ayechat/aye-chat

On Windows, you can also install via the standalone installer: download aye-chat-setup.exe and run it.

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

Get started - Windows Installer

For Windows users, the recommended way to install Aye Chat is with the official installer. It provides a standalone application that requires no manual setup.

Installation

1. Download the aye-chat-X.X.X-setup.exe file from the latest GitHub release.
2. Run the downloaded installer.
3. During setup, it is highly recommended to keep the following options enabled:
   • Add the application directory to your PATH
   • Add 'Open Aye Chat here' to folder context menu

Usage

After installation, you can launch Aye Chat by:

• Typing aye in any terminal.
• Right-clicking a project folder and selecting Open Aye Chat here.

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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

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

Disclaimer

review the DISCLAIMER before using this software.

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Ready to code with AI without leaving your terminal?

pip install ayechat && aye chat

Wiki • Discord • GitHub