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CLI-first prompt guardrail for token, cost, and context observability.

Project description

Token Guardian

Python 3.12+ CLI License: MIT Tests

Token Guardian is a CLI-first guardrail for checking prompt size, context pressure, and estimated cost before you call an LLM.

It helps developers answer three questions quickly:

  • how many tokens this prompt will probably use
  • how much this request may cost
  • whether this prompt is risky for the selected context window

Why Use Token Guardian?

  • catch oversized prompts before they hit the model
  • estimate cost before expensive runs
  • compare supported models using the same prompt
  • clean duplicated or bloated prompt text
  • keep simple local observability with SQLite metrics
  • start from an interactive terminal menu instead of memorizing commands

Copy-Paste Install

Windows PowerShell

python -m venv .venv
.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
pip install -e .[dev]
token-guardian

macOS / Linux

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -e .[dev]
token-guardian

Running token-guardian without arguments opens an interactive menu when your terminal supports it.

What the CLI Can Do

  • analyze one prompt for one provider/model pair
  • compare one prompt across the default supported models
  • optimize prompt text by removing duplicates and excess whitespace
  • list supported models
  • sync the local model catalog snapshot
  • inspect local usage metrics
  • guide the full flow through an interactive menu

Usage

Start here

token-guardian

Running without arguments shows the available flow and the most useful commands to start with.

In interactive terminals, Token Guardian opens a guided menu with:

  • provider selection
  • model selection
  • prompt entry with Enter to send
  • sync selection by provider
  • quick access to models and metrics

Analyze a prompt

token-guardian analyze \
  --provider anthropic \
  --model claude-sonnet-4 \
  --prompt "Review this architecture proposal and identify risks."

Compare models

token-guardian compare \
  --prompt "Summarize this technical RFC and list migration risks."

Optimize a prompt

token-guardian optimize \
  --prompt "Goal: summarize
Goal: summarize


Return bullets only."

List supported models

token-guardian models

Sync model catalog

token-guardian sync-models
token-guardian sync-models --provider openai

View local metrics

token-guardian metrics

Example Output

Typical analyze output:

{
  "provider": "anthropic",
  "model": "claude-sonnet-4",
  "input_tokens": 20,
  "estimated_output_tokens": 128,
  "estimated_total_tokens": 148,
  "context_limit": 200000,
  "context_usage_percent": 0.07,
  "estimated_cost_usd": 0.00198,
  "risk_level": "low",
  "context_health_score": 99,
  "cost_score": "$",
  "complexity_score": "Simple",
  "suggestions": [
    "Prompt enxuto e com bom sinal; mantenha foco em objetivo, restricoes e saida."
  ]
}

Supported Providers

Current built-in catalog:

  • OpenAI: gpt-4.1
  • Anthropic: claude-sonnet-4, claude-opus-4
  • Google: gemini-2.5-pro, gemini-2.5-flash
  • OpenRouter: openai/gpt-4.1

Each model stores:

  • context limit
  • input price per 1K tokens
  • output price per 1K tokens
  • speed estimate
  • source URL

The CLI also shows catalog metadata such as:

  • Catalogo atualizado em 2026-06-13
  • the current JSON snapshot path

Scoring

Risk level

Based on estimated context usage:

  • low
  • medium
  • high
  • critical

Context health score

Range: 0 to 100

Factors include:

  • prompt size
  • repeated lines
  • repeated vocabulary
  • redundant sections

Cost score

  • $: very low
  • $$: low
  • $$$: medium
  • $$$$: high

Complexity score

  • Simple
  • Medium
  • Complex
  • Very Complex

Metrics

Token Guardian stores local metrics in SQLite.

Database file:

  • token_guardian.db

Tracked fields include:

  • total requests
  • total tokens
  • estimated cumulative cost
  • top models
  • top providers

Project Structure

token-guardian/
|-- app/
|   |-- cli.py
|   |-- models/
|   |-- providers/
|   |-- services/
|   `-- utils/
|-- docs/
|-- tests/
|-- LICENSE
|-- pyproject.toml
`-- README.md

Development

Run tests:

pytest

Run quality checks:

ruff check .
black --check .
mypy app

Roadmap

  • add richer interactive CLI flows
  • expand supported model catalog
  • improve prompt optimization heuristics
  • add exportable reports
  • add model catalog sync support

License

MIT

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