About aichat
AIChat is an all-in-one LLM CLI tool that integrates with over 20 leading LLM providers (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Ollama, Groq, etc.) through a unified interface. It features a Shell Assistant that converts natural language into shell commands, an interactive Chat-REPL with autocompletion and history, RAG for integrating external documents, multi-form input (stdin, files, URLs), role customization, session management, macros, and function calling. It is open source and free.
Key Features
Multi-provider support for 20+ LLM providers including OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Ollama, Groq, Azure-OpenAI, VertexAI, Bedrock, Mistral, Deepseek, and more
Shell Assistant: convert natural language descriptions into precise shell commands
Interactive Chat-REPL mode with tab autocompletion, multi-line input, history search, and configurable keybindings
Multi-form input: stdin, local files and directories, remote URLs, external commands
Role customization to tailor LLM behavior and boost productivity
Session management for context-aware conversations
Macro support to streamline repetitive tasks
RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) to integrate external documents for contextually relevant responses
Function calling to connect LLMs with external tools and data sources
AI Tools MCP integration
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free and open source
- Supports a wide range of LLM providers through a single interface
- Shell Assistant boosts command-line productivity
- Rich REPL features: autocompletion, history, multi-line input
- Flexible input options: files, directories, URLs, stdin
- RAG and function calling extend LLM capabilities
Cons
- Requires manual setup of API keys for each LLM provider
- CLI-only, no graphical interface
- Documentation on advanced features (e.g., macros, function calling) may be lacking for beginners
Best For
Generating shell commands from natural language descriptionsInteractive chat with LLMs in the terminalIntegrating and querying external documents for context-aware responsesAutomating repetitive command-line workflows with macrosCustomizing LLM behavior for specific tasks via rolesConnecting LLMs to external APIs and tools via function calling
FAQ
What LLM providers does AIChat support?
AIChat supports over 20 providers including OpenAI, Claude, Gemini (Google AI Studio), Ollama, Groq, Azure-OpenAI, VertexAI, Bedrock, Github Models, Mistral, Deepseek, AI21, XAI Grok, Cohere, Perplexity, Cloudflare, OpenRouter, Ernie, Qianwen, Moonshot, ZhipuAI, MiniMax, Deepinfra, VoyageAI, and any OpenAI-Compatible API provider.
Is AIChat free to use?
Yes, AIChat is free and open source. You may incur costs from the LLM providers you use, but the tool itself has no charge.
How do I install AIChat?
You can install via package managers: cargo install aichat (Rust), brew install aichat (Homebrew), pacman -S aichat (Pacman), scoop install aichat (Scoop on Windows), pkg install aichat (Termux on Android), or download pre-built binaries from GitHub Releases.