Hunter Bown
369868d23e
Skipping Welcome to land on the local-runtime picker was an over-correction. New users never saw a start screen or the calm "pick where your model runs" explanation, so the first API-key setup had no way in except Esc-from-a-list they did not ask for. First run now always opens Welcome. Enter routes to language, the provider explanation, trust, or ready depending on what this run actually needs; a second Enter on the provider screen opens the picker. Returning missing-key recovery still opens the picker on launch so a persisted route cannot be silently replaced. Evidence: cargo nextest -p codewhale-tui --lib -E 'test(/first_run_|launch_onboarding_|welcome_routes|provider_back_walks|tui::onboarding::/)' 31/31 pass. Signed-off-by: Hunter Bown <hmbown@gmail.com>
Codewhale
Codewhale is an open source coding agent for your terminal, built in Rust and improved in public with the people who use it.
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Install
npm install -g codewhale
codewhale
The first run helps you connect a provider or stay offline. Codewhale also supports Cargo, Docker, Nix, Scoop, prebuilt archives, Android/Termux, and a CNB mirror. See the installation guide.
Use
Talk to Codewhale the same way you would talk to a teammate:
Fix the failing tests and explain what changed.
Or run a task without opening the TUI:
codewhale exec "fix the failing tests and explain what changed"
Codewhale can read your repository, edit files, run commands, inspect results, and keep working toward a goal. You decide how much access it has.
Why Codewhale
- Use the model you want. Connect hosted providers or local models through
Ollama, vLLM, or SGLang. Switch provider and model with
/model. - Stay in control. Plan is read-only. Ask, Auto-Review, and Full Access make
approval behavior visible.
/undoreverts the last turn and/restorereturns the workspace to an earlier snapshot. - Keep long work organized. Save sessions, set a durable
/goal, review workflows before they run, and coordinate agents without turning their internal instructions into your transcript. - Extend the agent you already have. Connect MCP servers and skills, configure hooks, and keep agent roles as readable files in your project or personal settings.
Run /help in the TUI for commands and keyboard shortcuts.
Safety
Codewhale runs on your machine with the access you grant it. Approval modes and repository rules limit what the agent may do; optional OS sandboxing adds a stronger execution boundary where supported. Unknown model prices stay unknown instead of being reported as free.
Read authorization order for the exact policy stack and configuration for local settings.
Documentation
- Providers and local models
- Agent teams
- MCP, hooks, and configuration
- Local web client
- All documentation
Join the community
Codewhale gets better when people use it, report what feels wrong, and help fix it. If a provider is missing, a workflow is awkward, or the terminal UI gets in your way, open an issue. If you know how to improve it, open a pull request. First contributions are welcome, and contributors keep credit for the work that lands.
Join the Discord, or add Hunter on WeChat
(hunterbown) and ask to join the Whale Brothers group.
Project history
Codewhale began as deepseek-tui and still preserves that configuration and
session compatibility. It is now provider-neutral and independently maintained;
it is not affiliated with any model provider.
Thanks to every contributor and to the open source communities that helped the project grow. See the contributor record.