An AI coding agent CLI and terminal coding assistant with a beautiful interactive TUI
Dimcode is an AI coding CLI for terminal-first developers who want fast code generation, refactoring, repo search, code review, and agent-style workflows directly in the shell.
If you are searching for a CLI coding tool similar to Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, or Cursor's terminal workflow, Dimcode is built for the same terminal-native use case while adding a polished multi-session TUI, tool approvals, MCP support, and flexible provider setup.
Dimcode helps you move fast with:
| Metric | Live Badge |
|---|---|
| Weekly downloads |  |
| Total downloads |  |
Dimcode is designed for developers looking for:
npm install -g dimcode
dim
Create a React component for a todo list
Install Dimcode as your AI coding assistant CLI:
npm install -g dimcode
Or using other package managers:
# Using pnpm
pnpm add -g dimcode
# Using yarn
yarn global add dimcode
# Using bun
bun add -g dimcode
Run directly without installation:
npx dimcode
Press Ctrl+P to open the command palette, which provides quick access to:
Type slash commands directly in the input field:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/settings | Open settings dialog (custom providers) |
/config | Alternative for /settings |
/approvals | Manage tool approvals (auto/all) |
/approval | Alternative for /approvals |
/connect | Connect a provider |
/models | Select a model |
/sessions | List all sessions |
/new | Create a new session |
/redo | Redo last interaction |
/rename <title> | Rename current session |
/timeline | Jump to a user message |
/tl | Alternative for /timeline |
/review | Review code changes |
/debug | Open debug dialog (node mode only) |
/compact | Compact session context |
/init | Initialize/improve AGENTS.md |
/exit | Exit the application |
/longrunning | Toggle long-running mode |
/tool-settings | Configure tool-specific settings |
/toolsettings | Alternative for /tool-settings |
/mcp | Open MCP settings |
/mcphub | Alternative for /mcp |
/mcp-settings | Alternative for /mcp |
/codexlogin | Login with Codex OAuth |
/codex-login | Alternative for /codexlogin |
/language | Switch UI language |
/lang | Alternative for /language |
/locale | Alternative for /language |
/theme | Toggle light/dark theme |
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl+P | Open command palette |
F1 | Open help dialog |
Ctrl+O | Expand/collapse all tool calls & thinking |
Ctrl+K | Open settings (custom providers) |
Ctrl+C | Clear input (if non-empty); otherwise exit |
Ctrl+W | Clear input (alternative) |
Enter | Send message |
Shift+Enter | New line in input |
Ctrl+J | New line in input (alternative) |
Tab | Switch mode (Agent/Plan/Debug) |
Esc | Cancel/close dialog or interrupt response |
Shift+Option for rectangular selectionTab moves focus to the next input field; Shift+Tab moves to the previousIf you are comparing Dimcode with Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, or Cursor, the main difference is that Dimcode focuses on a terminal-first agent experience with:
That makes it a good fit for developers who want an AI code assistant in the terminal, but need more control and visibility than a basic CLI chat loop.
Create a .env file in your working directory or set environment variables:
# OpenAI Configuration
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://api.openai.com/v1 # Optional
DIMCODE_MODEL=deepseek-v3.1 # Default model
# Serper API for web search (optional)
SERPER_API_KEY=your_serper_key_here
# Custom home directory (optional)
DIMCODE_HOME=~/.dimcode
# Debug mode (optional)
DIMCODE_DEBUG=1
Note: For backward compatibility, GOATCHAIN_ prefix is also supported (e.g., GOATCHAIN_MODEL, GOATCHAIN_DEBUG).
On first launch, Dimcode will guide you through:
Settings are stored in ~/.dimcode/dimcode/ directory by default (can be customized via DIMCODE_HOME environment variable).
DimCode can run as an ACP server for editors and tools such as Zed or OpenClaw acpx.
Preferred commands:
dim acp
node /absolute/path/to/GoatChain/scripts/acpx-agent.mjs
For GUI launchers, prefer absolute paths instead of relying on shell PATH.
Do not configure bun run acp-server in acpx or editor settings; it only works when the cwd is the GoatChain repo root.
If you use Codex OAuth, run dim auth codex once first. If you use a custom provider, make sure ~/.dimcode/config.json already contains a valid provider setup.
Dimcode comes with powerful built-in tools:
Skills are specialized capabilities that can be activated to extend DimCode's functionality. Built-in skills include:
dim
# Then type: "Create a React component for a todo list"
dim
# Then type: "Rename all instances of 'oldName' to 'newName' across the project"
dim
# Then type: "Search for the latest best practices in TypeScript 5.3"
dim
# Then type: "Compare Dimcode with Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, and Cursor for terminal-first development"
~/.dimcode/dimcode/ (customizable via DIMCODE_HOME)FAQs
AI coding agent CLI and terminal coding assistant with an interactive TUI (beta channel)
The npm package dimcode receives a total of 2,030 weekly downloads. As such, dimcode popularity was classified as popular.
We found that dimcode demonstrated a healthy version release cadence and project activity because the last version was released less than a year ago. It has 3 open source maintainers collaborating on the project.
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