CodeWhale

What is CodeWhale?

CodeWhale is an open-source, community-driven coding agent that operates directly in your terminal. It is designed to work with any large language model, with a strong emphasis on open models. You provide it with a provider, a model, and a task, and it autonomously reads code, edits files, runs commands, checks results, and iterates until the task is complete or requires your input. This makes it an ideal tool for developers seeking an AI assistant that can handle complex coding workflows without leaving the command line.

Key features include a Text User Interface (TUI) for interactive work and the `codewhale exec` command for scripts and CI/CD pipelines. The TUI offers powerful navigation: `/model` switches provider and model, `/fleet` runs a team of workers, `/restore` undoes a turn, `Tab` cycles through Plan/Act/Operate modes, `Shift+Tab` cycles approval postures (Ask/Auto-Review/Full Access), and `!` runs shell commands through the standard approval path. This level of control ensures you can tailor the agent's behavior to your workflow.

CodeWhale supports over 30 providers, including DeepSeek, Claude, GPT, Kimi, GLM, and many others, all running through the same runtime and tools. It is built with Rust under the MIT license, ensuring it runs entirely on your machine with no external dependencies. Installation is flexible: Cargo, Docker, Nix, Scoop, prebuilt archives, Android/Termux, and a CNB mirror for users in restricted regions are all supported. The project originated as DeepSeek-TUI, and users migrating from that tool will find their config and sessions carry over seamlessly.

Use cases range from automated code refactoring and debugging to running CI tasks and managing multi-file projects. The community-driven nature means feedback is actively encouraged—issues, PRs, and feature requests are all valued. If a model or provider is missing, or something breaks, the maintainers prioritize fixing it. CodeWhale is an independent community project, not affiliated with any model provider, and is part of the Whale Brother family with contributions from DataWhale, OpenWarp, and Open Design.

Use Cases

Key Features

terminal based coding agent open source community driven multi model support text user interface autonomous code editing file editing command execution CI/C3D integration undo/restore turns

Who is it for?

developers, AI engineers, DevOps engineers, open, source contributors, terminal power users, CI/C3D pipeline builders

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