Codewhale
by codewhale-hq
Open-source coding agent for your terminal, built in Rust and on a journey of continuous community improvement. Issues and PRs welcome.
41,047stars
3,567forks
Rust
Added 10/5/2026
⚠️ Third-Party Software Notice
This skill is third-party open-source software developed and hosted independently on GitHub. SkillsLLM is an informational directory and does not control or maintain the underlying repository.
Any security checks, ratings, or warnings displayed by SkillsLLM are automated and limited in scope. They do not constitute a security certification or guarantee that the software is safe, error-free, or free from malicious code, vulnerabilities, compromised dependencies, or prompt-injection risks.
Review the source code, permissions, dependencies, and configuration before installing or running any third-party skill. Use is at your own risk. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, SkillsLLM is not liable for losses arising from third-party software.
AI Agentsagent-orchestrationai-agentclicoding-agentlocal-firstmcpmulti-agentmulti-modelopen-sourcerusttui
Installation
# Add to your Claude Code skills
git clone https://github.com/codewhale-hq/CodewhaleGetting Started
Guides for using ai agents skills like Codewhale.
- Caveman: Cut Claude Token Use by 65%How agent-side prompt compression works, when to use it, and when not to.
- What is an AI Skills Marketplace?Definitions, how marketplaces work, and how to choose between them in 2026.
- Getting Started with AI SkillsFirst-time install walkthrough for Claude Code, Codex CLI, and ChatGPT.
Security ReportVerified
Last scanned: 10/5/2026
{
"issues": [
{
"file": "README.md",
"line": 34,
"type": "remote-install",
"message": "Install command (remote install script piped to a shell — review the source before running): \"curl -fsSL https://codewhale.net/install.sh | sh\"",
"severity": "low"
}
],
"status": "PASSED",
"scannedAt": "2026-10-05T11:12:04.854Z",
"npmAuditRan": true,
"pipAuditRan": true,
"promptInjectionRan": true
}Compare with similar skills
See how Codewhale compares with popular alternatives.
The open-source coding agent that works with any model.
Codewhale reads your project, edits files, runs commands, and checks its own work — in your terminal, with a hosted or local model you choose.
Website · Documentation · Changelog · Contributing
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Real terminal capture of a fresh install — no staged output.
Install
macOS and Linux:
curl -fsSL https://codewhale.net/install.sh | sh
The installer downloads checksum-verified binaries into ~/.local/bin. If
codewhale then says "command not found", run the one PATH line the installer
prints, or see Put it on your PATH.
Upgrade any time with codewhale update.
winget install HunterBown.CodeWhale # Windows x64 (or Scoop, or the installer from GitHub Releases)
npm install -g codewhale # wraps the same release binaries
cargo install codewhale-cli --locked # build from crates.io
Docker, Nix, Homebrew on Linux, Android/Termux, manual downloads with checksum
verification, and the optional CNB mirror are covered in the
installation guide. Pick one route: several installs on one
machine end up fighting over PATH.
Quickstart
- Open your project. Run
codewhalein the folder you want to work on. - Connect a model. Run
/provider(or pressF3) to add a hosted key or pick a local runtime. If Ollama is already running with a chat model, Codewhale switches to it on its own. Use/modelto change models. - Give it a concrete task.
Fix the failing tests and explain what changed.
The same task runs headless from a script or CI job:
codewhale exec "fix the failing tests and explain what changed"
Run /help for commands and keyboard shortcuts.
Ways to run it
Every client drives the same local Codewhale Engine, so sessions, tools, and permissions behave the same everywhere.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
codewhale |
The interactive terminal interface |
codewhale exec "…" |
One headless turn from a script or CI, streaming JSON |
codewhale web |
The bundled local browser client on 127.0.0.1 |
codewhale review --pr N |
An advisory pull request review; posting is opt-in |
| Runtime API | A local HTTP API for threads, events, and approvals |
A native desktop app (GPUI) is being built as the signed-in product client; see the product page for availability. The community-maintained VS Code extension connects to the same Engine from a sidebar (source).
What it does
- Any model, no lock-in. Over 40 built-in provider routes — Anthropic, DeepSeek, Google, Mistral, Moonshot, OpenAI, OpenRouter, xAI and more — plus any OpenAI-compatible endpoint and local models through Ollama, vLLM, or SGLang. Providers
- You stay in control. Plan mode explores without changing anything; Work
and Operate make changes. Approval postures decide when a tool call needs your
OK,
/undoand/restorerecover workspace changes, and/receiptslists every file, command, and approval in a session. Modes · Receipts - Built for long jobs. Set a durable
/goal, delegate bounded work to sub-agents, run supervised agent teams with a pre-spend check, or script them as checked-in workflows. - Extend what you already use. Connect MCP servers, install skills and plugins, run hooks on session and tool events, and load existing Claude Code plugins.
- Computer Use. An included plugin adds tools for observing and operating other applications. Review its access and enable it before use. Guide
Modes and permissions
| Choose with | Options | |
|---|---|---|
| Mode — what the agent is doing | Tab or /mode |
Plan (explore, no changes) · Work (edit and run) · Operate (drive a goal through planned, verified steps) |
| Posture — when it asks first | Shift+Tab |
Ask · Auto-Review · Full Access |
Full Access still respects hard policy boundaries. The modes and permissions guide explains each option.
Safety
Codewhale runs on your machine with the access you grant it. Approval postures
and repository rules limit what the agent may do, and commands run inside an OS
sandbox where supported (Seatbelt on macOS; bubblewrap on Linux is opt-in).
/preview-request shows the exact redacted request before anything is sent.
Unknown model prices stay unknown instead of being reported as free.
See authorization order,
sandboxing, and telemetry — usage
counts are on by default and codewhale config set telemetry false turns them
off.
Documentation
| Start here | Go deeper |
|---|---|
| Installation | Configuration |
| Providers and local models | Architecture |
| Modes and permissions | Runtime API |
| Keybindings | Plugin authoring |
| GitHub PR review | All documentation |
Community
Bug reports, feature ideas, and pull requests are welcome — whether you have used Codewhale for months or are trying it for the first time. If a provider is missing or a workflow is awkward, open an issue or send a pull request. First contributions are welcome, and contributors keep credit for the work that lands. The repository layout is a good place to start.
Join the Discord, or add Hunter on WeChat
(hunterbown) and ask to join the Whale Brothers group.
History and license
Codewhale began as deepseek-tui and still reads that project's configuration
and sessions. It is now provider-neutral and independently maintained, and is
not affiliated with any model provider. Thanks to
every contributor and to the open-source communities
that helped it grow.
MIT. Portions adapted from other open-source projects are recorded in third-party notices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Codewhale?
Codewhale is an open-source ai agents skill for AI coding assistants such as Claude Code, Codex CLI, and ChatGPT, built by codewhale-hq. Open-source coding agent for your terminal, built in Rust and on a journey of continuous community improvement. Issues and PRs welcome. It has 41,047 GitHub stars.
Is Codewhale safe to use?
Yes. Codewhale passed SkillsLLM's automated security scan — a dependency vulnerability audit plus prompt-injection heuristics — with no high-severity issues. You can read the full report in the Security Report section on this page.
How do I install Codewhale?
Clone the repository with "git clone https://github.com/codewhale-hq/Codewhale" and add it to your Claude Code skills directory (see the Installation section above).
What programming language is Codewhale written in?
Codewhale is primarily written in Rust. It is open-source under codewhale-hq on GitHub, so you can review or fork the full source.
Are there alternatives to Codewhale?
Yes. SkillsLLM lists many other AI Agents skills you can browse and compare side by side. Open the AI Agents category from the badge at the top of this page, or use the Related Skills and comparison links further down to weigh Codewhale against similar tools.
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