Basic Usage and Main Commands

Interactive Mode

ChatCLI’s default mode is interactive. To start it, simply run:

chatcli

You will see a welcome screen and a prompt ( ❯ ), ready to receive your questions or commands. Any text that does not start with / or @ will be treated as a prompt for the AI.

help me list all active docker containers

Essential Commands

Internal commands are your control center. They always start with /.

Command	Description
`/help`	Displays the full help screen with all available commands and options
`/menu` (or `/`)	Opens the interactive command palette — a navigable list of every command (arrows to navigate)
`/exit` or `/quit`	Safely exits the application
`/newsession`	Clears the conversation history and starts a new dialogue from scratch
`/config` or `/status`	Shows the current configuration: provider, active model, and variables (with sensitive values hidden); bare opens the palette with the sections
`/reload`	Reloads settings from `.env` without restarting the application
`/switch`	Switch the provider or model — bare opens the navigable palette of providers/flags
`/provider`	Switch the LLM provider by name — bare opens the palette with the active providers (same UX as `/model`)
`/compact`	Compact conversation history (automatic or guided with instruction)
`/rewind`	Rewind to a previous conversation checkpoint

Advanced Commands

Context Commands (@)

Inject dynamic information into your prompt: @file, @git, @command, @env, @history.

Agent Mode (/agent)

Delegate complete tasks. The AI plans and executes commands with your approval.

Coder Mode (/coder)

AI that reads, edits, applies patches, and runs tests in a loop — with automatic rollback.

Conversation Control

Use /compact to compact and /rewind (or Esc+Esc) to go back in time.

Skills and Plugins

Extend ChatCLI with custom plugins and skills from remote registries.

Coder Mode (/coder)

The /coder mode is specialized for software engineering. The AI automatically calls tools in a read, edit, and test loop.

/coder fix the failing tests

<tool_call name="@coder" args='{"cmd":"tree","args":{"dir":"."}}'/>
<tool_call name="@coder" args='{"cmd":"search","args":{"term":"FAIL","dir":"."}}'/>
<tool_call name="@coder" args='{"cmd":"read","args":{"file":"cli/agent_mode.go"}}'/>
<tool_call name="@coder" args='{"cmd":"test","args":{"dir":"."}}'/>
<tool_call name="@coder" args='{"cmd":"git-diff","args":{"dir":".","stat":true}}'/>

In /coder, it is always the AI that issues the @coder commands — you only describe the goal.

See the full guides: Coder Mode and @coder Plugin

ChatCLI supports keyboard shortcuts for efficient navigation:

Shortcut	Action
Alt/Option + arrows	Move cursor by word
Ctrl + arrows	Move cursor by word
Cmd + arrows / Home/End	Move to beginning/end of line
Alt + Backspace	Delete word to the left
Esc+Esc	Open rewind menu (double Esc within 500ms, only when input is empty)
`/` or `/menu` + Enter	Open the command palette (arrows to navigate, Enter to select)

For the full list, see the Command Reference.

Smart Paste Detection

ChatCLI automatically detects pasted text via Bracketed Paste Mode. For large pastes (more than 150 characters), the content is replaced by a compact placeholder in the prompt:

«1234 chars | 5 lines»

The actual content is preserved internally and sent in full when you press Enter. Small pastes (150 characters or less) are rendered normally.

Home

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Features

Security

Support

Basic Usage and Main Commands

Interactive Mode

Essential Commands

Advanced Commands

Context Commands (@)

Agent Mode (/agent)

Coder Mode (/coder)

Conversation Control

Skills and Plugins

Coder Mode (/coder)

Prompt Navigation

Smart Paste Detection

Next Steps

Context Commands

Agent Mode

​Interactive Mode

​Essential Commands

​Advanced Commands

Context Commands (@)

Agent Mode (/agent)

Coder Mode (/coder)

Conversation Control

Skills and Plugins

​Coder Mode (/coder)

​Prompt Navigation

​Smart Paste Detection

​Next Steps

Context Commands

Agent Mode

Interactive Mode

Essential Commands

Advanced Commands

Coder Mode (/coder)

Prompt Navigation

Smart Paste Detection

Next Steps