Pi

What is Pi?

Pi is a minimal, extensible agent harness that you adapt to your own workflow instead of the other way round. The repository contains a coding agent command-line tool, a unified API for multiple LLM providers, an agent runtime with tool calling and state management, and a terminal UI library. You customize Pi with extensions, skills, prompt templates and themes, then bundle them as packages and share them through npm or git. It deliberately skips features such as sub-agents and plan mode; you can ask Pi to build them or install a package that does. You can use it interactively, automate it in print or JSON mode, drive it over RPC, or build applications with its TypeScript SDK. To start, install it with the shell installer or npm, which needs Node.js 22.19 or newer, run pi in a project folder and use /login to connect a subscription or API key. Pi has no built-in permission system, so it runs with your user permissions unless you containerize it. The project is MIT licensed and free to use.

Use cases

• Run a coding agent in the terminal
• Automate coding tasks in scripts
• Build custom agents with the SDK
• Share workflows as installable packages
• Connect a subscription or API key
• Sandbox an agent with Docker

Who it's for

• Software developers
• Agent builders
• Tool tinkerers
• Open-source contributors

Why use Pi

• Starts small, so you add only the features your workflow needs.
• Lets you package and share customizations through npm or git, which makes setups repeatable across a team.
• Works interactively, in scripts or from your own code through print, JSON, RPC and the TypeScript SDK.
• Costs nothing under the MIT license; you pay only for the model subscription or API key you connect.
• Documents containerization options such as plain Docker, a Gondolin micro-VM and OpenShell for stronger isolation.

Pi features

• Interactive terminal coding agent
• Extensions, skills, prompt templates and themes
• Pi packages shared through npm or git
• Print mode, JSON mode and RPC control
• TypeScript SDK for building apps on the agent
• Unified multi-provider LLM API
• Agent runtime with tool calling and state management
• Login command for subscriptions or API keys
• Install through shell script, npm or Nix

Pi integrations

• OpenAI
• Anthropic
• Google
• npm
• Nix
• Docker
• Hugging Face

How to get started with Pi

1. Install Pi with the curl installer, PowerShell script, npm or Nix.
2. Change into your project directory and run pi.
3. Run /login to connect a subscription or API key for a built-in provider.
4. Give Pi a task, then add extensions, skills or packages to shape its behavior.
5. Script it with print or JSON mode, or embed it using the TypeScript SDK.

Pi limitations

• Requires Node.js 22.19 or newer, though the installers can add it
• Includes no built-in permission system; it runs with the launching user's access unless you containerize it
• Omits sub-agents and plan mode by default, so you build or install them
• New issues and pull requests from new contributors are auto-closed by default

Pi pricing

Pi is open source, so you can use and self-host it for free.

Prices can change and may vary by country or exclude tax. Check the official pricing page.

Pi alternatives

The main Pi alternatives listed on Debuly are Claude Code, Aider, OpenHands, goose, OpenCode and Letta. The table compares pricing and platforms; order is A–Z.

1. Ai

   Aider

   Open-source AI pair programming tool that runs in your terminal and edits code in your local git repository using the LLM you choose.

   CodingDeveloper platforms
   Open sourceVisit Aider (official site)
2. 

   Claude Code

   Anthropic's coding agent that fixes bugs, writes tests and runs migrations from your terminal, IDE, desktop app, web or Slack.

   CodingAutomation and agentsDeveloper platforms
   PaidVisit Claude Code (official site)
3. 

   goose

   Open source AI agent that runs on your machine as a desktop app, CLI or API and connects to tools through MCP extensions.

   Automation and agentsCodingDeveloper platforms
   Open sourceVisit goose (official site)
4. 

   Letta

   Platform, formerly MemGPT, for building stateful AI agents with persistent memory, from a terminal app, SDK or API.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agentsCoding
   FreemiumVisit Letta (official site)
5. 

   OpenCode

   Open-source AI coding agent for terminal, desktop and IDE, with optional low-cost Go model subscriptions and a team Console

   CodingDeveloper platformsAutomation and agents
   FreemiumVisit OpenCode (official site)
6. 

   OpenHands

   Open-source AI coding agent platform with a free Agent Canvas, a Teams plan, and self-hosted Enterprise control

   CodingAutomation and agentsDeveloper platforms
   FreemiumVisit OpenHands (official site)

Pi FAQ

Sources & verification

Facts on this page come from the official sources below, each with the date we read it. Written by Debuly; the vendor did not review this page.

Image credits

• Logo: from avatars.githubusercontent.com · fetched 24 Oct 2026 · Vendor trademark, used only to identify the product; removed on request
• Cover: none collected yet, so a generated tile is shown.

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