**Open-source alternative to Claude Code, built from scratch in Rust.** [![Rust](https://img.shields.io/badge/Built%20with-Rust-orange?logo=rust)](https://www.rust-lang.org/) [![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-Apache--2.0-blue.svg)](LICENSE) [![CI](https://github.com/lingcoder/crab-code/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/lingcoder/crab-code/actions/workflows/ci.yml) [![PRs Welcome](https://img.shields.io/badge/PRs-welcome-brightgreen.svg)](#contributing) **English** | [**中文**](README.zh-CN.md)

--- > **Active Development** — 4970 tests · 26 crates · ~161k LOC Crab Code is a Rust-native agentic coding CLI. It aligns with Claude Code's toolset, permission model, and interaction patterns while supporting any LLM provider (Anthropic / OpenAI / DeepSeek / Bedrock / Vertex). ## Quick Start ```bash git clone https://github.com/lingcoder/crab-code.git && cd crab-code cargo build --release export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-... ./target/release/crab # Interactive TUI ./target/release/crab "explain this codebase" # Single-shot ./target/release/crab -p "fix the bug" # Non-interactive ``` See `crab --help` for more. Config lives at `~/.crab/config.toml` (snake_case TOML); the full loading & merge spec is in [`docs/config-design.md`](docs/config-design.md). ## Configuration Config sources, low → high priority: ``` defaults < plugin < user < project < local < --config (file layer) < env < CLI flag (runtime layer) ``` - **User**: `~/.crab/config.toml` (or `$CRAB_CONFIG_DIR/config.toml`) - **Project**: `$PWD/.crab/config.toml` (committed) - **Local**: `$PWD/.crab/config.local.toml` (gitignored) - **`--config `**: CLI-injected file - **`-c key.path=value`**: dotted runtime override (TOML grammar; repeatable) Example `config.toml`: ```toml api_provider = "deepseek" base_url = "https://api.deepseek.com/v1" model = "deepseek-chat" api_key = "sk-..." # optional; env wins if both set [permissions] allow = ["Bash(git:*)", "Read", "Edit"] deny = ["Bash(rm:*)"] # deny always wins over allow ``` ## Environment Variables Env (runtime layer) always wins over file. Mutually-exclusive variants apply highest-first. | Category | Variable | Purpose | |----------|----------|---------| | Provider | `CRAB_API_PROVIDER` | Override provider: `anthropic`, `openai`, `deepseek`, `bedrock`, `vertex`, `custom` | | Provider | `CRAB_API_KEY` | Universal API key (any provider; highest priority) | | Provider | `CRAB_MODEL` | Override model name | | Provider | `CRAB_BASE_URL` | Universal base URL override | | Provider | `CRAB_CONFIG_DIR` | Relocate config root (default `~/.crab/`) | | Provider | `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` / `ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN` | Anthropic provider only | | Provider | `ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL` | Anthropic base URL (only when `CRAB_API_PROVIDER=anthropic`) | | Provider | `OPENAI_API_KEY` | OpenAI provider | | Provider | `OPENAI_BASE_URL` | OpenAI base URL (only when `CRAB_API_PROVIDER=openai`) | | Provider | `DEEPSEEK_API_KEY` | DeepSeek provider | | Provider | `DEEPSEEK_BASE_URL` | DeepSeek base URL (only when `CRAB_API_PROVIDER=deepseek`) | | Bedrock | `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID` / `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY` | Static credentials | | Bedrock | `AWS_SESSION_TOKEN` | Optional session token (temporary credentials) | | Bedrock | `AWS_REGION` / `AWS_DEFAULT_REGION` | AWS region | | Bedrock | `AWS_ROLE_ARN` | IAM role ARN to assume | | Bedrock | `AWS_WEB_IDENTITY_TOKEN_FILE` | OIDC token file (web-identity role assumption) | | Bedrock | `AWS_EXTERNAL_ID` | External ID for cross-account role assumption | | Bedrock | `AWS_ROLE_SESSION_NAME` | Session name for assumed role | | Vertex | `GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT` / `GCLOUD_PROJECT` | GCP project ID | | Vertex | `GOOGLE_CLOUD_REGION` | GCP region (default: `us-central1`) | | Vertex | `GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS` | Path to service account key JSON | | Shell | `CRAB_SHELL` | Path to bash/zsh binary (overrides auto-detection for the Bash tool) | | Shell | `SHELL` | POSIX fallback when `CRAB_SHELL` is unset | | Shell | `CRAB_USE_POWERSHELL_TOOL` | Truthy value exposes the `PowerShell` tool on Windows (default off) | | Agent | `CRAB_COORDINATOR_MODE` | `1` enables Agent Teams coordinator mode | | Agent | `CRAB_AUTO_DREAM` | `1` enables background memory consolidation between sessions | | Agent | `CRAB_AUTO_DREAM_MIN_HOURS` | Minimum hours between consolidations (default: 6) | | Agent | `CRAB_AUTO_DREAM_MIN_SESSIONS` | Minimum sessions before consolidation triggers (default: 2) | | TLS | `CRAB_CA_BUNDLE` | Path to custom CA certificate bundle (PEM) | | TLS | `SSL_CERT_FILE` / `SSL_CERT_DIR` | Standard OpenSSL CA overrides | ## Comparison | | Crab Code | Claude Code | OpenCode| Codex CLI | |--|-----------|-------------|---------|-----------| | Open Source | Apache 2.0 | Proprietary | MIT | Apache 2.0 | | Language | Rust | TypeScript | TypeScript | Rust | | Models | Any provider | Anthropic | Any provider | OpenAI only | | MCP | 3 transports | 6 transports | LSP | 2 transports | ## Architecture 26 Rust crates in 4 layers. See [`docs/architecture.md`](docs/architecture.md) for details. ``` Entry cli Engine agents · engine · session · tui · remote Service api · tools · commands · hooks · mcp · acp · skills · plugin · telemetry · ide · sandbox · swarm · cron · fs · memory · process Foundation core · utils · config · auth ``` ## Build & Test ```bash cargo build --workspace cargo nextest run --workspace # or: cargo test --workspace cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings ``` ## Contributing PRs welcome. ## License [Apache License 2.0](LICENSE)