---
name: nodetool-chat-cli
description: "Use NodeTool chat CLI sessions, provider selection, workspace tools, and Global Chat features."
---

You help users use NodeTool's chat interfaces — the terminal chat CLI and Global Chat.

# Chat CLI

The chat CLI fills the terminal with a scrollable transcript, multiline
composer, tool details, task progress, and approval prompts. Two entry points:
- `nodetool-chat` (standalone binary)
- `nodetool chat` (subcommand that forwards to the chat UI)

From source (no build): `npm run dev:chat -- [flags]`.

## Starting Chat

```bash
# Interactive chat (default provider/model from saved settings)
nodetool chat

# With a specific provider/model
nodetool chat -p openai -m gpt-5.4
nodetool chat -p anthropic -m claude-sonnet-4-6
nodetool chat -p ollama -m qwen-3.5:4b

# Restrict the enabled tools
nodetool chat --tools google_search,browser,write_file

# Connect to a running server instead of a local provider
nodetool chat -u ws://localhost:7777/ws
```

> **Agent mode is always on.** Every chat session runs the unified agent loop
> (planning + tools). The old `-a/--agent` and `--no-agent` flags are deprecated
> no-ops kept for compatibility.

## CLI Flags

| Flag | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `-p, --provider <name>` | LLM provider (see list below) |
| `-m, --model <id>` | Model ID |
| `-w, --workspace <path>` | Workspace directory (default: cwd) |
| `--tools <list>` | Comma-separated enabled tools |
| `-u, --url <ws-url>` | Connect to a NodeTool server WebSocket |
| `--resume [id]` | Resume a saved session in this workspace, latest if no ID is given |
| `--permission-mode <default|auto|plan>` | Set permissions, interactive default is `default` |
| `--no-read-only-search` | Disable the read-only `run_search` fan-out primitive |
| `--trace-file <path>` | Append LLM/agent/workflow spans as JSONL |
| `--trace-stdout [pretty\|json]` | Stream spans to stdout |

Providers: `anthropic`, `claude_agent_sdk`, `openai`, `codex`, `gemini`, `xai`,
`groq`, `mistral`, `deepseek`, `moonshot`, `minimax`, `cerebras`, `alibaba`, `gmi`,
`together`, `openrouter`, `requesty`, `huggingface`, `replicate`, `kie`, `aki`,
`ollama`, `lmstudio`, `mlx`. Any other registered provider id (e.g. `vllm`) also works when
passed explicitly.

## Slash Commands (prefix with `/`)

| Command | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `/help` | Show commands and keyboard shortcuts in the transcript |
| `/new` | Start a fresh session (clears history + server thread) |
| `/clear` | Clear the visible history |
| `/compact` | Summarize and compact the conversation context |
| `/model [provider/id]` | Browse models from all configured providers, or switch with a provider/model ID |
| `/agent [id\|main]` | Browse sub-agent threads, inspect one, or return to the main conversation |
| `/tools` | List the enabled tools |
| `/mode <default|auto|plan>` | Change tool permissions |
| `/sessions` | Browse saved conversations for this workspace and server |
| `/resume [id]` | Resume a saved conversation |
| `/export [path.md]` | Save a Markdown transcript without overwriting an existing file |
| `/details` | Toggle tool arguments, code, and edit diffs |
| `/exit`, `/quit` | Quit chat |

Enter sends. Alt+Enter, Shift+Enter in supported terminals, or Ctrl+J inserts a
newline. Up/Down recalls prompts and Tab completes commands. Page Up/Page Down
scrolls, Ctrl+G returns to the latest output, and Ctrl+O toggles tool details.
Escape cancels a turn or dismisses input. Ctrl+C cancels, clears a draft, or
saves and exits when idle with an empty composer. Approval prompts show their
answer keys and can be scrolled before answering.

`/compact` summarizes local context. Connected servers manage their own
context. `/clear` only clears the screen, while `/new` resets the conversation.

Non-slash input is sent to the model as a chat message — there is no built-in
shell (`ls`, `cd`, …) in the chat prompt. File operations happen through the
agent's file tools in the workspace.

## Configuration

- Settings file: `~/.nodetool/chat-settings.json` (persists provider + model)
- Sessions: `~/.nodetool/chat-sessions/` (transcript, context, provider continuation)
- Sessions are saved after turns and on exit. The picker filters by workspace
  and server. Resuming does not carry over approval grants.

# Agent Capabilities

Because the agent loop is always active, the chat can:

1. **Plan** — break tasks into steps
2. **Use tools** — search, browse, file ops, code execution, media generation
3. **Iterate** — execute steps, evaluate results, adapt
4. **Run workflows** — trigger saved NodeTool workflows

## Common Tools

| Tool | Capability |
|------|-----------|
| `google_search` | Web search |
| `browser` | Browse and extract web content |
| `read_file` / `write_file` / `edit_file` | Workspace file ops |
| `grep` / `glob` | Search files |
| `screenshot` | Capture a page screenshot |
| `find_model` | Pick a model by capability |
| `generate_image` / `generate_video` / `generate_speech` | Media generation |

Restrict the set with `--tools a,b,c`; inspect the active set with `/tools`.

# Global Chat

Global Chat is the desktop app's built-in chat interface.

## Features

- Chat with any configured AI model (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, local)
- Multiple conversation threads
- Standalone window (launch from the system tray)
- Tools: web search, image generation, workflow execution
- The same always-on agent loop as the CLI

## Workflow Integration

```
1. Save a workflow in the NodeTool editor
2. Open Global Chat
3. Select the workflow from the workflow picker
4. Chat naturally — the agent can invoke the workflow as a tool
```

# Typical Flows

## Quick Question
```bash
nodetool chat -p openai -m gpt-5.4
> What's the difference between FAISS and ChromaDB?
```

## Research Task
```bash
nodetool chat --tools google_search,browser,write_file
> Research the top 5 TypeScript ORMs and write a comparison to comparison.md
```

## Code Generation
```bash
nodetool chat -p anthropic -m claude-sonnet-4-6 --tools write_file,read_file,grep
> Create a Python script that processes CSV files and generates summary statistics
```

## Headless / Programmatic Chat

For non-interactive chat, use the OpenAI-compatible Chat API on a running server
(`nodetool serve`):

```bash
curl -X POST http://localhost:7777/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer TOKEN" \
  -d '{"model": "gpt-5.4", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]}'
```

# Common Pitfalls

- **No provider configured**: store a key first (`nodetool secrets store OPENAI_API_KEY`). The `/model` picker lists models only from configured providers.
- **Wrong model ID**: switch with `/model <provider>/<id>`; the picker searches every configured provider.
- **Expecting a shell**: bare commands like `ls` are sent to the model, not run. Use the agent's file tools instead.
- **Looking for `/agent`**: agent mode is always on; there is no toggle.
- **Using `/agent`**: the command inspects delegated sub-agent threads; it does not toggle agent mode.