Introduction

Netero 🫶 is a CLI for LLMs, oriented toward advanced GNU/Linux users. It runs from the command line, integrates into pipelines, and offers a minimal chat with command expansion.

The more skilled you are with shells, the more you will get out of this tool.

Also in Spanish: View README in Spanish

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Installation

Netero can be installed in several ways depending on your preference:

Using Cargo

cargo install netero

Using Nix Flakes

If you use Nix, you can install it with:

nix profile add github:hashbangcore/netero

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Environment Variables

It is configured via environment variables.

Default provider (codestral)

• CODE_API_KEY API key for the default provider.

Custom provider (OpenAI-compatible)

• NETERO_URL Chat completions endpoint URL.

• NETERO_MODEL Name of the selected model.

• NETERO_API_KEY Optional API key for the custom provider.

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Usage

Usage: netero [OPTIONS] [PROMPT] [COMMAND]

If there is input from stdin, it is added as additional context.

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Commands

• chat Opens a minimal chat session.

• commit Generates a commit message from staged changes.

• completion Generates shell autocompletion scripts.

• prompt Sends a prompt to the model and displays the response.

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Arguments

• [PROMPT] Prompt sent to the model.

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Options

• -v, --verbose Enables verbose output.

• -t, --trace Shows the prompts sent and the responses received (debug mode).

• -h, --help Displays help.

• -V, --version Displays the version.

You can use the --trace option to inspect the prompts being sent:

netero --trace

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Interactive Chat

Built-in Commands

• /help Displays help.

• /clean Clears chat history.

• /add Attaches files to the context.

• /trans Translates text.

• /eval Evaluates an arithmetic expression.

• /save Saves the user request to a file.

• /stream Enables or disables streaming mode in the model response.

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Inline Command Execution

You can execute any valid shell command using:

#!(...)

The command output will be attached to the next prompt sent to the model.

Example:

➜ #!(sudo nmap scanme.nmap.org) analyze

The generated prompt would be similar to:

:: END CHAT HISTORY (SYSTEM) ::
:: COMMAND OUTPUT (SYSTEM) ::
[section]
[command]
sudo nmap scanme.nmap.org

[stdout]
...
[end section]
:: END COMMAND OUTPUT (SYSTEM) ::
:: USER MESSAGE ::
analyze
:: END USER MESSAGE ::
:: RESPONSE ::
The command `sudo nmap scanme.nmap.org` completed a successful scan of the host `scanme.nmap.org` (IPv4: 45.33.32.156, IPv6: 2600:3c01::f03c:91ff:fe18:bb2f). Four open ports and one filtered port were detected:

- **Open ports**:
  - 22/tcp (SSH)
  - 80/tcp (HTTP)
  - 9929/tcp (nping-echo)
  - 31337/tcp (Elite)

- **Filtered port**:
  - 646/tcp (LDP)

The scan took 4.89 seconds. No critical errors were found.

⚠ Commands are executed in the user's shell without sandboxing.

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Using Paths in Prompts

Netero automatically detects absolute and relative paths in the prompt.

Any word that:

• Starts with / (absolute path)
• Starts with ./ or ../ (relative path)
• And corresponds to an existing file

will be interpreted as a valid path and its contents will be automatically attached to the context sent to the model.

No special commands are required.

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In chat Mode

Within an interactive session:

netero chat

You can write:

Review this file and suggest improvements: ./src/main.rs

If ./src/main.rs exists and is a file, its contents will be automatically attached to the prompt.

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In Direct Prompt Mode

It also works from the command line:

netero "Translate this file ./README.en.md"

If ./README.en.md exists, its contents will be automatically included in the context before sending the request to the model.

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Behavior

• Only existing files are attached.
• Directories are not attached.
• Multiple paths can be included in the same prompt.
• Paths are resolved from the current directory.

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Examples

1. Direct prompt

netero "Explain how io_uring works in Linux"

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2. Prompt without quotes

netero Explain the ownership model in Rust

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3. Using stdin as context

cat Cargo.toml | netero "Describe the main dependencies"

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4. Analyzing command output

dmesg | tail -n 50 | netero "Are there any relevant errors in these logs?"

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5. Generate commit message from staging

netero commit | git commit -F -

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6. Generate message with custom convention

netero commit -c .repo/convencion.txt

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7. Verbose mode

netero -v "Explain what a mutex is in Rust"

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8. Inspect sent prompts (debug mode)

Netero runs a debug socket that listens to all prompts sent by running instances.

netero --trace

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9. Use custom provider

export NETERO_URL="https://api.example.com/v1/chat/completions"
export NETERO_MODEL="my-model"
export NETERO_API_KEY="your-api-key"

netero "Describe the CFS scheduling algorithm"

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10. Generate shell autocompletion

netero completion bash

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11. Start interactive session

netero chat

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12. Execute command inside chat

Within the session:

Analyze this output:
#!(free -h)

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License

BSD 2-Clause