The Problem with AI Terminals Today
Every AI terminal tool works the same way: you describe what you want, the AI suggests a command, you copy it, alt-tab, paste it, run it, check the output, alt-tab back, describe the next thing... rinse and repeat.
There is a cognitive cost to every context switch. When you are debugging a production issue at 2 AM, those seconds add up.
A Different Approach: Shared PTY
WinkTerm takes a different approach. Instead of suggesting commands in a separate chat window, the AI writes directly into your shell input line inside the same PTY session. You press Enter to execute, backspace to edit, or Ctrl+C to cancel.
$ # why is nginx returning 502?
[WinkTerm] Let me check the nginx error logs...
[WinkTerm] I can see the upstream is unreachable. Try this:
$ curl -I http://localhost:3000
How It Works
When you type something starting with # in your terminal, it gets intercepted by the backend agent (LangGraph) instead of being sent to the shell. The agent can read terminal context, execute commands, or write commands to your input line.
Tech Stack
- Backend: Python 3.12 + FastAPI + LangGraph
- Frontend: Next.js 14 + TypeScript + xterm.js
- Deployment: Docker Compose or desktop app
Quick Start
docker run -p 3000:3000 -p 8000:8000 -e ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-key ghcr.io/cznorth/winkterm:latest
Why WinkTerm?
Unlike other AI terminals (Warp, Tabby, Claude Code), WinkTerm lets the AI share your actual PTY session. No copy-paste, no context switching. AI writes directly into your input line, you decide to execute, edit, or cancel.
MIT licensed, bring your own LLM, SSH support included.
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