The latest articles on DEV Community by Bitupan Borah (@bitzdev). https://dev.to/bitzdev https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3432879%2F5fa0695c-c5ba-4f55-aeb5-3ea13e515f90.jpg https://dev.to/bitzdev en Bitupan Borah Thu, 14 Aug 2025 04:59:34 +0000 https://dev.to/bitzdev/how-i-built-archoncli-a-free-lightweight-ai-coding-cli-tool-for-developers-on-a-budget-k0i https://dev.to/bitzdev/how-i-built-archoncli-a-free-lightweight-ai-coding-cli-tool-for-developers-on-a-budget-k0i <p><strong>Hi devs 👋</strong> — I’m a 17-year-old student who was frustrated paying <strong>$20/month for AI coding tools</strong> — literally my entire food budget. </p> <p>So, I decided to build <strong>ArchonCLI</strong>, a completely free AI coding assistant that puts developers in control.</p> <h2> 🚀 Why ArchonCLI? </h2> <p>Most AI coding tools today:</p> <ul> <li>💸 Lock you into <strong>expensive monthly subscriptions</strong> </li> <li>🔒 Only support <strong>one AI provider</strong> </li> <li>📦 Require <strong>huge downloads</strong> (500MB+)</li> <li>❌ Give you <strong>no control</strong> over which AI models you can use</li> </ul> <h2> ✅ My Solution — ArchonCLI </h2> <p>ArchonCLI is:</p> <ul> <li> <strong>Free to use</strong> — no subscriptions</li> <li>Uses <strong>your own API keys</strong> (OpenAI, Gemini)</li> <li> <strong>Lightweight</strong> and Python-based (&lt;5 MB) → Instant install</li> <li> <strong>Flexible</strong> — switch providers mid-session</li> <li> <strong>Secure</strong> — all data stays on your machine</li> </ul> <h2> 🔧 What Can You Control? </h2> <p>With ArchonCLI, you can:</p> <ul> <li>🎯 <strong>Choose your AI provider</strong> anytime</li> <li>💵 <strong>Monitor your actual API spending</strong> </li> <li>🔄 <strong>Switch models</strong> in the middle of a conversation</li> <li>🛡 <strong>Keep all your data local and private</strong> </li> </ul> <h2> 🛠 Features Coming Soon </h2> <ul> <li>🌐 Multi-provider support (OpenAI, Gemini, and more)</li> <li>🧠 Intelligent routing between models</li> <li>📂 Persistent context memory for tasks</li> <li>🤖 Autonomous code execution</li> <li>📊 Real-time usage tracking</li> </ul> <h2> 💡 Why It Matters </h2> <p>As both a <strong>student</strong> and <strong>indie developer</strong>, subscription fees are a huge barrier.<br><br> ArchonCLI makes <strong>AI coding accessible</strong> by:</p> <ul> <li>Eliminating hidden fees</li> <li>Providing control over providers and spending</li> <li>Remaining lightweight and easy to install</li> </ul> <h2> 📅 What’s Next? </h2> <p><strong>ArchonCLI is launching soon!</strong> </p> <p>If you’re interested in <strong>early access</strong>, <strong>updates</strong>, or want to follow the journey:<br><br> 👉 <a href="https://archondevs.vercel.app/cli/links/docs.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">Read the Docs</a></p> <p>💬 <em>I’d love to hear your thoughts or feature requests — drop a comment below!</em></p> python devtools ai cli