Building software is hard. Building an AI CLI as a student with limited resources is even harder.
Over the last few months, I've been working on SLEK AI CLI, a command-line AI assistant designed to make AI more accessible from the terminal.
Why I Started
Most AI tools today focus on web interfaces. As someone who spends a lot of time in the terminal, I wanted an AI assistant that could be used directly from the command line.
My goals were simple:
- Fast responses
- Multiple AI model support
- Easy installation
- Beginner-friendly experience
Challenges I Faced
Creating an AI CLI wasn't as straightforward as I expected.
Some of the biggest challenges included:
- Managing API requests efficiently
- Handling authentication securely
- Supporting multiple AI models
- Publishing and maintaining npm packages
- Keeping the project free for users
Every bug taught me something new.
What SLEK AI CLI Can Do
- Chat with AI directly from the terminal
- Support multiple models
- Easy npm installation
- Lightweight and fast experience
Lessons Learned
The biggest lesson wasn't technical.
It was learning how to keep building even when things break.
Many times I thought about giving up after deployment failures, API issues, and package publishing problems. But solving those problems helped me improve as a developer.
What's Next?
I'm currently working on:
- Better model routing
- Improved CLI experience
- More developer-focused features
- Future agent capabilities
I'd Love Your Feedback
If you've built a CLI tool before:
- What helped your project grow?
- How did you get your first users?
- What features do developers value most in AI CLIs?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Top comments (0)