Photo by the author
# Entry
I’m currently trying to decide what tools to utilize for my MLOps and vibe coding projects. Every day, a fresh VS Code extension or command-line interface (CLI) application is launched that claims to excel in terminal testing or top the coding rankings. There is so much noise in the space that I am compelled to write this article to share my personal experiences with the various CLI Agentic Coding tools and what I like about them. Please remember that these are my personal experiences, so they may differ from other people’s experiences.
Additionally, all CLI tools listed below require Node.jsso it’s best to install this before testing them. I’ve also included the installation commands you need to type in the terminal to start using these tools.
# 1. Claude’s Code
Claude Koda is the leading tool for vibration coding and general professional development projects. You can link your Anthropic API keys to utilize tokens or link your Claude subscription to utilize subscriptions.
I’m using Claude Code with API and so far it’s working really well. However, recently I discovered the so-called GLM 4.6 coding plan and started using Claude Code with GLM 4.6. This means you can modify your Claude code to utilize any AI model provider, including local AI models.
To get started, simply run the following command in the terminal:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
The best thing about Claude Code is that I can simply ask him to repair or build components and he will follow the instructions and give a brief answer. This results in a low error rate and is quite adept at invoking terminal tools and commands.
Claude Code is my main tool for everyday tasks because it also includes a VS Code extension that allows me to ask questions about my code and make modifications directly in the IDE. It is suitable for both professionals and hobbyists who want to build electrifying projects.
# 2. Open code
Opinions about Open code are divided; some people love it, some people don’t like it. OpenCode is a truly open alternative to Claude Code. It allows you to run any model and supports almost all AI model providers, providing configuration flexibility without complicated configurations. I utilize it to test fresh models, evaluate MCPs, and create custom agents.
If you are an avid programmer or professional developer, you will appreciate the extensive customization options available to modify and improve OpenCode at a micro level. You will have control over security, design, features and overall project management in a controlled environment.
To get started, open a terminal and type the following command:
npm install -g opencode-ai@latest
You can even browse the free models provided by OpenCode and connect to different models by accessing openrouter.ai.
I am using OpenCode with the GLM Coding plan and the MiniMax-2 plan. Both have proven effective for my needs, and I utilize OpenCode to create the UI of my website and app.
Note: If you are using Windows, please consider using Alacritty terminal for the best experience.
# 3. Droid
Droid by Factory is an amazing AI coding tool that sits on top of the terminal, which means it’s really good at solving local code problems. I utilize it to debug and solve my problems because it can read Docker logs, return Docker commands, and fix things automatically.
What I like most is that it offers free utilize once you create an account. This means you get a professional trial plan for a month that gives you access to the latest Claude and OpenAI models. I used it every day until the trial period ended. Love it; it is elementary and intensively maintained by developers.
To get started, type the following command in the terminal:
curl -fsSL https://app.factory.ai/cli | sh
If you’re looking for accuracy in running commands, debugging, building, and automating your coding setup, I highly recommend starting with Droid. The only drawback is that it doesn’t work well with custom models or third-party AI model providers. Perhaps on the backend they optimized the model to take full advantage of Droid.
# 4. CLI Code
Recently I started using the so-called openai/code CLI and didn’t realize I could utilize it with my ChatGPT plan. The ChatGPT plan is much more valuable when you have access to VS Code extensions, terminal CLI tools for agent coding, and cloud agent workflows. If you don’t want to pay for the $20 ChatGPT subscription, you can still utilize it with the OpenAI Developer API.
Even better is that you can modify the configuration file to utilize GLM or Minimax models as well. It’s fully customizable, but experience with external APIs can drop significantly if it doesn’t understand some tags or calls the wrong tools. Therefore, it is highly recommended to utilize it with a ChatGPT subscription.
To get started, simply type the following command in the terminal and follow the instructions:
npm install -g @openai/codex
I started using it because it’s almost a free tool for me to access the latest OpenAI Codex and GPT-5 models. After Claude Code and Droid, I think I will continue to utilize it in my projects. Stay tuned for the next Agentic CLI tools update coming soon.
# 5. Gemini Command Line Interface
Google has launched its open source CLI Agentic, known as google-gemini/gemini-clijust like OpenAI and Microsoft Copilot. It’s fully customizable, but I ran into a lot of problems trying to configure it and get any value from it. If you accidentally utilize the Gemini 2.5 pro model, it will utilize up the free plan limit after just one message. Therefore, I only utilize Gemini CLI for testing purposes.
Another problem I faced was that despite the customization options, I couldn’t successfully configure MCP, agents, or other tools. I realized that it already comes with Google service tools, which encourages you to utilize these built-in features instead of relying on third-party tools.
To start using the Gemini CLI, type the following command in the terminal:
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
The best part is that you get free access to Gemini CLI tools as the free plan covers your basic needs. It renews automatically, so once you reach your limit, you can start over the next day. While it is free, it does come with some issues; therefore it is listed last. However, due to its popularity and free utilize, I decided to include it on the list.
# TL;DR
For those who scroll down to read the summary:
- Claude Koda is the best; utilize it as your primary tool
- Open code it’s awesome if you like to tinker with your workflow to maximize productivity and value
- Droid is really good at debugging and automating the development environment
- CLI Code is being improved and now includes features that let you build things both locally and in the cloud using the ChatGPT plan
- Gemini CLI it is popular for its narrow free plan, but I strongly advise against using it as you may waste your time and gain little value from it
There are other CLI tools for AI coding, but they are not mature or popular enough to be included here. All the CLI tools listed above work flawlessly on Windows, even without Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). So go ahead and start typing the commands above to experience the fresh era of agent-based coding.
Abid Ali Awan (@1abidaliawan) is a certified data science professional who loves building machine learning models. Currently, he focuses on creating content and writing technical blogs about machine learning and data science technologies. Abid holds a Master’s degree in Technology Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering. His vision is to build an AI product using a graph neural network for students struggling with mental illness.