Butterfish logo

Butterfish

coding
Open source shell tool that adds AI prompting to your terminal with transparent prompts, configurable models and logging so you can reason about commands before you run them.
terminal cli open-source
coding
Category
Beginner
Difficulty
Active
Status
Web App
Type

What is Butterfish?

Discover how Butterfish can enhance your workflow

Butterfish enhances bash and zsh with AI assistance at the command line. It provides a transparent prompt system you can configure, along with verbose logging that shows raw requests and responses so you understand what the AI suggests. You can edit the prompts that guide the assistant, pick compatible models and review a log file when running in verbose modes. The goal is to keep developers in control while making it faster to draft commands, explain errors and generate small scripts. Since it is open source, you can inspect the code, contribute and adapt it to your environment, and there is no license fee, only your model API costs if you connect one.

Key Capabilities

What makes Butterfish powerful

Editable Prompts

Edit the YAML prompt configuration to control behavior and style so generated suggestions match your norms and security expectations.

Implementation Level Basic

Verbose Logging

Run with verbose flags to record raw requests and responses for later review which keeps usage auditable.

Implementation Level Basic

Commands and Snippets

Ask for a command or script and review the suggestion in your shell before you choose to run it.

Implementation Level Basic

Open Source and Models

Use compatible APIs and extend the tool for your stack since the code is open and modifiable.

Implementation Level Basic

Key Features

What makes Butterfish stand out

  • Transparent prompts you can edit in a YAML config for full control
  • Verbose mode that logs raw AI requests and responses for auditing
  • Open source code with permissive license for customization
  • Model agnostic design that works with OpenAI compatible APIs
  • Advice and command draft generation directly in the shell
  • Configurable behaviors per project or user profile
  • Lightweight install that fits typical dev environments
  • Community resources and GitHub issues for support

Use Cases

How Butterfish can help you

  • Explaining unfamiliar shell errors while staying in context
  • Drafting safe commands with a visible prompt and chance to edit
  • Generating small scripts that you then review before execution
  • Teaching new teammates shell patterns with auditable AI help
  • Automating repetitive terminal tasks with human checks
  • Running in secure environments with transparent logging

Perfect For

developers, DevOps and power users who want AI help in the terminal without black box prompts or hidden behavior

Tags

ai developers coding developer programming

Plans & Pricing

Free

Get Started Update this tool

Visit official site for current pricing

Quick Information

Category coding
Pricing Model Free plan
Last Updated 3/19/2026

Compare Butterfish with Alternatives

See how Butterfish stacks up against similar tools

Butterfish VS Adrenaline Butterfish VS Amazon CodeWhisperer Butterfish VS Amazon Q Developer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Butterfish free to use?
Yes, it is open source under a permissive license and there is no tool fee.
Can I see exactly what is sent to the model?
Yes, verbose mode logs raw prompts and responses so you can audit usage.
Does it lock me into one provider?
No, it is designed for OpenAI compatible APIs but is not limited to a single vendor.
Can I customize how it behaves?
Yes, you edit a config file to define prompts, styles and defaults for your environment.
Is it safe to run generated commands?
You should always review suggestions before execution, Butterfish is built to keep the human in the loop.
Does it work on macOS and Linux?
Yes, it is a CLI tool for typical shell environments like bash and zsh.
Can teams share configs?
Yes, you can version control prompt files and share them across projects.
Where do I get help?
Documentation and the GitHub repository issues are the main support paths.

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