ShellGPT: A Comprehensive Introduction
ShellGPT is an innovative command-line productivity tool designed to streamline the generation of shell commands, code snippets, and documentation. It leverages the capabilities of AI large language models (LLM) to perform tasks that would traditionally require consulting external resources, such as a Google search. This tool is compatible with Linux, macOS, Windows, and supports various shells including PowerShell, CMD, Bash, and Zsh.
Installation
To get started with ShellGPT, users can install it via pip with the following command:
pip install shell-gpt
By default, ShellGPT operates using OpenAI's API and the GPT-4 model, which requires an API key obtainable from OpenAI's website. Users should note that the OpenAI API service is a paid resource, and pricing information is available on their website.
For users seeking a no-cost alternative, ShellGPT offers the option to use locally hosted open-source models. Setting up involves running an LLM backend server, such as Ollama. However, it’s important to mention that ShellGPT's performance may vary with local models.
Usage
ShellGPT is built for quick analysis and information retrieval across a broad range of queries—from technical setups to general knowledge inquiries. The tool can accept input via both standard input (stdin) and command line arguments. This versatility means users can pipe input through terminal commands or pass it as direct arguments to retrieve results efficiently.
Examples of usage include:
-
Generating a git commit message from a diff result:
git diff | sgpt "Generate git commit message for my changes" -
Analyzing logs and providing solutions:
docker logs -n 20 my_app | sgpt "check logs, find errors, provide possible solutions"
Users can also work with input redirection operators to hand over text from files directly to ShellGPT:
- Summarizing a document:
sgpt "summarize" < document.txt
Shell Commands Generation
One of ShellGPT's standout features is its ability to generate and execute shell commands efficiently. Users can leverage options like --shell or -s to create commands directly within their terminal session. The tool is context-aware, generating relevant commands based on the current operating system and shell environment.
- Find JSON files in the current folder:
sgpt --shell "find all json files in current folder"
It can also handle complex shell tasks like starting dockers or combining files using ffmpeg.
Shell Integration
A distinctive feature of ShellGPT is shell integration, allowing users to access shell completions directly in their terminal without manually typing the sgpt command. This feature supports both Bash and Zsh shells and enables quick and efficient command completion using hotkeys within the terminal.
To enable this, users should run:
sgpt --install-integration
Generating Code
With ShellGPT, users can generate code snippets quickly and effectively by using the --code or -c parameter. This functionality offers a streamlined way to output pure code directly:
- Solving the FizzBuzz problem in Python:
sgpt --code "solve fizz buzz problem using python"
Users can also take advantage of shell redirection to save the generated code into a file or to process it further with other shell commands.
Conclusion
ShellGPT offers a powerful suite of features for developers, sysadmins, and tech enthusiasts who want to optimize their command-line and coding workflows. By integrating AI-driven language models into the command-line environment, ShellGPT elevates productivity and simplifies complex operations, making it an invaluable tool for users across various domains.