elia

Elia Project Overview

Introduction

Elia is a dynamic application designed for users who enjoy interacting with Large Language Models (LLMs) through their terminal windows. It embraces a keyboard-centric approach, providing a swift and enjoyable experience. What sets Elia apart is its ability to store conversations in a local SQLite database and facilitate interactions with a diverse range of models, including both proprietary solutions like ChatGPT and Claude, as well as local models available via Ollama or LocalAI.

Installation

The installation process for Elia is straightforward, using pipx, a tool for executing Python applications in isolated environments. Users need Python 3.11 or later to install Elia:

pipx install --python 3.11 elia-chat

Depending upon the models you intend to use, it's necessary to set environment variables such as OPENAI_API_KEY, ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, or GEMINI_API_KEY.

Quickstart Guide

Once installed, users can launch Elia straight from the command line to initiate a variety of chat sessions with different models:

• Standard launch:

  elia
  

• Inline chat under the prompt:

  elia -i "What is the Zen of Python?"
  

• Full-screen chat session:

  elia "Tell me a cool fact about lizards!"
  

• Specify a model directly:

  elia -m gpt-4o
  

• Combine options for a specific setup, for instance, using Gemini in inline mode:

  elia -i -m gemini/gemini-1.5-flash-latest "How do I call Rust code from Python?"
  

Working with Local Models

Elia provides options for those interested in running local models:

1. Install Ollama.
2. Download the required model, like ollama pull llama3.
3. Launch the local server with: ollama serve.
4. Add the model to Elia's configuration file.

Configuration

Elia users can utilize a configuration file to tailor their experience, spanning from default models to themes and additional models. This file, accessible via the options window (ctrl+o), can also be used to set syntax highlighting preferences for coding in messages.

Custom Themes

Elia supports user-defined themes, allowing customization through YAML files added to the themes directory. Users can style their terminal interface by specifying colors for various interface elements, such as:

name: example
primary: '#4e78c4'
secondary: '#f39c12'

Keybindings

Keybindings in Elia are preset, though users can customize controls at the terminal emulator level. An example setup is shown using iTerm, mapping key combinations to send commands or messages.

Importing from ChatGPT

Users can also export their ChatGPT conversations to a JSON file and import them into Elia:

elia import 'path/to/conversations.json'

Database Management

Elia facilitates easy database management with simple commands for actions such as resetting the database:

elia reset

Uninstallation

Should users wish to remove Elia, the process can be easily accomplished:

pipx uninstall elia-chat

Elia stands out as a versatile tool for those who wish to explore the world of Large Language Models through an efficient and customizable terminal interface.