<img width="1672" height="941" alt="AIDEN BOOTUP LOGO" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c0809009-73e2-4d58-9292-12fbd0324952" />

```
█████╗  ██╗██████╗ ███████╗███╗   ██╗
██╔══██╗██║██╔══██╗██╔════╝████╗  ██║
███████║██║██║  ██║█████╗  ██╔██╗ ██║
██╔══██║██║██║  ██║██╔══╝  ██║╚██╗██║
██║  ██║██║██████╔╝███████╗██║ ╚████║
╚═╝  ╚═╝╚═╝╚═════╝ ╚══════╝╚═╝  ╚═══╝

Autonomous AI Engine — local-first, Windows-native, yours to own

74 skills · 60 tools · 19 providers · 9 channels · AGPL-3.0

Windows · Linux · WSL · macOS (API Mode)
```
<div align="center">

# Aiden

**Autonomous AI Engine — local-first, Windows-native, yours to own**

*74 skills · 60 tools · 19 providers · 9 channels · AGPL-3.0*

<br>

<!-- Status row -->
[![npm version](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/aiden-runtime?color=FF6B35&label=npm&style=for-the-badge)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/aiden-runtime)
[![npm downloads](https://img.shields.io/npm/dm/aiden-runtime?color=FF6B35&style=for-the-badge)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/aiden-runtime)
[![License: AGPL-3.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-AGPL--3.0-FF6B35?style=for-the-badge)](LICENSE)
[![GitHub stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/taracodlabs/aiden?color=FF6B35&style=for-the-badge)](https://github.com/taracodlabs/aiden/stargazers)
[![GitHub forks](https://img.shields.io/github/forks/taracodlabs/aiden?color=FF6B35&style=for-the-badge)](https://github.com/taracodlabs/aiden/network/members)
[![GitHub issues](https://img.shields.io/github/issues/taracodlabs/aiden?color=FF6B35&style=for-the-badge)](https://github.com/taracodlabs/aiden/issues)

<br>

<!-- Community row -->
[![Discord](https://img.shields.io/badge/Discord-Join-5865F2?style=for-the-badge&logo=discord&logoColor=white)](https://discord.gg/CU5wshJW4F)
[![Website](https://img.shields.io/badge/Website-aiden.taracod.com-FF6B35?style=for-the-badge&logo=safari&logoColor=white)](https://aiden.taracod.com)
[![Book: Omega](https://img.shields.io/badge/Book-Omega-FFB088?style=for-the-badge&logo=amazon&logoColor=white)](https://amzn.to/49ceO8l)
[![Email](https://img.shields.io/badge/Contact-contact@taracod.com-4ADE80?style=for-the-badge&logo=gmail&logoColor=white)](mailto:contact@taracod.com)
[![Sponsor via Razorpay](https://img.shields.io/badge/Sponsor-Razorpay-3395FF?style=for-the-badge&logo=razorpay&logoColor=white)](https://razorpay.me/@whitelotus9625)

<br>

<!-- Language & runtime -->
![TypeScript](https://img.shields.io/badge/TypeScript-5.x-3178C6?style=flat-square&logo=typescript&logoColor=white)
![JavaScript](https://img.shields.io/badge/JavaScript-ES2022-F7DF1E?style=flat-square&logo=javascript&logoColor=black)
![Node.js](https://img.shields.io/badge/Node.js-≥18-339933?style=flat-square&logo=node.js&logoColor=white)
![ESM](https://img.shields.io/badge/Modules-ESM-FFB088?style=flat-square)
![esbuild](https://img.shields.io/badge/Bundler-esbuild-FFCF00?style=flat-square&logo=esbuild&logoColor=black)
![npm](https://img.shields.io/badge/Registry-npm-CB3837?style=flat-square&logo=npm&logoColor=white)

<!-- Platforms -->
![Windows](https://img.shields.io/badge/Windows-11-0078D6?style=flat-square&logo=windows&logoColor=white)
![Linux](https://img.shields.io/badge/Linux-supported-FCC624?style=flat-square&logo=linux&logoColor=black)
![WSL](https://img.shields.io/badge/WSL-2-4D4D4D?style=flat-square&logo=linux&logoColor=white)
![macOS](https://img.shields.io/badge/macOS-API_mode-000000?style=flat-square&logo=apple&logoColor=white)
![PowerShell](https://img.shields.io/badge/PowerShell-7-5391FE?style=flat-square&logo=powershell&logoColor=white)

<!-- Core infrastructure -->
![SQLite](https://img.shields.io/badge/SQLite-FTS5-003B57?style=flat-square&logo=sqlite&logoColor=white)
![better-sqlite3](https://img.shields.io/badge/better--sqlite3-11.x-003B57?style=flat-square&logo=sqlite&logoColor=white)
![Playwright](https://img.shields.io/badge/Playwright-browser-45ba4b?style=flat-square&logo=playwright&logoColor=white)
![Chromium](https://img.shields.io/badge/Chromium-headless-4285F4?style=flat-square&logo=googlechrome&logoColor=white)
![Docker](https://img.shields.io/badge/Docker-sandbox-2496ED?style=flat-square&logo=docker&logoColor=white)
![MCP](https://img.shields.io/badge/Model_Context_Protocol-1.0-FF6B35?style=flat-square)

<!-- Streaming + runtime features -->
![SSE](https://img.shields.io/badge/SSE-streaming-FF6B35?style=flat-square)
![Daemon mode](https://img.shields.io/badge/Daemon-opt--in-FFB088?style=flat-square)
![Sub-agents](https://img.shields.io/badge/Sub--agents-fanout-FFB088?style=flat-square)
![TCE](https://img.shields.io/badge/TCE-error_recovery-4ADE80?style=flat-square)
![Sandbox](https://img.shields.io/badge/Sandbox-tiered-FBBF24?style=flat-square)
![BYOK](https://img.shields.io/badge/BYOK-pure-FF6B35?style=flat-square)

<!-- Providers (sample) -->
![Groq](https://img.shields.io/badge/Groq-fast-F55036?style=flat-square)
![Anthropic](https://img.shields.io/badge/Anthropic-Claude-D97757?style=flat-square&logo=anthropic&logoColor=white)
![OpenAI](https://img.shields.io/badge/OpenAI-GPT-412991?style=flat-square&logo=openai&logoColor=white)
![Gemini](https://img.shields.io/badge/Google-Gemini-4285F4?style=flat-square&logo=google&logoColor=white)
![Ollama](https://img.shields.io/badge/Ollama-local-000000?style=flat-square&logo=ollama&logoColor=white)
![+14 more](https://img.shields.io/badge/+14_more-providers-B8A893?style=flat-square)

<!-- Channels -->
![Discord channel](https://img.shields.io/badge/Channel-Discord-5865F2?style=flat-square&logo=discord&logoColor=white)
![Slack channel](https://img.shields.io/badge/Channel-Slack-4A154B?style=flat-square&logo=slack&logoColor=white)
![Telegram channel](https://img.shields.io/badge/Channel-Telegram-26A5E4?style=flat-square&logo=telegram&logoColor=white)
![Email channel](https://img.shields.io/badge/Channel-Email-EA4335?style=flat-square&logo=gmail&logoColor=white)
![Webhook channel](https://img.shields.io/badge/Channel-Webhook-FF6B35?style=flat-square)
![+4 more](https://img.shields.io/badge/+4_more-channels-B8A893?style=flat-square)

<!-- Quality + identity -->
![Built solo](https://img.shields.io/badge/Built-solo-B8A893?style=flat-square)
![By Taracod](https://img.shields.io/badge/By-Taracod-FF6B35?style=flat-square)
![White Lotus](https://img.shields.io/badge/Brand-White_Lotus-FFB088?style=flat-square)
![v4.9.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/Latest-v4.9.0-4ADE80?style=flat-square)

</div>

<br>

<img width="929" height="673" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/78224b1f-5517-4865-9142-48dd0a68fb46" />




> A semi-autonomous AI agent that runs on your machine. Touches your files, browser, and shell. Remembers what matters. Built solo. Open source. Still rough in spots.

<br>

## Try it in 60 seconds

```bash
npm install -g aiden-runtime
aiden
```

That's it. Pick a provider (Groq is free + fastest), paste your key, and start chatting.

**Want autonomous triggers?**

```bash
export AIDEN_DAEMON=1          # PowerShell: $env:AIDEN_DAEMON = "1"
aiden trigger add file --path ~/Documents/inbox --label "watch-inbox" --include "*.txt"
aiden                          # boots the REPL + dispatcher
```

Drop a file in `~/Documents/inbox/anything.txt` and Aiden acts on it. The agent turn is visible via `aiden runs list`.

<br>

![Aiden in action](docs/screenshots/autonomy.png)

<br>

## What's new in v4.9.0

Aiden v4.9.0 ships three new feature families:

- **Memory** — three-namespace persistent memory (memory/user/project) with CLI + auto-review
- **Hooks** — secure subprocess hook system (observe/decide/transform) with full audit trail
- **Strategic substrate** — UUIDv7 IDs, W3C trace propagation, durable runs, idempotency, crash recovery

Plus theme system, MCP integration (Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code), and substantial UI polish.

See [CHANGELOG.md](./CHANGELOG.md) for details.

<br>

## What's new in v4.8

**Aiden's UI got an identity, and pasting actually works now.**

### v4.8.1 — Paste handling + visual polish

- **Robust paste handling.** Stateful parser across stdin chunk boundaries, 800ms watchdog for missing paste-end markers, degraded marker form normalisation, universal CRLF/CR → LF, and timing-based accumulation that catches line-by-line paste delivery. Works across Windows ConPTY, SSH without `-t`, tmux/screen passthrough, and VS Code's integrated terminal. Typed prefix is preserved when paste arrives mid-input.
- **Markdown tables render as proper grids.** Proportional column-width distribution with header-floor minimums so short labels never wrap mid-word. Model nudged via prompt to prefer sectioned lists for very wide comparisons.
- **Version reporting reads runtime `package.json`.** Boot card and `/version` no longer report stale numbers after `/update install`.
- **`/update install` cleanups.** Dropped the Node 20+ deprecation warning. Install progress shown via sliding-shimmer indicator. Install-method detection broadened to Windows user-mode globals.
- **Loading indicator + spacing.** Indicator aligned at col 2 matching other surfaces; conditional erase preserves clean 1-blank rhythm between turns.
- **Status bar timer glyph (`⌛`).** Visible at all terminal widths (mid + compact tiers previously dropped it).
- **Single approval panel** per `file_write` (no duplicate event-row + panel stack).

### v4.8.0 — Events backbone + visual identity

- **Watch the agent work.** Seven `ui_*` events (`ui_task_update`, `ui_task_done`, `ui_command_result`, `ui_test_result`, `ui_approval_request`, `ui_toast`, `ui_artifact_created`) let the model emit structured progress signals instead of writing them as prose. The REPL paints them as inline rows separate from the reply text. System prompt nudges the model to fire events during multi-step work.
- **Aiden-native visual chrome.** Orange `│` panel bars with asymmetric top-divider chrome (no closing corners). Token-sourced design system (`cli/v4/design/tokens.ts`) — palette, glyphs, spacing in one place.
- **Packed status bar.** Cyan model name · amber token ratio · semantic-tiered context bar (`●●●●●●○○○○`) · purple turn counter · teal `⌛` per-turn timer · state dot. Progressive disclosure on narrower terminals.
- **Sliding-block loading indicator.** 4-cell `█` segment slides L→R on a muted `─` track at 250ms/cell.
- **Onboarding refresh.** 24-bit ANSI AIDEN banner, capability-bullet disclaimer, 10-cell progress bar in the loading sequence, rounded heavy-frame "Built solo" card.
- **Markdown polish.** Code blocks get a top-divider with brand-orange language label. Bullet lists use `●`/`○`; task lists use `✔️`/`○`.
- **ChatGPT Plus + gpt-5 routing fix.** Auxiliary cheap-LLM calls (`risk_assess`, `compression`, `session_summary`, `skill_describe`) route through Groq + `llama-3.1-8b-instant` by default, falling back to the parent provider only when Groq isn't configured. Fixes the v4.6.x bug where every auxiliary call returned 400 from the Codex backend.

<br>

## What's new in v4.6

**Aiden now spawns workers and learns from itself.**

- **Sub-agents.** `spawn_sub_agent` runs a focused child with an isolated context + intersected toolset; `subagent_fanout` runs N children in parallel (ensemble or partition) with merge strategies (`all` / `vote` / `pick-best` / `combine`) and provider rotation across configured fallback slots.
- **Operator kill-switch.** `/spawn-pause on|off|status` blocks new sub-agent spawning while in-flight children continue. Marker file at `~/.aiden/spawn.paused` so the state survives restart and is shared across REPL, daemon, and MCP runtimes. Optional reason field captured in the typed `SUBAGENT_SPAWN_PAUSED` error envelope.
- **Self-improvement loop foundation.** TCE classifications + recoveries persist to two new SQLite tables (`failure_signatures`, `recovery_reports`); `/recovery list|show|clear` surfaces recurring failure patterns across sessions.
- **REPL parent-run lineage.** Each REPL turn writes its own `runs` row; sub-agent children link back via `spawned_from_run_id`. `aiden runs list` hides children by default and shows a `(N children, M OK)` badge per parent; `--include-children` flips to flat view.
- **PlannerGuard opt-in.** The keyword-based per-turn tool narrower is **OFF by default** in v4.6 (modern models pick well from the full catalog). Enable via `/planner-guard on` or `AIDEN_PLANNER_GUARD=1` for smaller local models.
- **v4.6.1 onboarding redesign.** Fresh disclaimer screen, loading sequence, rich provider picker with live `/models` fetch, 3-step connection probe, success screen, and `/walkthrough` guided tour. Phase 2 also fixed an MCP-mode `subagent_fanout` regression that had silently broken in the v4.5 refactor.

<br>

## What's new in v4.5

**Aiden now wakes up by itself.**

- **Persistent daemon mode (opt-in).** `AIDEN_DAEMON=1` boots a background service with a SQLite-backed trigger bus. File watchers, webhook endpoints, IMAP polling, and cron schedules all feed the same durable queue.
- **Autonomous trigger dispatch.** When a trigger fires, a real `AidenAgent` turn runs end-to-end — same tools, same sandbox, same recovery pipeline as your interactive REPL. Surface the chain with `aiden runs show <id>`.
- **Execution sandbox with risk tiers.** Filesystem allowlist + Docker session backend + dry-run preflight. Default on; flip live with `/sandbox on|off`.
- **State-aware browser depth.** URL + DOM + iframe-tree capture before/after every browser tool call. Stale-ref auto-retry. Surfaces login / 2FA / captcha / consent blockers as structured cards.
- **Continuous error recovery (TCE).** 16 failure categories classified per tool call. Smart retry with cooldown. Dead-letter for permanent failures. Recovery report enriches the REPL's capability card.
- **Live-flip slash commands.** `/sandbox`, `/tce`, `/browser-depth`, `/daemon status`, `/suggestions`, `/update` — toggle every subsystem without restart. Choices persist to `config.yaml`.
- **Update notification + `/update` CLI.** Boot prompt when a newer version is on npm. Skip-this-version persistence. Install-method detection (npm-global / npx / standalone).

Full v4.5 internals: [`docs/v4.5/`](docs/v4.5/) (overview, triggers, architecture, daemon on Linux/macOS/Windows, troubleshooting).

<br>

## Core capabilities

| Category | What Aiden does |
|---|---|
| **Inference & providers** | 19 providers: Anthropic, OpenAI, Groq, Gemini, OpenRouter, Together, NVIDIA NIM, DeepSeek, Mistral, Z.ai, Kimi, MiniMax, Hugging Face, Ollama (fully offline), Nous Portal, custom OpenAI-compatible endpoints. OAuth subscription routing for Claude Pro and ChatGPT Plus. |
| **60 built-in tools** | Web search & fetch, deep research, YouTube search, Playwright browser automation (10 tools), file ops, process control, shell exec, code execution, system info, screenshot, clipboard, app launch, media keys, MCP bridge, memory ops, session list/search/summary/recall, skill view/list/manage, `aiden_self_update`. |
| **74 bundled skills** | Composable workflows each with a `SKILL.md` prompt, optional helper scripts, and tool requirements. GitHub PR/issue workflows, NSE / Upstox / Zerodha trading, Censys / Shodan / VirusTotal lookups, Windows Defender / Task Scheduler, Docker management, YouTube content tools, and more. |
| **Self-promoting memory** | `USER.md` + `SOUL.md` identity, plus `MEMORY.md` split between durable facts (compression-protected) and recent-session distillations. Each session ends with a structured summary that graduates durable facts into the protected section. Semantic recall over past sessions via `recall_session`. |
| **Voice** | Edge TTS / Windows SAPI text-to-speech, speech-to-text helpers. |
| **Channel adapters** | Discord, Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp, Email (IMAP+SMTP), Webhook, Twilio SMS, iMessage (macOS), Signal — any channel triggers the same agent loop. |
| **Computer use** | Screenshot capture, screen-state vision loop, browser automation. Mouse/keyboard automation partial. |
| **v4.5 daemon mode (opt-in)** | File watcher / webhook / email IMAP / scheduled triggers route through a durable trigger bus consumed by the Phase 5a dispatcher. Triggers fire → real agent runs → tool calls execute → `run_events` captures the chain. **Off by default.** |
| **Plugins** | Three bundled plugins: Chrome DevTools Protocol bridge, Claude Pro OAuth, ChatGPT Plus OAuth. Permission-state machine (pending-grant / loaded / suspended). |
| **MCP** | Model Context Protocol bridge — stdio + HTTP transports, schema discovery, tool dispatch. |
| **Security moat** | Tiered approval engine (`safe` / `caution` / `dangerous`), dangerous-command pattern classifier, honesty enforcement (post-loop scan rewrites false claims), memory guard, planner-guard tool narrowing, SSRF-safe URL fetcher, secret/PII pre-write scanner, skill-teacher (auto-create skills from successful flows). |

<br>

## Architecture

Aiden is a local-first agent loop: provider adapters feed a 90-turn ceiling, every tool call passes through verification + failure classification + recovery, and tool results stream back as structured envelopes the model can reason over. v4.5 added a SQLite daemon foundation alongside the REPL — file watchers and webhook endpoints write to a durable trigger bus, a single-worker dispatcher claims events, and each trigger fires a fresh agent turn keyed by a stable session id. Sandboxed execution (filesystem allow/deny + Docker session backend), state-aware browser observation, and continuous error recovery apply to daemon-fired turns identically to REPL turns.

Detailed diagrams + module map in [`docs/v4.5/architecture.md`](docs/v4.5/architecture.md).

<br>

## Install + first run

### Linux / WSL / macOS (one-line)

```bash
npm install -g aiden-runtime
aiden            # interactive setup wizard fires on first run
```

### Windows (one-line)

```powershell
npm install -g aiden-runtime
aiden
```

If you hit native-build errors on Windows, install the [windows-build-tools](https://github.com/felixrieseberg/windows-build-tools) prerequisite first.

### Try without installing

```bash
npx aiden-runtime
```

### After pulling updates

```bash
npm install -g aiden-runtime@latest
```

Or, from inside a running session, the slash command:
/update install

(Aiden also prompts you on boot when a newer version is on npm — see `/update auto off` to silence.)

### Uninstall

```bash
npm uninstall -g aiden-runtime
```

To also wipe your local Aiden home (config, sessions, memory, skills):

```bash
# Linux / macOS
rm -rf ~/.aiden

# Windows (PowerShell)
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force $env:LOCALAPPDATA\aiden
```

<br>

<img width="938" height="1049" alt="preview (3)" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4e32ae38-74ad-433d-b986-0a15bc2dffec" />


## Recommended terminal setup

For best visual rendering, Aiden looks crispest with:

- **Font:** Cascadia Code, JetBrains Mono, or Fira Code at 13–14pt
- **Terminal:** Windows Terminal, iTerm2, or a modern emulator with truecolor support
- **Color depth:** truecolor (24-bit) — most modern terminals support this

Aiden works on any terminal but glyphs and color depth may degrade gracefully on older / minimal setups.


## Setup wizard

The first time you run `aiden`, you'll see:

1. **Disclaimer screen** — honest about what Aiden can touch (files, browser, shell)
2. **Loading sequence** — system check, skills load, tools register, memory init
3. **Provider picker** — pick from 19 providers, no defaults — explicit choice
4. **Live model fetch** — Aiden hits the provider's `/models` API for the current catalog
5. **3-step probe** — key works → model accessible → tool calls supported
6. **Success screen** — three example prompts to get started
7. **REPL handoff** — first-run hint banner: `Tip: try /walkthrough`

To re-run the wizard later:

```bash
aiden setup
```

To diagnose without re-running:

```bash
aiden doctor
```

<br>

## Switching models

Inside the REPL:
/model

Picks a provider (with `✓ authed` badges next to ones you've configured), fetches the live model list, and saves your choice to `config.yaml`. Persists across sessions.

To set the default at the env level:

```bash
export AIDEN_DEFAULT_PROVIDER=groq
export AIDEN_DEFAULT_MODEL=llama-3.3-70b-versatile
```

### Recommended models

| Use case | Best models |
|---|---|
| **General-purpose / quality** | Claude Sonnet 4.6 / Opus, GPT-5, Gemini 2.5 Pro |
| **Speed + free tier** | Groq Llama 3.3 70B, Cerebras Llama 3.3 70B |
| **Fully local** | Ollama with Qwen 2.5 32B, Llama 3.3 70B, or DeepSeek R1 |
| **Open weights via subscription** | Nous Portal (Hermes-3-405B) |
| **Long context** | Gemini 2.5 Pro (2M tokens) |

> 💡 **Quality scales with model capability.** Aiden's output quality depends heavily on the model you pick. For real work, prefer the highest-capability model your budget allows — Claude Sonnet 4.6, GPT-5, or Gemini 2.5 Pro. Smaller models work for simple tasks but agentic loops benefit from stronger reasoning.

> 💡 **ChatGPT Plus / Claude Pro subscribers**: use the OAuth flow instead of an API key. Pick `chatgpt-plus` or `claude-pro` as your provider during `/model` setup, then sign in via browser. No separate API costs — uses your existing subscription's model allowances.

<br>

## Skills

Aiden ships with 74 bundled skills and supports installing more from the community registry.

### What are skills?

Skills are composable workflows. Each skill has a `SKILL.md` prompt, optional helper scripts, and declared tool requirements. Examples: GitHub PR/issue automation, NSE/Upstox/Zerodha trading flows, Censys/Shodan lookups, Windows Defender management.

### Managing skills

| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| List installed skills | `/skills` |
| Browse the community registry | Visit [skills.taracod.com](https://skills.taracod.com) |
| Install a skill from registry | `/skills install <name>` |
| Remove a skill | `/skills remove <name>` |
| Reload skills (after edits) | `/skills reload` |

### Contributing skills

Skills live in [`skills/`](skills/) under Apache-2.0. PRs welcome. Each skill needs:
- A `SKILL.md` describing what it does and when to use it
- Optional `tools.json` declaring required tools
- Optional helper scripts in `lib/`

<br>

## Configuration

Aiden reads `~/.aiden/config.yaml` (Linux/macOS) or `%LOCALAPPDATA%\aiden\config.yaml` (Windows). The setup wizard writes a starter config on first boot; subsequent edits are diff-merged.

### Common env vars

| Variable | Default | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| `AIDEN_DAEMON` | `0` | Set to `1` to boot the daemon foundation alongside the REPL |
| `AIDEN_DAEMON_PORT` | `4200` | Daemon HTTP listener port |
| `AIDEN_DAEMON_BIND` | `127.0.0.1` | Loopback-only by default; non-loopback requires `AIDEN_API_KEY` |
| `AIDEN_DAEMON_DAILY_BUDGET` | unset | Hard daily token cap across daemon turns; resets midnight UTC |
| `AIDEN_DAEMON_MODEL` | unset | Override model for daemon turns (`<provider>/<model>`) |
| `AIDEN_SANDBOX` | `1` | `0` to disable filesystem allowlist + Docker session backend |
| `AIDEN_TCE` | `1` | `0` to disable continuous error recovery |
| `AIDEN_BROWSER_DEPTH` | `1` | `0` to disable state-aware browser observation |
| `AIDEN_API_KEY` | unset | Required for non-loopback daemon bind |
| `AIDEN_NO_UPDATE_CHECK` | `0` | Set to `1` to silence the boot-time update probe |
| `AIDEN_PLANNER_GUARD` | `0` | Set to `1` to enable keyword-based tool narrowing (helps smaller local models) |

Most flags are also flippable live via slash commands.

<br>

## CLI commands

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `aiden` | Start the REPL (runs setup wizard on first launch) |
| `aiden setup` | Re-run the onboarding wizard |
| `aiden doctor` | Diagnose providers, auth, config, and environment |
| `aiden --version` | Print the installed version |
| `aiden --help` | Show the full CLI manual |
| `aiden update` | Check for and install updates |
| `aiden daemon start` | Run the daemon in foreground |
| `aiden daemon install` | Install daemon as system service (systemd / launchd / Task Scheduler) |
| `aiden daemon status` | Show daemon health, recent triggers, run history |
| `aiden trigger add file --path <p>` | Add a file-watcher trigger |
| `aiden trigger add webhook --label <n>` | Add an HTTP webhook trigger |
| `aiden trigger add cron --schedule "<expr>"` | Add a scheduled trigger |
| `aiden trigger list` | List all configured triggers |
| `aiden runs list` | List recent agent runs (interactive + daemon) |
| `aiden runs show <id>` | Inspect a specific run's tool chain |
| `aiden runs stats` | Aggregate stats across runs |

<br>

## In-chat slash commands

Type `/help` inside Aiden for the full list grouped by category. 38 commands total.

### Configuration
`/model` · `/personality` · `/skin` · `/streaming` · `/reasoning` · `/verbose` · `/debug-prompt` · `/identity`

### Session
`/clear` · `/compress` · `/save` · `/title` · `/usage`

### System
`/sandbox` · `/tce` · `/browser-depth` · `/daemon` · `/suggestions` · `/update` · `/skills` · `/tools` · `/plugins` · `/cron` · `/runs` · `/trigger` · `/doctor` · `/status` · `/show` · `/history`

### Sub-agents (v4.6)
`/spawn-pause on|off|status` · `/recovery list|show|clear` · `/planner-guard on|off|status`

### Walkthrough & onboarding (v4.6.1)
`/walkthrough` — 60-second guided tour of what Aiden can do

### Auth
`/auth login` · `/auth status` · `/auth refresh`

### MCP
`/reload-mcp` · `/setup`

<br>

## Daemon mode (opt-in)

### Linux

```bash
export AIDEN_DAEMON=1
aiden daemon install
loginctl enable-linger $USER     # keep running between sessions
```

### macOS

```bash
export AIDEN_DAEMON=1
aiden daemon install              # installs launchd plist
```

### Windows

See [`docs/v4.5/daemon-windows.md`](docs/v4.5/daemon-windows.md). Recommended: foreground (`aiden daemon start`) or `pm2` for background.

<br>

## Troubleshooting

Common issues live in [`docs/v4.5/troubleshooting.md`](docs/v4.5/troubleshooting.md). Quick reference:

- **"daemon already running"** — stale `~/.aiden/daemon/runtime.lock`; remove it
- **Webhook 401 despite valid HMAC** — check format (`github` / `gitlab` / `generic`)
- **IMAP auth failure** — Gmail / Outlook require app passwords, not account passwords
- **High RSS / slow drain** — run the 72-hour soak (`tests/v4/daemon/soak/README.md`)
- **Boot stuck on wizard** — non-TTY stdin (CI / piped); set provider env var or use `--no-ui`
- **`/help` doesn't list a command** — that command likely needs an active session field; run from a real REPL
- **`npm install` permission errors on Windows** — install into a real folder (not a drive root like `S:\`)

<br>

## The book

📖 **Omega** — A novel about code, solitude, and what builds back. The story behind Aiden and what it means to build alone.

[![Get Omega on Amazon](https://img.shields.io/badge/Get_Omega-Amazon-FF9900?style=for-the-badge&logo=amazon&logoColor=white)](https://amzn.to/49ceO8l)

<br>

## Sponsor

Aiden is free and open source. If it saves you time or you want it to keep getting better, sponsorship helps cover server costs, API testing, and the time to ship features instead of taking client work.


[![Sponsor via Razorpay](https://img.shields.io/badge/Sponsor-Razorpay-3395FF?style=for-the-badge&logo=razorpay&logoColor=white)](https://razorpay.me/@whitelotus9625)

Even a one-time tip or a star on the repo is appreciated.

<br>

## Acknowledgements

Built solo by **Shiva Deore** at **Taracod**.

Aiden builds on the open-source giants: TypeScript, Node, SQLite, `better-sqlite3`, Playwright, Chromium, `chokidar`, `croner`, `inquirer`, `marked`, `kleur`, the Model Context Protocol, and every provider SDK. Thank you.

<br>

## Contributing

Aiden is built solo right now, but contributions are welcome — bug reports, skill submissions, provider adapters, documentation fixes.

Before opening a PR:

1. Fork the repo
2. `npm install`
3. Make your changes on a feature branch
4. `npm run build` — confirm it compiles
5. Test with `aiden` locally
6. Open a PR with a clear description of what changed and why

Keep PRs focused. One feature or fix per PR. Be honest in the description about what works and what doesn't.

<br>

## License

- **Core runtime**: [AGPL-3.0](LICENSE). You can self-host, modify, and distribute Aiden as long as your modifications stay under AGPL.
- **Bundled skills**: Apache-2.0. Use them however you want.
- **Commercial licensing** for closed-source derivatives: contact [hello@taracod.com](mailto:hello@taracod.com).

The future `skills.taracod.com` marketplace will ship community skills under the same permissive terms.

<br>

## Links

| Where | What |
|---|---|
| 🌐 **Website** | [aiden.taracod.com](https://aiden.taracod.com) |
| 💬 **Discord** | [discord.gg/CU5wshJW4F](https://discord.gg/CU5wshJW4F) |
| 📦 **npm** | [aiden-runtime](https://www.npmjs.com/package/aiden-runtime) |
| 🐙 **Source** | [github.com/taracodlabs/aiden](https://github.com/taracodlabs/aiden) |
| 📁 **Standalone releases** | [github.com/taracodlabs/aiden-releases](https://github.com/taracodlabs/aiden-releases) |
| 📖 **Book — Omega** | [Amazon](https://amzn.to/49ceO8l) |
| 📚 **Docs** | [`docs/v4.5/`](docs/v4.5/) (in this repo) |
| 💖 **Sponsor (Razorpay)** | [razorpay.me/@whitelotus9625](https://razorpay.me/@whitelotus9625) |
| ✉️ **Contact** | [contact@taracod.com](mailto:contact@taracod.com) |

<br>

## Disclaimer

Aiden can touch your files, run shell commands, and access the web. It's autonomous within the limits you set. Things will go wrong sometimes. Use at your own risk, read the code if you're nervous, and report what breaks.

**Built solo. Started as a hobby project. Still rough in spots. Getting better every week.**

### Welcome

- **Contributors** — bug reports, skill submissions, provider adapters, and documentation PRs are all welcome. See [Contributing](#contributing) above for the workflow.
- **Sponsors / investors** — Aiden is built by one person funding it from client work. If you'd like to help Aiden grow faster, reach out at [contact@taracod.com](mailto:contact@taracod.com) or sponsor via [Razorpay](https://razorpay.me/@whitelotus9625).
- **Beta testers** — try it on your workflow, file issues, share what works and what doesn't. Honest feedback shapes the roadmap.

---

<div align="center">

**By Taracod · White Lotus**

</div>
---

<p align="center">
  <em>Local-first. Windows-native. Yours to own.</em>
</p>
