<p align="center"> <img src="assets/term-cli.svg" alt="term-cli" width="150"> <img src="assets/challenge.webp" alt="term-cli challenge demo"> </p>

**term-cli: unlock interactive terminals for AI agents**

If it blocks in a terminal, it blocks your agent.

Run interactive programs from your AI coding agent without blocking. Dev servers, debuggers, REPLs, databases, editors, SSH sessions, TUIs, long-running watchers, and interactive installers.

<details> <summary>More examples</summary>

Dev servers (`npm run dev`), debuggers (`pdb`, `gdb`), REPLs (python, node), databases (`psql`, mysql), editors (vim, nano), SSH sessions, TUIs (htop, less), log watchers (`tail -f`, `journalctl`), terminal browsers (carbonyl, browsh, lynx), IRC clients (irssi, weechat), packet capture (termshark), package manager prompts (apt, brew, pacman), EULAs and interactive wizards. </details>

Hand control to humans for passwords and MFA prompts. Or flip it: human drives while the agent watches, advises, and learns—a pair programmer, rubber duck, or observer looking over your shoulder.

- **term-cli**: Agents run interactive programs in detached terminal sessions (tmux-backed) - **term-assist**: Humans collaborate, enter passwords, handle MFA, prepare sessions

Single-file Python. No dependencies beyond tmux. 700+ tests, CI on every commit. BSD licensed.

## The Problem

Agents can run shell commands, but interactive programs block forever:

```bash vim config.yaml # millions of developers trapped, now agents join them npm run dev # blocks, need to see output python -m pdb script.py # blocks, need to interact gdb ./crash # blocks, need to step through ssh user@server # needs password apt-get install nginx # needs Y/n confirmation certbot certonly # interactive wizard tail -f /var/log/app.log # runs forever, need to watch ```

## The Solution

```bash term-cli start --session debug && term-cli run --session debug "python -m p