Best AI Coding CLIs

Scriptable tools that fit a terminal workflow. Use them alongside an IDE assistant for a fast loop.

Updated: September 17, 2025

Top picks

Aider

Conversational edits with clean diffs.

Install

aicommits

Good commit messages from staged changes.

Install

Also great

gptcommit

Another solid commit helper.

Visit

OpenAI client + scripts

Roll your own pipelines.

Visit

Cursor CLI

Pairs nicely if you use Cursor IDE.

Visit

How we rank (short)

Change flow 30% • Repo awareness 25% • Setup & fit 20% • Test hooks 15% • Price/value 10%. Same small task set across tools; compare diffs, time, and corrections.