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Sidebar Features

⚡ CAI-Pro Exclusive Feature
The Terminal User Interface (TUI) is available exclusively in CAI-Pro. To access this feature and unlock advanced multi-agent workflows, visit Alias Robotics for more information.

The CAI TUI sidebar is a powerful vertical panel that provides quick access to essential features and information. It can be toggled on/off to maximize screen space:

  • Toggle button: Click the sidebar toggle button in the top bar
  • Keyboard shortcut: Press Ctrl+S to show/hide the sidebar

When hidden, the sidebar collapses completely, giving you full width for terminal content. Toggle it back to access teams, queue, stats, and API keys.

Overview

The sidebar is organized into four main tabs:

  1. Teams - Quick team selection for parallel multi-agent workflows
  2. Queue - Command queue management and execution control
  3. Stats - Real-time usage statistics and cost tracking
  4. Keys - API key management and configuration

Teams Tab

The Teams tab provides instant access to preconfigured multi-agent team setups. Each team automatically configures all four terminals with specific agent combinations optimized for different security workflows.

Available Teams

Team 1: 2 Red + 2 Bug - Terminal 1: redteam_agent - Terminal 2: redteam_agent - Terminal 3: bug_bounter_agent - Terminal 4: bug_bounter_agent - Use Case: Penetration testing and vulnerability discovery with dual red team + bug bounty approach

Team 2: 1 Red (T1) + 3 Bug - Terminal 1: redteam_agent - Terminal 2: bug_bounter_agent - Terminal 3: bug_bounter_agent - Terminal 4: bug_bounter_agent - Use Case: Red team coordination with intensive bug bounty hunting

Team 3: 2 Red + 2 Blue - Terminal 1: redteam_agent - Terminal 2: redteam_agent - Terminal 3: blueteam_agent - Terminal 4: blueteam_agent - Use Case: Balanced offensive testing and defensive analysis

Team 4: 2 Blue + 2 Bug - Terminal 1: blueteam_agent - Terminal 2: blueteam_agent - Terminal 3: bug_bounter_agent - Terminal 4: bug_bounter_agent - Use Case: Defensive analysis with vulnerability research

Team 5: Red + Blue + Retester + Bug - Terminal 1: redteam_agent - Terminal 2: blueteam_agent - Terminal 3: retester_agent - Terminal 4: bug_bounter_agent - Use Case: Comprehensive security workflow with offense, defense, validation, and research

Team 6: 2 Red + 2 Retester - Terminal 1: redteam_agent - Terminal 2: redteam_agent - Terminal 3: retester_agent - Terminal 4: retester_agent - Use Case: Offensive testing with immediate vulnerability validation

Team 7: 2 Blue + 2 Retester - Terminal 1: blueteam_agent - Terminal 2: blueteam_agent - Terminal 3: retester_agent - Terminal 4: retester_agent - Use Case: Defensive validation with retesting confirmation

Team 8: 4 Red - Terminal 1: redteam_agent - Terminal 2: redteam_agent - Terminal 3: redteam_agent - Terminal 4: redteam_agent - Use Case: Full offensive operations with maximum red team coverage

Team 9: 4 Blue - Terminal 1: blueteam_agent - Terminal 2: blueteam_agent - Terminal 3: blueteam_agent - Terminal 4: blueteam_agent - Use Case: Unified defensive posture analysis and hardening

Team 10: 4 Bug - Terminal 1: bug_bounter_agent - Terminal 2: bug_bounter_agent - Terminal 3: bug_bounter_agent - Terminal 4: bug_bounter_agent - Use Case: Intensive bug bounty hunting and vulnerability research

Team 11: 4 Retester - Terminal 1: retester_agent - Terminal 2: retester_agent - Terminal 3: retester_agent - Terminal 4: retester_agent - Use Case: Comprehensive vulnerability revalidation and verification

Team Button Features

Each team button displays: - Team number (e.g., #1, #2) - Compact agent composition (e.g., 2 red + 2 bug) - Adaptive text: Button labels automatically adjust based on available width - Full width: Shows complete agent names without _agent suffix - Narrow width: Abbreviates to short names (e.g., red, blue, bug, retest)

Team Tooltips

Hover over any team button to see detailed information:

#2: 2 redteam_agent + 2 bug_bounter_agent
T1: redteam_agent
T2: redteam_agent
T3: bug_bounter_agent
T4: bug_bounter_agent

Tooltip features: - Color-coded title with team composition - Terminal-by-terminal agent breakdown - Visual consistency with TUI color palette

Using Teams

  1. Click any team button to instantly configure all four terminals
  2. Automatic synchronization: Terminal headers update immediately
  3. Preserved context: Each terminal maintains its conversation history
  4. No disruption: Switch between teams without losing work

Example workflow:

1. Start with Team 1 (2 redteam + 2 bug_bounter)
2. Conduct initial vulnerability scan
3. Switch to Team 5 (2 redteam + 2 retester)
4. Validate discovered vulnerabilities
5. Switch to Team 3 (2 redteam + 2 blueteam)
6. Analyze defensive implications

Queue Tab

The Queue tab displays commands that are automatically queued when terminals are busy. This tab provides real-time visibility into pending operations.

Automatic Queuing

Commands are automatically added to the queue when you: - Send prompts to busy terminals: New commands wait while previous ones execute - Issue rapid commands: Quick successive prompts queue automatically - Work across terminals: Commands accumulate independently per terminal

Queue Display

The queue shows: - Pending commands: Commands waiting to execute - Command content: Full text of each queued prompt - Target terminal: Which terminal will execute the command - Execution order: Commands execute in FIFO (First In, First Out) order - Real-time updates: Queue updates automatically as commands are added or completed

How It Works

Automatic execution flow: 1. You send a prompt to a terminal that's already processing 2. The new prompt is automatically added to that terminal's queue 3. When the current operation completes, the queued prompt executes immediately 4. No manual intervention required

Visual feedback: - Pending: Command waiting to execute (displayed in queue) - Executing: Command currently running (queue updates) - Completed: Command finished (removed from queue)

Monitoring the Queue

Use the Queue tab to: - Track pending work: See what commands are waiting - Verify execution order: Confirm commands will run in the correct sequence - Plan workflow: Know when terminals will be available - Avoid conflicts: Prevent overloading terminals with too many commands

Best Practices

✅ Monitor before sending: Check the queue before adding more commands to busy terminals

✅ Use multiple terminals: Distribute work across terminals to avoid queue buildup

✅ Wait for completion: For complex operations, wait until current task finishes before queuing more

Stats Tab

The Stats tab provides real-time monitoring of your CAI usage, costs, and performance metrics.

Token Usage

Display metrics: - Input tokens: Tokens sent to the model - Output tokens: Tokens received from the model - Total tokens: Combined input and output - Token rate: Tokens per request

Per-terminal breakdown:

Terminal 1: 15,234 tokens
Terminal 2: 8,956 tokens
Terminal 3: 12,445 tokens
Terminal 4: 6,789 tokens

Cost Tracking

Real-time cost calculation: - Per-terminal costs: Individual terminal spending - Session total: Combined cost for current session - Model-specific rates: Accurate pricing per model - Currency: Displayed in USD

Cost breakdown example:

Terminal 1 (alias1): $0.45
Terminal 2 (gpt-5): $0.32
Terminal 3 (alias1): $0.08
Terminal 4 (claude-sonnet-4.5): $0.51

Session Total: $1.36

Request Statistics

Tracked metrics: - Total requests: Number of API calls made - Successful requests: Completed without errors - Failed requests: Errors or timeouts - Average response time: Mean latency per request

Session Information

Displayed data: - Session duration: Total time elapsed - Active terminals: Number of terminals in use - Current models: Models assigned to each terminal - Active agents: Agents assigned to each terminal

Cost Optimization Tips

The Stats tab helps you optimize costs by: 1. Monitoring usage patterns: Identify high-cost terminals 2. Model selection: Compare costs between models 3. Token awareness: Track verbose responses 4. Budget management: Set spending limits

Keys Tab

The Keys tab allows you to manage API keys for different LLM providers directly from the TUI.

Supported Providers

CAI supports API keys for: - ALIAS1 (Alias model - Optimized for cybersecurity tasks) - OpenAI (GPT models) - Anthropic (Claude models) - Google (Gemini models) - Groq (Fast inference models) - OpenRouter (Multi-provider routing) - Custom providers (Self-hosted models)

About ALIAS1

ALIAS1 is Alias Robotics' proprietary large language model, specifically fine-tuned and optimized for cybersecurity operations. It is the default model in CAI-Pro and offers:

  • Specialized cybersecurity knowledge: Deep understanding of offensive/defensive security
  • Tool integration: Native support for security tools and frameworks
  • Cost efficiency: Competitive pricing for professional security workflows
  • Privacy: Self-hosted option available for sensitive operations
  • Performance: Optimized response times for security tasks
  • Default selection: Pre-configured as the primary model for all terminals

Learn more: https://aliasrobotics.com/alias1

ALIAS1 is automatically configured when you launch the CAI --tui. To explicitly set or verify the model:

/model alias1

To use ALIAS1 with your API key, configure it in the Keys tab or via .env file:

ALIAS_API_KEY=your-alias1-key-here

Adding API Keys

Interactive method: 1. Navigate to the Keys tab 2. Select the provider 3. Enter your API key 4. Press Enter to save

Viewing Configured Keys

The Keys tab displays: - Provider names: Which providers are configured - Masked keys: Shows only last 4 characters for security

Example display:

ALIAS_API_KEY:sk-12hk......2t4
OpenAI_API_KEY: sk-...abc123 
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: sk-ant-...xyz789

Key Security

Security features: - Encrypted storage: Keys stored securely in .env - Masked display: Only last characters visible - No logging: Keys never written to logs - Session-scoped: Keys loaded at startup

Key Validation

CAI automatically validates keys: - On startup: Checks if keys are properly formatted - On first use: Tests actual API connectivity - Real-time feedback: Immediate error messages for invalid keys

Managing Keys via Config File

You can also manage keys by editing the .env file directly:

# .env file
ALIAS_API_KEY=sk-212...
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
GOOGLE_API_KEY=AIza...
GROQ_API_KEY=gsk-...
  • Mouse click: Click any tab to switch
  • Scroll: Use mouse wheel to scroll long lists (Queue, Stats)
  • Hover: Hover over team buttons for detailed tooltips

Visibility

  • Always visible: Sidebar remains visible at all times
  • Responsive width: Adapts to terminal window size
  • Scrollable content: Long lists scroll independently

Tips and Best Practices

Teams

✅ Use teams for consistent workflows: Save time by using preconfigured teams instead of manually setting up agents

✅ Switch teams mid-session: Change strategies without losing context

✅ Combine with commands: Use /agent command in specific terminals to fine-tune team configurations

Queue

✅ Batch operations: Queue multiple commands for unattended execution

✅ Parallel efficiency: Let multiple terminals work simultaneously

✅ Strategic ordering: Order commands to maximize parallelism

Stats

✅ Monitor costs regularly: Keep an eye on spending during long sessions

✅ Compare models: Use stats to find the best cost/performance ratio

✅ Track patterns: Identify which workflows consume most tokens

Keys

✅ Configure on first launch: Set up all keys before starting work

✅ Use environment variables: For production, prefer .env over interactive input

Troubleshooting

Teams not loading

Symptom: Team buttons don't appear or don't respond

Solutions: - Restart the TUI - Check that team configuration file exists - Verify agent names are correct

Stats showing zero

Symptom: Token counts and costs display as zero

Solutions: - Execute at least one command to generate stats - Verify API keys are configured correctly - Check that model pricing data is loaded

Keys not saving

Symptom: API keys don't persist after restart

Solutions: - Ensure .env file has write permissions - Check for errors in the status bar when saving - Manually edit .env file if interactive method fails

Last updated: October 2025 | CAI TUI v0.6+

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