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CAI Terminal User Interface (TUI)

⚡ 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 provides a modern, terminal-based interface for interacting with CAI agents, enabling powerful multi-agent workflows, parallel execution, and advanced security testing capabilities.

CAI TUI Interface

Overview

The TUI is built on Textual, offering:

  • 🖥️ Multi-Terminal Support: Work with up to 4 agents simultaneously in split-screen layouts
  • 👥 Preconfigured Teams: One-click deployment of specialized agent teams for security assessments
  • ⚡ Parallel Execution: Execute multiple agents in parallel with independent conversations
  • 📊 Real-Time Stats: Monitor costs, tokens, and agent performance
  • 🎯 Smart Agent Selection: Built-in agent recommendation system
  • 🔧 MCP Integration: Connect to external tools via Model Context Protocol
  • 💾 Session Management: Save and restore conversations across sessions

When to Use the TUI vs CLI

Feature TUI CLI
Visual feedback ✅ Rich UI with colors and layouts ⚠️ Basic text output
Multi-agent workflows ✅ Visual split-screen ❌ Sequential only
Agent teams ✅ One-click preconfigured teams ❌ Manual setup
Real-time monitoring ✅ Stats sidebar ⚠️ Limited
Session management ✅ Visual queue and history ⚠️ Command-based
Scripting/Automation ❌ Interactive only ✅ Full scripting support
Resource usage ⚠️ Higher (UI overhead) ✅ Minimal

Use TUI for: Interactive security testing, bug bounty hunting, team-based analysis, exploratory testing

Use CLI for: Automation, scripting, CI/CD integration, headless environments

Quick Start

Launch the TUI:

cai --tui

Basic workflow:

  1. Configure your ALIAS_API_KEY in Sidebar → Keys
  2. Select a model (recommended: alias1) from the terminal header dropdown
  3. Choose an agent or use selection_agent for recommendations
  4. Type your prompt and press Enter

See the Getting Started Guide for detailed instructions.

System Requirements

  • Python: 3.9 or higher
  • Terminal: Modern terminal with 256+ color support
  • Minimum window size: 120x40 characters (recommended)
  • API Key: Valid ALIAS_API_KEY (get one from Alias Robotics)

Supported Terminals

  • ✅ iTerm2 (macOS)
  • ✅ Terminal.app (macOS)
  • ✅ GNOME Terminal (Linux)
  • ✅ Konsole (Linux)
  • ✅ Windows Terminal (Windows)
  • ✅ Alacritty (all platforms)
  • ⚠️ tmux/screen (limited color support)

Key Features

🖥️ Multiple Terminals

Work with multiple agents simultaneously in responsive layouts:

  • 1 terminal: Full-screen mode
  • 2 terminals: Horizontal split
  • 3 terminals: 2+1 grid layout
  • 4+ terminals: 2x2 grid with scroll

Each terminal maintains its own: - Independent agent and model selection - Isolated conversation history - Separate execution context

Learn more: Terminals Management

👥 Preconfigured Teams

Access specialized agent teams from the sidebar:

  • Team: 2 Red + 2 Bug: Offensive testing + bug hunting
  • Team: 2 Red + 2 Blue: Dual-perspective security analysis
  • Team: Red + Blue + Retester + Bug: Comprehensive assessment workflow

Learn more: Teams and Parallel Execution

🎯 Smart Agent Selection

Use the selection_agent to get intelligent agent recommendations based on your task:

/agent selection_agent

Or simply select it from the agent dropdown.

Learn more: Commands Reference

The collapsible sidebar (Ctrl+S) provides:

  • Teams: One-click team deployment
  • Queue: Visual prompt queue management
  • Stats: Real-time session statistics and costs
  • Keys: Manage API keys for multiple providers

Learn more: Sidebar Features

Documentation Structure

For New Users

  1. Getting Started - First steps and basic usage
  2. User Interface - Understanding the layout
  3. Keyboard Shortcuts - Essential shortcuts

For Regular Users

  1. Commands Reference - Complete command list
  2. Terminals Management - Working with multiple terminals
  3. Sidebar Features - Sidebar tabs and capabilities

For Advanced Users

  1. Teams and Parallel Execution - Multi-agent workflows
  2. Advanced Features - MCP, ICL, and more

Support Resources

  1. Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

Quick Reference

Essential Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut Action
Ctrl+S Toggle sidebar
Ctrl+L Clear all terminals
Ctrl+Q Exit CAI
Ctrl+N / Ctrl+B Navigate terminals
Ctrl+C Cancel current agent
ESC Cancel all agents

See the complete Keyboard Shortcuts Reference for all shortcuts.

Most Used Commands

Command Description
/help Show help
/agent list List all agents
/agent <name> Switch agent
/model <name> Change model
/queue Show prompt queue
/cost Show costs and tokens
/save <file> Save conversation
/load <file> Load conversation

See the complete Commands Reference for all commands.

Architecture

CAI TUI
├── Core Components
│   ├── SessionManager - Coordinates all terminals
│   ├── TerminalRunner - Manages agent execution per terminal
│   └── AgentExecutor - Handles parallel execution
├── UI Components
│   ├── UniversalTerminal - Individual terminal widget
│   ├── StableTerminalGrid - Layout manager
│   ├── Sidebar - Navigation and features
│   └── InfoStatusBar - Real-time status display
└── Display System
    ├── DisplayManager - Output routing
    ├── StreamingDisplay - Real-time streaming
    └── AgentDisplay - Agent message formatting

For technical details, see the Architecture Overview.

Community and Support

What's Next?

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