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CAI Terminal User Interface (TUI)

⚠️ DEPRECATED - Superseded by Mobile UI
The Terminal User Interface (TUI) has been deprecated in favor of the new Mobile UI for CAI-Pro users.
While the TUI remains functional for existing users, all new features and development efforts are focused on the Mobile UI.
Join the Mobile UI TestFlight Beta for the latest CAI experience.

⚡ 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+