nordai — the agent in your terminal

Requires Node.js 20.11 or newer. Then run nordai in your repository and use /login, or authenticate before starting:

Device login prints an 8-character code and a verification URL. Approve it at Dashboard → Devices. The CLI polls the API until approval, then stores a 30-day revocable device credential. You can revoke it from the dashboard at any time.

nordai                              # interactive workbench
nordai "Analyze this repository"    # one autonomous task, then exit
nordai --cwd ./my-project           # workspace root
nordai --model <available-model-id> # model for this session
nordai --approval auto-edit         # manual | auto-edit | read-only | full-access
nordai --version
nordai doctor
nordai login
nordai sessions
nordai resume <session-id>

Model ids must come from GET /api/v1/me/models or /model. Unknown ids are rejected by the gateway rather than silently substituted.

The model can only act through these tools. Mutating tools require approval in the default mode; read-only tools do not.

• read_fileread

  Reads a file inside the workspace (secret files excluded)

• write_filewrite

  Creates or replaces a file; requires approval unless auto-edit

• edit_filewrite

  Applies an exact string replacement and records undo state

• list_filesread

  Walks directories, skipping ignored and secret paths

• search_filesread

  Regex search with result caps and binary skipping

• run_commandexec

  Runs a shell command through the allow/deny policy with a timeout

• git_statusread

  Shows the working tree status

• git_diffread

  Shows the diff for tracked files

• ask_userprompt

  Pauses the loop to ask a clarifying question

• finish_taskfinal

  Ends the loop and produces the summary

Approval modes

• manual (default): every write and command asks for confirmation.
• auto-edit: file writes apply automatically; commands still ask.
• read-only: writes and commands are refused; the agent can still analyse and explain.
• full-access: the agent may reach the whole machine — any file, any directory, any command through a real shell (pipes, redirects, &&). It is still not unattended: every action is shown and approved first, and anything outside the project or any secret file triggers an explicit prompt naming the absolute path.

• Workspace root is fixed at startup; every path is resolved and checked against it.
• Symlinks that escape the workspace are rejected; secret files are excluded from reads and search.
• A deny-list blocks destructive commands and an allow-list constrains execution.
• Commands have a timeout and output cap; the agent has a maximum step count and loop detection.
• Ctrl+C cancels the current task and records the session as cancelled.
• Credentials are never placed in a URL, a command line or a log line.

Configuration, credentials and local session state live in ~/.nordai (%USERPROFILE%\.nordai on Windows). On POSIX systems the directory is created with 0700 and credential files with 0600. Sessions are also mirrored to your NordAI account when you are signed in, enabling /resume on another machine.

/compact asks the model to summarise older turns, then replaces them in the context while keeping the system prompt and recent tool results. The summary is stored in the session.

• nordai doctor reports Node, API reachability, credential validity and workspace state.
• quota_exceeded responses include a reset time; the CLI prints it and stops retrying.
• 401 after a long break usually means the device credential was revoked or expired — run /login again.
• If a command is blocked, check the deny rules in /settings before assuming a bug.