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Quick Start • Features • Slash Commands • Companion Sparky • Keybindings
╭─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ ⚡ KERNEL GEMINI :: gemini-3.5-flash cwd: C:\Users\Dev\workspace │
╰─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
╭─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ /^ ^\ COMPANION: Sparky [Lv. 2 Terminal Scout] │
│ / • • \ Status: listening │
│ V\ Y /V Affection: 100% | XP: 45/60 │
│ / - \ ~ │
│ (____)m │
╰─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
╭─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ USER 15:04 │
│ │
│ Write a concurrent crawler in Go using worker pools and backpressure channels │
╰─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
╭─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ KERNEL ● ○ ○ 15:04 │
│ │
│ # Concurrent Worker Pool with Bounded Channels │
│ │
│ ```go │
│ type Job func(ctx context.Context) error │
│ │
│ type Pool struct { │
│ workers int │
│ jobs chan Job │
│ } │
│ ``` │
╰─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
╭─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ > Ask kernel to explain code, generate a game, or run tasks... │
╰─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
[Enter] submit · [Ctrl+C] cancel stream · [:q] quit
Most CLI AI tools are either bloated Python scripts or plain text wrappers that dump raw text without style.
Kernel is built from the ground up in pure Go using Charm's Bubble Tea, Lip Gloss, and Glamour. It gives developers a keyboard-driven terminal IDE assistant equipped with:
- 🏎️ Instant 1-second startup with zero external dependencies (no Node, no Python).
- 🐶 Sparky the ASCII Dog Companion who reacts to your coding, levels up with XP, and watches your tasks.
- 🎨 Glamour Syntax Highlighting for Go, Python, Rust, JavaScript, TypeScript, C++, and Bash.
- 🌐 Zero-Key Web Search to inspect documentation or debug issues without leaving your terminal.
- 🛠️ Native Shell Execution with
$ <cmd>directly inside the prompt. - 🧠 Multi-Turn Context & Multi-Provider AI Engine supporting Gemini, Claude, OpenAI, Ollama, and Custom endpoints.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| 🐶 Sparky Companion | Animated canine that blinks, sniffs, sleeps when idle, wags tail on completion, and levels up from Code Puppy to Kernel Archon. |
| ⚡ Glamour Syntax Cards | Terminal code blocks render with rich dark-theme syntax highlighting, line wrapping, and bordered cards. |
| 🌐 Live Web Search | Built-in /web command queries DuckDuckGo for live docs & solutions without needing any search API keys. |
| 💻 Native Shell Tool | Run $ git status, $ npm test, or /exec <cmd> directly inside the TUI with exit code & timing telemetry. |
| 💾 Session History | Automatic conversation archiving to ~/.kernel/history.json and one-click Markdown exporting via /save. |
| 🛡️ Interactive Setup Wizard | Guided onboarding menu to configure API keys with persistent storage in ~/.kernel/config.json. |
| 🪟 Embedded Windows Icon | Native >_ terminal application icon embedded directly into kernel.exe using PE resource compilation. |
Windows (PowerShell):
iwr -useb https://raw.githubusercontent.com/404kernel/kernel/main/install.ps1 | iexLinux & macOS (Bash/Zsh):
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/404kernel/kernel/main/install.sh | bashDownload from the Releases page:
- Windows:
kernel-windows-amd64.exe/kernel-windows-arm64.exe - macOS:
kernel-darwin-arm64/kernel-darwin-amd64 - Linux:
kernel-linux-amd64/kernel-linux-arm64
go install github.com/404kernel/kernel@latest# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/404kernel/kernel.git
cd kernel
# Run immediately
go run main.go
# Or compile your own binary with embedded icon (Windows)
go build -ldflags="-s -w" -o kernel.exe .Kernel includes a suite of instant commands accessible directly from the input bar:
| Command | Action |
|---|---|
/help |
Displays the interactive command and shortcuts reference |
/clear |
Clears the viewport for a clean conversation |
/pet |
Pet companion (+20 XP, restores affection to 100% ♥) |
/skin <name> |
Change companion avatar (cat, dragon, drone, dog) |
/stats |
Live system telemetry, RAM & CPU dashboard |
/tree [dir] |
Visual directory tree explorer with file type icons |
/diff <file> |
Inspect git diffs directly in the terminal |
/auto <goal> |
Autonomous coding agent workflow |
/voice [on/off] |
Toggle sound effects, barks, and chimes |
/speak <text> |
Text-to-speech audio reader |
/model <id> |
Dynamically switch models (e.g. /model gemini-3.5-flash, /model gpt-4o) |
/web <query> |
Performs a zero-key live web search and returns markdown summaries |
/read <path> |
Reads and displays syntax-highlighted code from any project file |
/theme [name] |
Dynamically switch color themes (cyberpunk, matrix, dracula, nord, tokyo, synthwave) |
/commit [-y] |
AI Git Conventional Commit message generator & 1-click committer |
/save [filename] |
Exports the entire chat session to a formatted .md file |
$ <cmd> or /exec <cmd> |
Executes a local shell command and embeds stdout/stderr in chat |
:q, /quit, exit |
Saves conversation to history and cleanly exits |
Tip
Pro Tip: Use /theme matrix for high-contrast phosphor green, or /commit -y to stage and commit active work in a single keypress!
Sparky isn't just decoration — he is an interactive developer companion with his own RPG progression:
/^ ^\ COMPANION: Sparky [Lv. 3 Senior Dev Doggo]
/ • • \ Status: listening
V\ Y /V Affection: 100% | XP: 30/60
/ - \ ~
(____)m
- XP Progression: Sparky earns XP whenever you write code, ask questions, or run terminal tasks.
- Affection System: Keep your companion happy by petting him with
/petor solving bugs together. - Titles:
Level 1— Code PuppyLevel 2— Terminal ScoutLevel 3— Senior Dev DoggoLevel 4— Cyber SentinelLevel 5+— Kernel Archon
- Dynamic States:
Idle— Blinks and scans the environment.Thinking— Sniffs and gears turn while your model streams code.Happy— Tail wags excitedly when solutions finish.Sleeping— Curls up and snores (zzZ...) when you step away from the keyboard.
Kernel supports virtually all modern LLM providers:
# Google Gemini (Default - Ultra fast ~1.5s latency)
./kernel -provider gemini -model gemini-3.5-flash
# Anthropic Claude
./kernel -provider claude -model claude-3-5-sonnet-latest
# OpenAI
./kernel -provider openai -model gpt-4o
# Local Ollama (Free & 100% Offline)
./kernel -provider ollama -model deepseek-r1:8b
# Custom OpenAI-Compatible (DeepSeek, OpenRouter, Groq, Together AI)
./kernel -provider custom -model deepseek-chat| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter |
Submit prompt / execute slash command |
Ctrl+C |
Cancel active streaming generation without exiting |
Esc |
Cancel stream / return to prompt |
:q |
Clean quit and archive session |
kernel/
├── main.go # Application entrypoint & crash guard
├── rsrc.syso # Embedded Windows application icon resource
├── internal/
│ ├── ui/
│ │ ├── model.go # Bubble Tea state machine & interactive loop
│ │ ├── styles.go # Lip Gloss neon theme & typography tokens
│ │ └── render.go # Glamour terminal markdown syntax renderer
│ ├── pet/
│ │ └── pet.go # Animated ASCII dog, states, leveling & XP
│ ├── ai/
│ │ └── client.go # Multi-turn streaming engine (Gemini, Claude, OpenAI)
│ ├── tools/
│ │ ├── web.go # Zero-key live DuckDuckGo web search
│ │ └── file.go # Workspace file inspection & unified diffs
│ ├── exec/
│ │ └── exec.go # Native PowerShell/Bash subprocess execution
│ ├── history/
│ │ └── history.go # Session persistence & markdown exporter
│ └── config/
│ └── config.go # JSON persistent configuration loader
└── .github/workflows/
└── ci.yml # Automated cross-compilation & release pipeline
We welcome contributions, issues, and feature suggestions! Feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request on the GitHub Repository.
Distributed under the MIT License. Built with care by 404kernel.