Best Free Agentic CLI Coding Tools

Goose is an open-source, on-machine AI agent designed to automate engineering tasks directly within your terminal or integrated development environment (IDE). Operating locally, it efficiently executes tasks such as code generation, debugging, and deployment, allowing developers to focus on higher-level problem-solving. Goose's extensible architecture enables customization with preferred large language models (LLMs) and integration with external APIs, enhancing its capabilities to suit diverse project requirements. By autonomously handling complex tasks, Goose streamlines the development process, increasing productivity and reducing manual effort. Developers have praised Goose for its ability to manage tasks like updating dependencies, running tests, and automating code migrations, highlighting its effectiveness in real-world applications.

Kilo Code is a powerful open-source coding agent designed to help developers build, ship, and iterate faster across every stage of the software development workflow. It offers multiple modes—including Ask, Architect, Code, Debug, and Orchestrator—so developers can switch seamlessly between tasks with tailored AI support. The platform includes features such as hallucination-free code, automatic failure recovery, and deep context awareness to ensure accuracy and reliability. Developers can run parallel agents, enjoy fast autocomplete, and even deploy applications with a single click. With access to 500+ models and integration across terminals, VS Code, and JetBrains editors, Kilo provides unmatched flexibility. As the #1 agent on OpenRouter with over 750,000 users, it has quickly become a preferred choice for modern AI-assisted development.

Codex CLI is an open-source, lightweight coding agent that integrates directly into your terminal, designed to help developers write, edit, and understand code efficiently. By pairing with Codex CLI, developers can leverage the power of AI to streamline their workflow, get real-time code suggestions, and improve their coding accuracy, all from within their command line interface. It provides a seamless, accessible way to enhance coding productivity while staying in the environment developers are already comfortable with.