gptme Tutorial: Open-Source Terminal Agent for Local Tool-Driven Work

Learn how to use gptme/gptme to run a local-first coding and knowledge-work agent with strong CLI ergonomics, extensible tools, and automation-friendly modes.

Why This Track Matters

gptme is one of the earliest still-active open-source terminal agents and offers a broad toolset for code, shell, web, and automation workflows.

This track focuses on:

• CLI-first operation and prompt workflows
• local tool execution and safety boundaries
• layered configuration for global/project/chat contexts
• extensibility through MCP, ACP, plugins, and automation

Current Snapshot (auto-updated)

• repository: gptme/gptme
• stars: about 4.3k
• GitHub release reference: v0.31.0 (checked 2026-06-22; release metadata on GitHub)

Mental Model

flowchart LR
    A[Prompt] --> B[gptme CLI]
    B --> C[Tool Selection]
    C --> D[Local Execution]
    D --> E[Output and Self-Correction Loop]
    E --> F[Session Logs and Resume]

Chapter Guide

Chapter	Key Question	Outcome
01 - Getting Started	How do I install and run gptme quickly?	Working baseline
02 - Core CLI Workflow and Prompt Patterns	How should I structure prompts and sessions?	Better interactive productivity
03 - Tooling and Local Execution Boundaries	How does gptme act on files, shell, and web context?	Strong tool mental model
04 - Configuration Layers and Environment Strategy	How do global/project/chat configs interact?	Predictable configuration control
05 - Context, Lessons, and Conversation Management	How does gptme maintain quality across long tasks?	Improved context discipline
06 - MCP, ACP, and Plugin Extensibility	How do I connect gptme to external tooling and clients?	Extensibility strategy
07 - Automation, Server Mode, and Agent Templates	How can I operationalize gptme beyond interactive CLI?	Automation and deployment pathways
08 - Production Operations and Security	How should teams run gptme safely in production workflows?	Governance baseline

What You Will Learn

• how to structure reliable gptme terminal-agent sessions
• how to configure providers/tools across environments
• how to extend gptme with protocols and plugins
• how to run secure, reproducible automation workflows

Source References

• gptme Repository
• gptme README
• Getting Started docs
• Configuration docs
• CLI entrypoint

Related Tutorials

• Mistral Vibe Tutorial
• Kimi CLI Tutorial
• OpenCode Tutorial
• Claude Squad Tutorial

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Start with Chapter 1: Getting Started.

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Full Chapter Map

1. Chapter 1: Getting Started
2. Chapter 2: Core CLI Workflow and Prompt Patterns
3. Chapter 3: Tooling and Local Execution Boundaries
4. Chapter 4: Configuration Layers and Environment Strategy
5. Chapter 5: Context, Lessons, and Conversation Management
6. Chapter 6: MCP, ACP, and Plugin Extensibility
7. Chapter 7: Automation, Server Mode, and Agent Templates
8. Chapter 8: Production Operations and Security

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