--- title: "Terminal UI" description: "Use eve locally or connect to a deployed agent from an interactive terminal UI." --- `eve dev` starts a local development server and opens an interactive terminal UI. Use it to talk to your agent, approve tool calls, answer its questions, and configure local development. When `eve dev` starts a local server, self-modification is available by default; see [Self-Modification](./self-modification). ```bash eve dev ``` The footer shows the active model, reasoning level when set, speed indicator, and connection separated by dots, such as `gpt-6-luna · high · ⚡︎`. The model label omits the provider prefix and removes `-fast` only at the end. A single `⚡︎` marks a model with that suffix or explicit **Fast** mode; terminals without Unicode support use an ASCII marker. Vercel account connections show the team slug once it resolves; the local server port is omitted. The transcript remains in your terminal scrollback after you exit. Run `/help` in the UI to see the commands available in the current session. Before your first message, the empty composer may suggest asking your local agent to edit its instructions or add a tool or channel. The suggestion depends on the agent's current capabilities; typing replaces it without sending a message or changing files. ## Commands | Command | Description | | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `/model` | Choose the model, speed, and reasoning. Pass a model ID to set it directly: `/model provider/model-id`. | | `/new` | Start a fresh session and clear the screen. `/reset` is an alias. | | `/clear` | Clear the session's model-message history and keep the session. | | `/compact` | Compact the current session's context. | | `/cancel` | Cancel the current turn without discarding settled context. | | `/login` | Connect a ChatGPT subscription, Vercel account, or provider API key. | | `/add` | Select and install channels, MCP connections, extensions, and observability integrations. Pass an item address to install it directly: `/add channel/slack`. | | `/deploy` | Deploy the agent to Vercel production. Installs the Vercel CLI, signs in, and links the directory if needed. | | `/traces` | Open the local trace viewer. Pass a trace ID prefix to open a specific trace. | | `/loglevel` | Choose which server and agent logs appear in the transcript. | | `/info` | Show the resolved application, compiled artifacts, discovery diagnostics, and messaging routes. | | `/help` | List available commands. | | `/exit` | Quit the UI. | When a message or stream reconnection reaches a [stranded session](../concepts/execution-model-and-durability#stranded-sessions), the TUI says why and which eve version built it, when known. New messages and approvals are not delivered. Run `/new` to end the stranded session; your next message starts a fresh one. `/clear` is refused, because it would keep the stranded session. A session from a previous `eve dev` invocation that the same eve version built is not stranded; see [local workflow recovery](../reference/cli#local-workflow-recovery). A message accepted before the upgrade is not redelivered. `/login`, `/model`, `/add`, `/deploy`, `/info`, and `/traces` are available when `eve dev` runs locally. They are unavailable when the UI connects through `eve remote connect`. ## Set up a new agent After interactive `eve init`, the TUI opens directly. eve keeps the project's selected connection. For a new connection, it checks explicit environment credentials, the saved machine default, and then the Vercel CLI's current team. Existing project OIDC connections remain supported. Automatic Vercel reuse validates account access without creating or linking a project. During startup, the composer stays visible while a progress indicator names the connection being checked and shows when eve is preparing your chat. Type a message and press `Enter` to queue it for when the agent is ready. A picker temporarily takes over input when a choice or API key is needed; your draft returns afterward. If setup is cancelled or fails, queued messages return to the draft. If no connection is ready, `/login` offers: 1. Vercel Account 2. Vercel AI Gateway API Key 3. ChatGPT Subscription 4. OpenAI API Key 5. Anthropic API Key Vercel account login opens a browser. When multiple teams are available, `/login` shows a searchable team picker with the current project or CLI team highlighted so you can switch teams. A sole available team is selected automatically. Automatic startup reuses the selected connection without opening this picker. Account-token access to Gateway depends on availability for your account and team; if it is unavailable, choose an API key or another connection. Type to filter a menu, press `Enter` to select, or `Esc` to return to chat. Dismissing a setup menu adds no cancellation message to the transcript; completed work and failures still appear. Arrow navigation is also available. Cancelling login preserves your draft. If a connection fails, retry `/login`; eve does not silently switch providers. ### Credentials and deployment eve saves API keys and eve-owned OAuth refresh credentials in the OS secret store through just-secrets. It saves the last successful login as the machine default and records the project's connection and team separately as nonsecret metadata in `.eve/provider.json`. Newly entered keys are never written into project files. A key explicitly selected through `/login` takes precedence over another key for that provider in your shell; a project connected through environment credentials continues to use its environment. Vercel CLI retains ownership of its credentials and refresh tokens. Local discovery runs only in development. Deployments need explicitly provisioned `AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY`, `OPENAI_API_KEY`, `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`, or supported project OIDC credentials. ChatGPT subscription models are local-only. `/login` does not link a deployment or authenticate a remote server; `/deploy` handles Vercel CLI installation and account login when needed. ### Models and settings `/model` walks through model, speed, and reasoning in order: 1. Choose a model. Type to filter the list. 2. Choose **Standard** or **Fast** speed, when supported. 3. Choose a reasoning level, when the model supports reasoning settings. **Provider default** leaves the reasoning level to the provider. The picker highlights your current settings when they are compatible with the selected model and skips settings that cannot be changed. Use `↑` and `↓` to move, then `Enter` to advance or apply the final choice. `Esc` or `←` returns to the previous step; at the model list, either key cancels. `Ctrl+C` cancels from any step. Changes apply together after the final choice, then the picker returns to chat. Cancelling leaves your model and settings unchanged. A successful login or model change takes effect on the next prompt. Gateway connections default to `openai/gpt-6-luna-fast`; OpenAI and ChatGPT default to `gpt-6-luna-fast`; Anthropic defaults to `claude-sonnet-5`. An explicitly authored compatible model stays selected. If a new default is unavailable, eve offers the connection's available models. Dynamic or custom model expressions must be edited in `agent.ts`. ## Add an integration `/add` opens one searchable catalog of channels, connections, extensions, and integrations. Type to filter and press `Enter` to install one item and run its required setup. The flow returns to chat afterward. Pass an item address to install it directly: ```text /add channel/slack /add extension/agent-browser /add channel/linear /add @acme/analytics ``` Required authorization or deployment setup still runs for the selected item. Press `Esc` to cancel setup; files already installed remain in the project. If dependency installation fails, retry the `eve add` command in a terminal for details; raw installer output is not captured in the TUI. ## Work with the agent Type a message and press `Enter` to send it. When the agent asks a question or requests tool approval, respond in the prompt shown by the UI. Each answer is sent as soon as you give it. When several requests are open, the prompt shows its place among them, such as `2 of 5`, and names the task that asked as its transcript lines do. Connection authorization can open a browser; keep local `eve dev` running until the browser returns to it. The activity line shows **Thinking** while the model reasons or waits to respond, **Generating** while it writes a response or tool input, and **Running** while tools execute. A blinking dot and elapsed time indicate progress, with token counts shown when available. While [tasks](../tools/tasks) work, the drawer header replaces this line: it shows the parent's current activity, task count, and turn elapsed time without token counts. **Waiting** means the parent is waiting on work; **Working** appears without a turn timer when tasks remain active between turns. A tool call shows the tool's own `label`, or eve's copy for built-in tools such as `Read README.md`. Any other call shows a readable tool name without its extension or connection prefix, such as `List issues` for `linear__list_issues`. Approval prompts name the call the same way, such as `Approve Linear: List issues?`. A task, such as a call to a subagent, writes one line to the transcript when it starts and one when it finishes, fails, or is stopped. The finished line names how long the task took and, for a subagent, what it did, such as `Read 3 files, Ran 2 commands`. Task starts use the same tool-call styling as synchronous calls. While tasks work, an activity drawer above the prompt shows each task's name, current activity, and elapsed time without repeating its launch prompt. Subagents use readable labels, such as `subagent(stock price)` for a `stock-price` subagent or `subagent(worker)` for the `code__worker` subagent of the code extension, with elapsed time beside the name and the latest observed tool grouped beneath an elbow. The tool remains visible between calls rather than switching to a starting placeholder. During questions and approvals, activity stays visible above the request with a shared divider when screen space permits; the request takes priority on small terminals. Background work started by a followed subagent appears beneath that subagent; deeper work uses an ownership path instead of further indentation. The panel caps its height and prioritizes tasks needing approval when work overflows. The UI does not show the model's own `eve__task_wait` and `eve__task_cancel` calls; their effect appears as the **Waiting** header and a stopped task's line. The prompt stays open while the agent works, including turns started elsewhere, such as a scheduled run. While a turn is running, `Enter` sends your message immediately as steering. Before assistant output begins, the runtime interrupts pending model generation and continues the same turn with your correction. Executing tools finish safely. After output begins, steering applies at the next workflow boundary and preserves streamed text. Slash commands run immediately, even during a turn. Press `Esc` or `Ctrl+C`, or run `/cancel`, to cancel a running turn. If you cancel before the turn has started, eve waits for that turn's ID before sending cancellation, so the request cannot cancel a later turn. If a cancellation does not settle, press `Ctrl+C` again to stop waiting: eve starts a new session, and the next `Ctrl+C` exits. At an idle prompt, press `Ctrl+C` twice to exit. | Key | Action | | ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Enter` | Send the current message or answer. | | `Shift+Enter` | Insert a newline. Requires a terminal that reports modified keys. | | `Esc` | Cancel a running turn. | | `Ctrl+C` | Cancel a running turn; press again to stop waiting and start a new session; press twice to exit when idle. | | `↑` / `↓` | Move through input lines or sent-message history. | | `Ctrl+L` | Cycle log display modes. | | `Ctrl+R` | Redraw the screen. | ## Logs and traces By default, the UI shows severity-tagged errors. Use `/loglevel ` to change the display; bare `/loglevel` reports the current setting. `warn` adds warnings, `debug` adds all severity-tagged records, and `all` also shows unclassified stdout, stderr, and sandbox output. `none` hides logs. Errors render red, warnings yellow, and unclassified stderr neutral. `Ctrl+L` cycles the same modes. These modes filter received records; they do not change `EVE_LOG_LEVEL` or enable a dependency's debug logging. Workflow SDK output, such as lines tagged `[workflow-sdk]` or `[world-local]`, reports internal runtime details, so the transcript shows it only in `all` mode. Every `eve dev` process writes diagnostic logs to `.eve/logs/`, regardless of the display mode. Read them with [`eve logs`](../reference/cli#eve-logs). Use `/traces` to inspect traces recorded during local development. See [Local traces](../observability/otel#local-traces) for trace capture and retention settings. ## Display options Use `eve dev` flags to control tool calls, reasoning, subagents, connection authorization, response statistics, context usage, and logs: ```bash eve dev --tools full --reasoning collapsed --logs all ``` `--subagents` accepts `collapsed` (the default), `full`, or `hidden`. `full` also writes each subagent message and tool call to the transcript as it finishes, and `hidden` leaves subagent tasks out of the transcript and the task panel. Use `--host` and `--port` to bind the local server, or `--no-ui` to run without the terminal UI. Set `EVE_TUI_RENDER_MARKDOWN=0` to show assistant and subagent responses without Markdown parsing or styling; `1` (the default) enables Markdown rendering. See the [`eve dev` CLI reference](../reference/cli#eve-dev) for the complete option list, accepted values, and defaults. ## Connect to a deployment Pass a URL to use the terminal UI with an existing eve server instead of starting one locally: ```bash eve remote connect --url https://your-app.vercel.app ``` Use `eve remote connect` for an existing agent. To send credentials or custom request headers, use a URL with HTTP Basic credentials or repeat `-H, --header`: ```bash eve remote connect --url https://user:pass@your-app.example.com eve remote connect --url https://your-app.example.com -H 'Authorization: Bearer your_token_here' ``` Remote Vercel sessions reuse an existing authorized CLI session. They do not open an account login flow or modify the local project's Vercel link or `.env.local`. When Deployment Protection blocks startup, eve verifies the target project and asks before adding a Trusted Sources rule for development access to that deployment's environment. After approval, eve applies the rule and checks access again before returning to chat. Cancelling preserves your draft; restart `eve remote connect --url ` to try again. If you cannot change the project's policy, provide `VERCEL_AUTOMATION_BYPASS_SECRET` or ask a project administrator to configure access in Deployment Protection settings. ## What to read next - [Instrumentation](../observability/instrumentation): traces, OpenTelemetry, and diagnostics. - [CLI](../reference/cli): commands and flags. - [Agent Client Protocol (ACP)](../protocols/acp): drive the same agent from ACP clients such as Zed instead of the TUI.