Abstract CLI

Abstract is a complete CLI coding agent built on the Cersei SDK. One binary, zero runtime dependencies, graph memory by default.

Install

cargo install --git https://github.com/pacifio/cersei abstract-cli

Usage

abstract                           # Interactive REPL
abstract "fix the failing tests"   # Single-shot
abstract --resume                  # Resume last session
abstract --model opus --max        # Opus with max thinking
abstract --no-permissions --json   # CI mode with NDJSON output
abstract --provider openai         # Force OpenAI
abstract -C /path/to/project       # Working directory

Configuration

Config is layered (lowest to highest priority):

Hardcoded defaults
~/.abstract/config.toml (global)
.abstract/config.toml (project)
Environment variables (ABSTRACT_MODEL, etc.)
CLI flags

# ~/.abstract/config.toml
model = "gpt-4o"
provider = "openai"
max_turns = 20
max_tokens = 16384
effort = "medium"
theme = "dark"
auto_compact = true
graph_memory = true
permissions_mode = "interactive"

Authentication

abstract login              # Interactive chooser
abstract login claude       # Anthropic OAuth
abstract login openai       # Enter OpenAI key
abstract login key          # Auto-detect from prefix
abstract login status       # Show auth status
abstract logout             # Remove credentials

Or set environment variables:

export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...

Provider Auto-Detection

OPENAI_API_KEY set → uses OpenAI (auto-switches model to gpt-4o)
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY set → uses Anthropic
Both set → prefers OpenAI (override with --provider anthropic)

Project Initialization

abstract init

Creates .abstract/config.toml and .abstract/instructions.md in the current directory. Instructions are injected into every conversation's system prompt.

Session Management

abstract sessions list       # List all sessions
abstract sessions show <id>  # Show transcript
abstract sessions rm <id>    # Delete session
abstract --resume             # Resume last session
abstract --resume <id>        # Resume specific session

Sessions are stored as JSONL at ~/.claude/projects/<path>/<id>.jsonl — compatible with Claude Code format.

MCP Servers

abstract mcp add github npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-github
abstract mcp list
abstract mcp remove github

MCP servers are configured in .abstract/config.toml and started on demand.

Graph Memory

Graph memory (Grafeo) is ON by default. Stores relationships between memory entries:

(:Memory) --[:RELATES_TO]--> (:Memory)
(:Topic)  --[:TAGGED]------> (:Memory)

Graph recall returns results in 98 microseconds — indexed lookups instead of scanning every file.

Architecture

Abstract is a thin CLI shell around the Cersei SDK:

User Input → InputReader (rustyline)
    → REPL loop
    → Agent::run_stream() (Cersei SDK)
        → Provider (Anthropic/OpenAI)
        → Tool dispatch (34 tools)
        → Memory (graph + flat files)
        → Hooks, permissions, auto-compact
    → StreamRenderer (termimad)
    → Terminal output

The SDK does 95% of the work. The CLI handles presentation, config, and user interaction.

Abstract CLI

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