Install the terminal client

The terminal client is a chat in a terminal window, for any computer that can reach the backend; it shows the same conversations as every other client (see Architecture). It runs from a checkout of its repository. There is no installable package yet.

Before you start

• The computer meets the terminal client requirements.
• The backend’s address, for example http://ambrogio.home.lan:3000, reachable from this computer.

Install

git clone --branch v0.4.0 https://github.com/ambrogio-app/ambrogio-cli.git
cd ambrogio-cli
npm install --global pnpm@12.11.2
pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
pnpm build

Run

Pass the backend’s address with --server:

pnpm start --server http://ambrogio.home.lan:3000

To avoid typing the address every time, set it in your shell profile:

export AMBROGIO_URL=http://ambrogio.home.lan:3000

Then pnpm start is enough. If you pass --server as well, it wins over the variable.

Give the client a stable name

The client introduces itself to the backend as cli-<hostname>. If several people share a computer, or the hostname changes, set your own identifier:

pnpm start --server http://ambrogio.home.lan:3000 --client-id cli-anna-laptop

or export AMBROGIO_CLIENT_ID=cli-anna-laptop. The identifier only labels the connection on the backend. It does not separate conversations: everyone sees the same list.

Update

From the client’s folder, check out the new release and build it again:

git fetch --tags
git checkout <release>
pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
pnpm build

All options and keys are listed in Terminal client.