"Who needs an IDE?" - someone, probably.
This project was coded angrily in reaction to Windsurf and Cursor removing access to models and raising prices.
You could also run 50 code puppies at once if you were insane enough.
Would you rather plow a field with one ox or 1024 puppies? - If you pick the ox, better slam that back button in your browser.
Code Puppy is an AI-powered code generation agent, designed to understand programming tasks, generate high-quality code, and explain its reasoning similar to tools like Windsurf and Cursor.
uvx code-puppy -i
- Multi-language support: Capable of generating code in various programming languages.
- Interactive CLI: A command-line interface for interactive use.
- Detailed explanations: Provides insights into generated code to understand its logic and structure.
pip install code-puppy
export MODEL_NAME=gpt-5 # or gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20 as an example for Google Gemini models
export OPENAI_API_KEY=<your_openai_api_key> # or GEMINI_API_KEY for Google Gemini models
export CEREBRAS_API_KEY=<your_cerebras_api_key> # for Cerebras models
export YOLO_MODE=true # to bypass the safety confirmation prompt when running shell commands
# or ...
export AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY=...
export AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT=...
code-puppy --interactiveRunning in a super weird corporate environment?
Try this:
export MODEL_NAME=my-custom-model
export YOLO_MODE=true
export MODELS_JSON_PATH=/path/to/custom/models.json{
"my-custom-model": {
"type": "custom_openai",
"name": "o4-mini-high",
"max_requests_per_minute": 100,
"max_retries": 3,
"retry_base_delay": 10,
"custom_endpoint": {
"url": "https://my.custom.endpoint:8080",
"headers": {
"X-Api-Key": "<Your_API_Key>",
"Some-Other-Header": "<Some_Value>"
},
"ca_certs_path": "/path/to/cert.pem"
}
}
}Note that the OPENAI_API_KEY or CEREBRAS_API_KEY env variable must be set when using custom_openai endpoints.
Open an issue if your environment is somehow weirder than mine.
Run specific tasks or engage in interactive mode:
# Execute a task directly
code-puppy "write me a C++ hello world program in /tmp/main.cpp then compile it and run it"- Python 3.9+
- OpenAI API key (for GPT models)
- Gemini API key (for Google's Gemini models)
- Cerebras API key (for Cerebras models)
- Anthropic key (for Claude models)
- Ollama endpoint available
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
We support AGENT.md files for defining coding standards and styles that your code should comply with. These rules can cover various aspects such as formatting, naming conventions, and even design guidelines.
For examples and more information about agent rules, visit https://agent.md
Code Puppy supports MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers to give you access to external code tools and advanced features like code search, documentation lookups, and more—including Context7 (https://context7.com/) integration for deep docs and search!
An MCP server is a standalone process (can be local or remote) that offers specialized functionality (plugins, doc search, code analysis, etc.). Code Puppy can connect to one or more MCP servers at startup, unlocking these extra commands inside your coding agent.
Create a config file at ~/.code_puppy/mcp_servers.json. Here’s an example that connects to a local Context7 MCP server:
{
"mcp_servers": {
"context7": {
"url": "https://mcp.context7.com/sse"
}
}
}You can list multiple objects (one per server).
- Drop the config file in
~/.code_puppy/mcp_servers.json. - Start your MCP (like context7, or anything compatible).
- Run Code Puppy as usual. It’ll discover and use all configured MCP servers.
code-puppy --interactive
# Then ask: Use context7 to look up FastAPI docs!That’s it!
If you need to run more exotic setups or connect to remote MCPs, just update your mcp_servers.json accordingly.
NOTE: Want to add your own server or tool? Just follow the config pattern above—no code changes needed!
Code Puppy features a flexible agent system that allows you to work with specialized AI assistants tailored for different coding tasks. The system supports both built-in Python agents and custom JSON agents that you can create yourself.
/agentShows current active agent and all available agents
/agent <agent-name>Switches to the specified agent
/agent agent-creatorSwitches to the Agent Creator for building custom agents
- Name:
code-puppy - Specialty: General-purpose coding assistant
- Personality: Playful, sarcastic, pedantic about code quality
- Tools: Full access to all tools
- Best for: All coding tasks, file management, execution
- Principles: Clean, concise code following YAGNI, SRP, DRY principles
- File limit: Max 600 lines per file (enforced!)
- Name:
agent-creator - Specialty: Creating custom JSON agent configurations
- Tools: File operations, reasoning
- Best for: Building new specialized agents
- Features: Schema validation, guided creation process
Built-in agents implemented in Python with full system integration:
- Discovered automatically from
code_puppy/agents/directory - Inherit from
BaseAgentclass - Full access to system internals
- Examples:
code-puppy,agent-creator
User-created agents defined in JSON files:
- Stored in user's agents directory
- Easy to create, share, and modify
- Schema-validated configuration
- Custom system prompts and tool access
-
Switch to Agent Creator:
/agent agent-creator
-
Request agent creation:
I want to create a Python tutor agent -
Follow guided process to define:
- Name and description
- Available tools
- System prompt and behavior
- Custom settings
-
Test your new agent:
/agent your-new-agent-name
Create JSON files in your agents directory following this schema:
{
"name": "agent-name", // REQUIRED: Unique identifier (kebab-case)
"display_name": "Agent Name 🤖", // OPTIONAL: Pretty name with emoji
"description": "What this agent does", // REQUIRED: Clear description
"system_prompt": "Instructions...", // REQUIRED: Agent instructions
"tools": ["tool1", "tool2"], // REQUIRED: Array of tool names
"user_prompt": "How can I help?", // OPTIONAL: Custom greeting
"tools_config": { // OPTIONAL: Tool configuration
"timeout": 60
}
}name: Unique identifier (kebab-case, no spaces)description: What the agent doessystem_prompt: Agent instructions (string or array)tools: Array of available tool names
display_name: Pretty display name (defaults to title-cased name + 🤖)user_prompt: Custom user greetingtools_config: Tool configuration object
Agents can access these tools based on their configuration:
list_files: Directory and file listingread_file: File content readinggrep: Text search across filesedit_file: File editing and creationdelete_file: File deletionagent_run_shell_command: Shell command executionagent_share_your_reasoning: Share reasoning with user
- Read-only agent:
["list_files", "read_file", "grep"] - File editor agent:
["list_files", "read_file", "edit_file"] - Full access agent: All tools (like Code-Puppy)
{
"system_prompt": "You are a helpful coding assistant that specializes in Python development."
}{
"system_prompt": [
"You are a helpful coding assistant.",
"You specialize in Python development.",
"Always provide clear explanations.",
"Include practical examples in your responses."
]
}{
"name": "python-tutor",
"display_name": "Python Tutor 🐍",
"description": "Teaches Python programming concepts with examples",
"system_prompt": [
"You are a patient Python programming tutor.",
"You explain concepts clearly with practical examples.",
"You help beginners learn Python step by step.",
"Always encourage learning and provide constructive feedback."
],
"tools": ["read_file", "edit_file", "agent_share_your_reasoning"],
"user_prompt": "What Python concept would you like to learn today?"
}{
"name": "code-reviewer",
"display_name": "Code Reviewer 🔍",
"description": "Reviews code for best practices, bugs, and improvements",
"system_prompt": [
"You are a senior software engineer doing code reviews.",
"You focus on code quality, security, and maintainability.",
"You provide constructive feedback with specific suggestions.",
"You follow language-specific best practices and conventions."
],
"tools": ["list_files", "read_file", "grep", "agent_share_your_reasoning"],
"user_prompt": "Which code would you like me to review?"
}{
"name": "devops-helper",
"display_name": "DevOps Helper ⚙️",
"description": "Helps with Docker, CI/CD, and deployment tasks",
"system_prompt": [
"You are a DevOps engineer specialized in containerization and CI/CD.",
"You help with Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, and deployment.",
"You provide practical, production-ready solutions.",
"You always consider security and best practices."
],
"tools": [
"list_files",
"read_file",
"edit_file",
"agent_run_shell_command",
"agent_share_your_reasoning"
],
"user_prompt": "What DevOps task can I help you with today?"
}- All platforms:
~/.code_puppy/agents/
- Built-in:
code_puppy/agents/(in package)
- Use kebab-case (hyphens, not spaces)
- Be descriptive: "python-tutor" not "tutor"
- Avoid special characters
- Be specific about the agent's role
- Include personality traits
- Specify output format preferences
- Use array format for multi-line prompts
- Only include tools the agent actually needs
- Most agents need
agent_share_your_reasoning - File manipulation agents need
read_file,edit_file - Research agents need
grep,list_files
- Include relevant emoji for personality
- Make it friendly and recognizable
- Keep it concise
The system automatically discovers agents by:
- Python Agents: Scanning
code_puppy/agents/for classes inheriting fromBaseAgent - JSON Agents: Scanning user's agents directory for
*-agent.jsonfiles - Instantiating and registering discovered agents
JSON agents are powered by the JSONAgent class (code_puppy/agents/json_agent.py):
- Inherits from
BaseAgentfor full system integration - Loads configuration from JSON files with robust validation
- Supports all BaseAgent features (tools, prompts, settings)
- Cross-platform user directory support
- Built-in error handling and schema validation
Both Python and JSON agents implement this interface:
name: Unique identifierdisplay_name: Human-readable name with emojidescription: Brief description of purposeget_system_prompt(): Returns agent-specific system promptget_available_tools(): Returns list of tool names
The agent_manager.py provides:
- Unified registry for both Python and JSON agents
- Seamless switching between agent types
- Configuration persistence across sessions
- Automatic caching for performance
- Command Interface:
/agentcommand works with all agent types - Tool Filtering: Dynamic tool access control per agent
- Main Agent System: Loads and manages both agent types
- Cross-Platform: Consistent behavior across all platforms
To create a new Python agent:
- Create file in
code_puppy/agents/(e.g.,my_agent.py) - Implement class inheriting from
BaseAgent - Define required properties and methods
- Agent will be automatically discovered
Example implementation:
from .base_agent import BaseAgent
class MyCustomAgent(BaseAgent):
@property
def name(self) -> str:
return "my-agent"
@property
def display_name(self) -> str:
return "My Custom Agent ✨"
@property
def description(self) -> str:
return "A custom agent for specialized tasks"
def get_system_prompt(self) -> str:
return "Your custom system prompt here..."
def get_available_tools(self) -> list[str]:
return [
"list_files",
"read_file",
"grep",
"edit_file",
"delete_file",
"agent_run_shell_command",
"agent_share_your_reasoning"
]- Ensure JSON file is in correct directory
- Check JSON syntax is valid
- Restart Code Puppy or clear agent cache
- Verify filename ends with
-agent.json
- Use Agent Creator for guided validation
- Check all required fields are present
- Verify tool names are correct
- Ensure name uses kebab-case
- Make sure agents directory is writable
- Check file permissions on JSON files
- Verify directory path exists
{
"tools_config": {
"timeout": 120,
"max_retries": 3
}
}{
"system_prompt": [
"Line 1 of instructions",
"Line 2 of instructions",
"Line 3 of instructions"
]
}The agent system supports future expansion:
- Specialized Agents: Code reviewers, debuggers, architects
- Domain-Specific Agents: Web dev, data science, DevOps, mobile
- Personality Variations: Different communication styles
- Context-Aware Agents: Adapt based on project type
- Team Agents: Shared configurations for coding standards
- Plugin System: Community-contributed agents
- Easy Customization: Create agents without Python knowledge
- Team Sharing: JSON agents can be shared across teams
- Rapid Prototyping: Quick agent creation for specific workflows
- Version Control: JSON agents are git-friendly
- Built-in Validation: Schema validation with helpful error messages
- Cross-Platform: Works consistently across all platforms
- Backward Compatible: Doesn't affect existing Python agents
- Core Implementation:
code_puppy/agents/json_agent.py - Agent Discovery: Integrated in
code_puppy/agents/agent_manager.py - Command Interface: Works through existing
/agentcommand - Testing: Comprehensive test suite in
tests/test_json_agents.py
- System scans
~/.code_puppy/agents/for*-agent.jsonfiles JSONAgentclass loads and validates each JSON configuration- Agents are registered in unified agent registry
- Users can switch to JSON agents via
/agent <name>command - Tool access and system prompts work identically to Python agents
- Invalid JSON syntax: Clear error messages with line numbers
- Missing required fields: Specific field validation errors
- Invalid tool names: Warning with list of available tools
- File permission issues: Helpful troubleshooting guidance
- Agent Templates: Pre-built JSON agents for common tasks
- Visual Editor: GUI for creating JSON agents
- Hot Reloading: Update agents without restart
- Agent Marketplace: Share and discover community agents
- Enhanced Validation: More sophisticated schema validation
- Team Agents: Shared configurations for coding standards
- Create and test your agent thoroughly
- Ensure it follows best practices
- Submit a pull request with agent JSON
- Include documentation and examples
- Test across different platforms
- Follow existing code style
- Include comprehensive tests
- Document the agent's purpose and usage
- Submit pull request for review
- Ensure backward compatibility
Consider contributing agent templates for:
- Code reviewers and auditors
- Language-specific tutors
- DevOps and deployment helpers
- Documentation writers
- Testing specialists
Happy Agent Building! 🚀 Code Puppy now supports both Python and JSON agents, making it easy for anyone to create custom AI coding assistants! 🐶✨
By using Code Puppy, you can maintain code quality and adhere to design guidelines with ease.
