When I first started working on Askimo, I didn’t plan to build a big project. I just wanted something simple that could make my day easier.
I spend most of my time in the terminal. I use different AI tools for different things: OpenAI for quick writing, Ollama for local experiments, and Copilot while coding at work. Switching between them always felt clunky, and being locked into one provider didn’t make much sense.
One day it clicked. What if I could have a single CLI that talked to all of them and helped me automate the repetitive stuff? Not just something that runs everywhere, but something I could reuse, like a smart command line assistant. That idea became the starting point for Askimo.
A Tool I Actually Use Every Day
Askimo isn’t a side project that I build once and forget about. It’s something I use every day.
I use it to summarize long documents, write quick drafts, or get name suggestions when I’m stuck on a function.
Because it runs in the terminal, it feels natural, like any other command such as git or docker.
I didn’t build Askimo to impress anyone. I built it because I needed it. Once it became part of my daily routine, I realized it could help others too.
What Askimo Can Do
Even in its early version, Askimo already fits nicely into my workflow:
- Works everywhere. You can install it with Homebrew on macOS or Linux, download a binary for Windows, or run it with Docker.
- Feels consistent. The same commands work on my laptop, my desktop, or a remote server.
- Understands local context. I can ask questions about files directly in my project.
- Supports multiple providers. I can switch between OpenAI, Ollama, Gemini, or X AI without changing tools.
These features weren’t planned in advance. Each one solved a real problem I ran into while working.
A Journey of Learning
Building Askimo has been a great way to learn how to apply AI in real situations. It pushed me to experiment, to break things, and to figure out where AI actually adds value.
I’ve learned that AI doesn’t replace my work. It extends it. Sometimes it saves me from repetitive tasks. Other times it makes me think differently about how I approach automation.
Every step of building Askimo has been a reflection of that learning process. I’m constantly figuring out how to work with AI instead of around it.
Getting Started
If you want to try it, installation is simple. You can use Homebrew, download a binary, or run it with Docker. The instructions are here: 👉 CLI Installation Guide
What’s Next
There’s still a lot I want to build:
- Combine multiple commands into more powerful workflows.
- Create custom recipes so repeated prompts become reusable shortcuts.
- Make Askimo aware of my entire project: source code, database schemas, configuration files, documentation, and build logs.
The goal isn’t to make another AI chat tool. I want Askimo to grow into a programmable AI environment that feels natural in the terminal.
Moving Forward
What excites me most isn’t just the tool itself but what it represents. Askimo started as a weekend experiment and grew into something I use every day. It’s also a reflection of how I’m learning to use AI in a way that feels practical and personal.
For me, Askimo is proof that AI can be simple, useful, and lightweight. As I keep improving it, I’ll continue to share what I learn. Because Askimo isn’t just about what AI can do. It’s about how we, as developers, can shape it to fit naturally into our work.
If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it fits into your routine. I’ve made the project open source because I believe tools like this improve when more people contribute their ideas.