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Create any app you want with AI

Banana Code is a high-performance, terminal-based AI pair programmer. Switch effortlessly between Gemini, Claude, OpenAI, Mistral, OpenRouter, LM Studio, Ollama Cloud and local models to write, debug, and explore code—without leaving your terminal.

$ npm install -g @banaxi/banana-code

8 AI
Providers

🧠

Multi-Provider Support

Switch instantly between Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, OpenAI, Mistral, OpenRouter, LM Studio, and Ollama Local/Cloud mid-conversation.

⚡

True Autonomy

Banana Code tries, fails, reads the errors, and fixes its own mistakes automatically with robust Self-Healing Error Loops.

🛡️

Banana Guard

AI-Powered Auto-Approve. Get the speed of YOLO mode with a smart security layer that approves safe commands and pauses risky ones.

💰

Financial Intelligence

Track exact API spend and savings in real-time. Features native 1-Hour Extended Prompt Caching for Claude to save you money.

💾

UltraMemory Context

Extreme context retention. A background AI worker continuously scans and summarizes your active chat history for deep long-term understanding.

🔌

MCP & Agent Skills

Connect to external APIs via Model Context Protocol (MCP) and teach your AI custom workflows by dropping a SKILL.md file.

How it compares

See how Banana Code stacks up against the latest features of other top AI coding tools in 2026.

Feature	Banana Code	Cursor	Claude Code
Open Source	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Multiple Providers	✅ All	Major Providers only	Claude Only
Local Models	✅ Local Ollama & LM Studio Support.	❌	❌
Security / Permissions	✅ Banana Guard, Y/N Prompts & YOLO Mode	⚠️ Y/N Prompts / YOLO mode	⚠️ Configurable Permissions
Persistent Memory	✅ UltraMemory Background Worker	⚠️ Rules & Project Context	❌ Session Context
Interactive Shell / Input	✅ Yes (Spawns persistent PTY)	✅ Yes (via built-in terminal)	Standard CLI execution
Operating Modes	✅ 5+ Specialized Modes (Plan, Ask, Security, etc.)	❌ Standard Agent	❌ Standard Agent
Model Context Protocol (MCP)	✅ Full Support + Custom Agent Skills	✅ Full Support	✅ Full Support
Auto Model Routing	✅ Yes (Fast Router Model)	❌ Manual Model Selection	❌ Claude Only
Cost	✅ Free	❌ $20 / month	❌ $20 / month

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Banana Code.

What exactly is Banana Code?

Banana Code is a terminal-native AI pair programmer. It's designed for developers who want the power of AI agents (like writing, debugging, and refactoring code) directly in their CLI without having to switch to a heavy IDE or web browser.

Is Banana Code free to use?

Yes! Banana Code itself is open-source and free. You only pay for the API tokens you consume from providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google. If you use local models via Ollama, it's 100% free.

Which AI models are supported?

We support almost everything: Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, OpenAI, Mistral, and any model available via OpenRouter, LM Studio, or Ollama (for local execution). You can even switch models mid-conversation.

How does "Banana Guard" work?

Banana Guard is our security layer. It uses a secondary AI check to analyze commands before they run. Safe commands (like reading a file) are auto-approved, while risky commands (like deleting directories or installing packages) will pause and ask for your permission.

Can I use it for existing projects?

Absolutely. Just run `banana` in your project root. It will index your files and be ready to help you with refactoring, bug fixing, or adding new features to your codebase immediately.

How does Banana Code handle my privacy?

Your code stays on your machine. We only count downloads to see how many people are using the tool (IPs are never stored). Your API keys and chat history are stored locally in your home directory, never on our servers.

Can I save money on API costs?

Yes! Banana Code has built-in Prompt Caching for Claude and shows real-time cost tracking via `/context`. You can save up to 90% on repetitive tasks by keeping the context "warm" automatically.

What are "Agent Skills"?

Skills are custom guidelines (markdown files) you can drop into your config folder. They teach the AI specific standards, like "always use TypeScript" or "follow our company's specific React patterns," which are activated automatically when relevant.

Does it support web research?

Yes. Through the `/beta` menu, you can enable DuckDuckGo integration. This allows the AI to research documentation or check real-time information on the web when it needs extra context.

Can I use it as a backend for my own apps?

Definitely. Use `banana --api` to start a headless server. You can then connect via WebSocket or HTTP to build your own custom GUI or integrations on top of the powerful Banana Code engine.

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