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CLI Mode

warning

CLI modes inject their own system prompts and route requests through third-party CLI tools. Some providers actively block automated or programmatic use — this may conflict with their terms of service. Use responsibly and at your own risk.

CLI mode lets agents use cloud LLMs without an API key by routing calls through the respective official CLI tools. This is ideal for users who already have a paid subscription to Claude, Gemini, or GitHub Copilot.

note

CLI mode requires the corresponding CLI tool to be installed and authenticated on the machine running Synapse.

Claude CLI​

Model: cli.claude

Uses the official claude CLI (part of Claude Code / Anthropic's CLI tools). Routes requests through your existing Claude subscription.

Setup:

  1. Install Claude Code: claude.ai/code
  2. Authenticate: claude auth login
  3. In Synapse, set the model to cli.claude

Gemini CLI​

Model: cli.gemini

Uses the official gemini CLI. Routes requests through your Google account's Gemini quota.

Setup:

  1. Install: npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
  2. Authenticate: gemini auth login
  3. In Synapse, set the model to cli.gemini

OpenAI Codex CLI​

Model: cli.codex

Uses the OpenAI Codex CLI. Routes requests through your OpenAI subscription.

Setup:

  1. Install: npm install -g @openai/codex
  2. Authenticate with your OpenAI credentials
  3. In Synapse, set the model to cli.codex

GitHub Copilot CLI​

Model: cli.copilot

Uses GitHub Copilot's underlying model access through the Copilot CLI. Supports multiple model variants.

Models:

ModelDescription
cli.copilotDefault Copilot model
cli.copilot.claude-sonnet-4-5Claude Sonnet via Copilot
cli.copilot.claude-opus-4-5Claude Opus via Copilot
cli.copilot.claude-haiku-4-5Claude Haiku via Copilot

Setup:

  1. Install GitHub CLI: brew install gh / cli.github.com
  2. Authenticate: gh auth login
  3. Install Copilot extension: gh extension install github/gh-copilot
  4. In Synapse, set the model to cli.copilot

CLI mode limitations​

  • Slower than direct API calls — CLI tools add overhead
  • Rate limits apply based on your subscription plan
  • No streaming — responses are returned after completion
  • Context limits vary by CLI tool version
  • Not suitable for high-throughput production workloads — use direct API keys instead

CLI mode is best for personal use, development, and experimentation where you don't want to manage API keys separately.

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