CLI Reference

char

Live transcription and audio tools

char [--base-url] [--api-key] [-m] [-l] [--record] [--no-color] [-v] [-q] [-h] [-V] <command>

Global options:

• --base-url <BASE_URL>
• --api-key <API_KEY>
• -m, --model <MODEL>
• -l, --language <LANGUAGE> (default: en)
• --record
• --no-color
• -v, --verbose — Increase logging verbosity
• -q, --quiet — Decrease logging verbosity

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

Subcommands:

• chat — Interactive chat with an LLM
• listen — Start live transcription (TUI)
• connect — Configure an STT or LLM provider
• status — Show configured providers and settings
• auth — Authenticate with char.com
• desktop — Open the desktop app or download page
• batch — Transcribe an audio file
• model — Manage local models
• debug — Debug and diagnostic tools
• completions — Generate shell completions

char chat

Interactive chat with an LLM

char chat [--session] [--prompt] [--provider] [-h] [-V]

Options:

• --session <SESSION>
• --prompt <PROMPT> — Send a single prompt without entering the TUI (use - to read from stdin)
• --provider <PROVIDER>
• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char listen

Start live transcription (TUI)

char listen <-p> [--audio] [-h] [-V]

Options:

• -p, --provider <PROVIDER>
• --audio <AUDIO> (default: dual)
• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char connect

Configure an STT or LLM provider

char connect [--type] [--provider] [-h] [-V]

Options:

• --type <TYPE>
• --provider <PROVIDER>
• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char status

Show configured providers and settings

char status [-h] [-V]

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char auth

Authenticate with char.com

char auth [-h] [-V]

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char desktop

Open the desktop app or download page

char desktop [-h] [-V]

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char batch

Transcribe an audio file

char batch <--input> <-p> [-k] [-o] [-f] [-h] [-V]

Options:

• --input <FILE>
• -p, --provider <PROVIDER>
• -k, --keyword <KEYWORD>
• -o, --output <FILE>
• -f, --format <FORMAT> (default: pretty)
• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char model

Manage local models

char model [-h] [-V] <command>

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

Subcommands:

• paths — Show resolved paths for settings and model storage
• current — Show current STT and LLM provider/model configuration
• list — List available models and their download status
• cactus — Manage downloadable Cactus models
• download — Download a model by name
• delete — Delete a downloaded model

char model paths

Show resolved paths for settings and model storage

char model paths [-h] [-V]

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char model current

Show current STT and LLM provider/model configuration

char model current [-h] [-V]

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char model list

List available models and their download status

char model list [--kind] [--supported] [-f] [-h] [-V]

Options:

• --kind <KIND>
• --supported
• -f, --format <FORMAT> (default: text)
• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char model cactus

Manage downloadable Cactus models

char model cactus [-h] [-V] <command>

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

Subcommands:

• list — List available Cactus models
• download — Download a Cactus model by name
• delete — Delete a downloaded Cactus model

char model cactus list

List available Cactus models

char model cactus list [-f] [-h] [-V]

Options:

• -f, --format <FORMAT> (default: text)
• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char model cactus download

Download a Cactus model by name

char model cactus download [-h] [-V] <name>

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

Arguments:

• <NAME>

char model cactus delete

Delete a downloaded Cactus model

char model cactus delete [-h] [-V] <name>

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

Arguments:

• <NAME>

char model download

Download a model by name

char model download [-h] [-V] <name>

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

Arguments:

• <NAME>

char model delete

Delete a downloaded model

char model delete [-h] [-V] <name>

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

Arguments:

• <NAME>

char debug

Debug and diagnostic tools

char debug [-h] [-V] <command>

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

Subcommands:

• transcribe — Real-time transcription from audio devices

char debug transcribe

Real-time transcription from audio devices

char debug transcribe <--provider> [--model] [--model-path] [--deepgram-api-key] [--soniox-api-key] [--audio] [-h] [-V]

Options:

• --provider <PROVIDER>
• --model <MODEL> — Model name (API model for cloud providers, model ID for local)
• --model-path <MODEL_PATH> — Path to a local model directory on disk
• --deepgram-api-key <DEEPGRAM_API_KEY>
• --soniox-api-key <SONIOX_API_KEY>
• --audio <AUDIO> (default: input)
• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

char completions

Generate shell completions

char completions [-h] [-V] <shell>

Options:

• -h, --help — Print help
• -V, --version — Print version

Arguments:

• <SHELL>