deepcode-cli

name	deepcode-cli
description	Terminal AI coding assistant optimized for DeepSeek v4 with deep thinking, reasoning control, Agent Skills, and MCP integration
triggers	["how do I use deepcode cli","configure deepcode terminal assistant","set up deepcode skills","enable deepcode thinking mode","integrate deepcode with mcp","use deepcode in terminal","configure deepseek reasoning effort","create custom deepcode skills"]

DeepCode CLI

Skill by ara.so — Devtools Skills collection.

DeepCode CLI is a terminal AI coding assistant specifically optimized for DeepSeek v4 models. It supports deep thinking mode, reasoning effort control, extensible Agent Skills, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration for connecting external services.

Installation

npm install -g @vegamo/deepcode-cli

Run deepcode in any project directory to start the assistant.

Configuration

Create ~/.deepcode/settings.json:

{
  "env": {
    "MODEL": "deepseek-v4-pro",
    "BASE_URL": "https://api.deepseek.com",
    "API_KEY": "sk-..."
  },
  "thinkingEnabled": true,
  "reasoningEffort": "max"
}

Configuration Priority

DeepCode follows a multi-level configuration priority system:

1. Project-level (highest): ./.deepcode/settings.json
2. User-level: ~/.deepcode/settings.json
3. Environment variables: DEEPCODE_MODEL, DEEPCODE_BASE_URL, DEEPCODE_API_KEY
4. Default values (lowest)

Core Configuration Options

{
  "env": {
    "MODEL": "deepseek-v4-pro",
    "BASE_URL": "https://api.deepseek.com",
    "API_KEY": "sk-..."
  },
  "thinkingEnabled": true,
  "reasoningEffort": "max",
  "temperature": 0.7,
  "maxTokens": 8192,
  "notify": "/path/to/notification-script.sh",
  "webSearchTool": "/path/to/web-search-script.sh",
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"
       
         
      
    
  

Model Options

• deepseek-v4-pro (recommended for complex tasks)
• deepseek-v4-flash (faster, lower cost)
• Any OpenAI-compatible model

Reasoning Effort Levels

• "min" - Fast, basic reasoning
• "medium" - Balanced (default)
• "max" - Deep thinking, slower but more thorough

Key Commands

Slash Commands

Command	Description
/	Open skills/command menu
/new	Start new conversation
/resume	Resume a previous conversation
/model	Switch model, thinking mode, and reasoning effort
/init	Initialize AGENTS.md file
/skills	List available skills
/mcp	View MCP server status and available tools
/exit	Exit (or press Ctrl+D twice)

Keyboard Shortcuts

Key	Action
Enter	Send message
Shift+Enter or Ctrl+J	Insert newline
Ctrl+V	Paste image from clipboard
Esc	Interrupt current model response
Ctrl+D (twice)	Exit

Agent Skills

DeepCode CLI supports extensible skills to enhance the assistant's capabilities.

User-level Skills

Place skills in ~/.agents/skills/. These are available across all projects.

Project-level Skills

Place skills in ./.agents/skills/ or ./.deepcode/skills/ for project-specific capabilities.

Creating a Custom Skill

Create a SKILL.md file in the skills directory:

---
name: my-custom-skill
description: Description of what this skill does
triggers:
  - when to use this skill
  - another trigger phrase
---

# My Custom Skill

Detailed instructions for the AI assistant on how to use this skill...

## Usage Example

\`\`\`typescript
// Example code showing how to use this skill
\`\`\`

Example: Database Migration Skill

./.agents/skills/migrations/SKILL.md:

---
name: database-migrations
description: Manage database schema migrations using Prisma
triggers:
  - create database migration
  - run migrations
  - rollback migration
  - check migration status
---

# Database Migrations

This skill helps manage database schema changes using Prisma.

## Create a Migration

\`\`\`bash
npx prisma migrate dev --name descriptive_migration_name
\`\`\`

## Apply Migrations in Production

\`\`\`bash
npx prisma migrate deploy
\`\`\`

## Check Migration Status

\`\`\`bash
npx prisma migrate status
\`\`\`

## Rollback (Manual)

Edit migration files in `prisma/migrations/` and create a new migration to undo changes.

MCP Integration

DeepCode supports Model Context Protocol for connecting external services.

Configuring MCP Servers

In ~/.deepcode/settings.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${GITHUB_TOKEN}"
      }
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/allowed/directory"]
    },
    "postgres": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y" 
       
         
      
    
  

View MCP Status

Use /mcp command in DeepCode to see:

• Connected MCP servers
• Available tools from each server
• Connection status

Common MCP Servers

• GitHub: @modelcontextprotocol/server-github - Repository management, issues, PRs
• Filesystem: @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem - File operations
• PostgreSQL: @modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres - Database queries
• Browser: @modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer - Web automation
• Slack: @modelcontextprotocol/server-slack - Messaging integration

Common Usage Patterns

Starting a New Coding Session

cd my-project
deepcode

Type your request directly or use / to see available skills.

Using Thinking Mode for Complex Problems

In settings.json:

{
  "thinkingEnabled": true,
  "reasoningEffort": "max"
}

Or toggle during session with /model command.

Pasting Code for Review

Simply paste code into the prompt and ask for review, optimization, or explanation.

Multi-modal Input (Images)

1. Copy image to clipboard
2. Press Ctrl+V in DeepCode
3. Add your question about the image

Note: DeepSeek v4 doesn't support multi-modal. Use compatible models like Doubao-Seed-2.0-pro via Volcano Engine.

Resuming Previous Conversation

Use /resume to select from conversation history and continue where you left off.

Working with Different Model Providers

Volcano Engine (Doubao)

{
  "env": {
    "MODEL": "Doubao-Seed-2.0-pro",
    "BASE_URL": "https://ark.cn-beijing.volces.com/api/v3",
    "API_KEY": "${VOLCANO_API_KEY}"
  }
}

Coding Plan (Volcano Engine)

{
  "env": {
    "MODEL": "ark-code-latest",
    "BASE_URL": "https://ark.cn-beijing.volces.com/api/coding/v3",
    "API_KEY": "${VOLCANO_API_KEY}"
  },
  "thinkingEnabled": true
}

OpenAI

{
  "env": {
    "MODEL": "gpt-4",
    "BASE_URL": "https://api.openai.com/v1",
    "API_KEY": "${OPENAI_API_KEY}"
  }
}

Notifications

Configure a notification script to alert you when long-running tasks complete:

{
  "notify": "/usr/local/bin/notify-slack.sh"
}

Example notification script (notify-slack.sh):

#!/bin/bash
WEBHOOK_URL="${SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL}"
MESSAGE="DeepCode task completed!"

curl -X POST -H 'Content-type: application/json' \
  --data "{\"text\":\"$MESSAGE\"}" \
  "$WEBHOOK_URL"

Web Search Integration

Enable web search capability:

{
  "webSearchTool": "/usr/local/bin/web-search.sh"
}

DeepCode includes a built-in free web search tool. Custom scripts allow you to integrate specific search providers.

Initializing Agent Configuration

Use /init to create an AGENTS.md file in your project. This file provides context to the AI about your project structure, conventions, and guidelines.

Example AGENTS.md:

# Project Context for AI Agents

## Tech Stack
- TypeScript
- React
- Node.js
- PostgreSQL

## Code Conventions
- Use functional components
- Prefer async/await over promises
- All API routes in `src/api/`
- Tests in `__tests__/` directory

## Database
- Prisma ORM
- Migrations in `prisma/migrations/`

## Common Tasks
- Run tests: `npm test`
- Start dev server: `npm run dev`
- Build: `npm run build`

Troubleshooting

"API Key not configured"

Ensure API_KEY is set in ~/.deepcode/settings.json or as environment variable DEEPCODE_API_KEY.

Skills not loading

• Check skills are in ~/.agents/skills/ or ./.agents/skills/
• Verify SKILL.md files have valid YAML frontmatter
• Use /skills to see loaded skills

MCP server not connecting

• Run /mcp to see error messages
• Verify server package is installed: npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-github
• Check environment variables are set correctly
• Ensure command and args in config match server requirements

Model responses interrupted

Press Esc to stop current response. If responses consistently fail, check:

• Model name is correct
• Base URL is accessible
• API key has sufficient credits
• Token limits (maxTokens) are appropriate

Context cache not working

Context caching is automatic for DeepSeek models. To verify:

• Use deepseek-v4-pro or deepseek-v4-flash
• BASE_URL should be https://api.deepseek.com
• Check API dashboard for cache hit rates

Configuration not taking effect

Remember priority order:

1. Project ./.deepcode/settings.json
2. User ~/.deepcode/settings.json
3. Environment variables
4. Defaults

Check which config file is being used and verify JSON syntax is valid.