Q
A REPL for LLM inside the terminal — query any LLM interactively without leaving your command line
✅ Pros / Advantages
- • Interleaved Terminal + LLM REPL
- • OpenAI-compatible Local LLM Support
- • MCP Server Integration
- • Executable Code Block Detection
- • Session Recording and Resume
❌ Cons / Limitations
- • Very early stage — author describes it as 'rough' proof-of-concept with ~7k lines of 'vibed code' (AI-generated), not production-ready
- • Only 1 GitHub star and 0 forks at time of review — minimal community validation or adoption
- • Limited to OpenAI-compatible Responses API endpoints only — does not support Anthropic, Gemini, or other non-OpenAI API formats directly
- • Written in C with manual memory management — maintenance and extensibility may be challenging for community contributors compared to Python/Rust alternatives
- • No packaged binaries or package manager distribution — users must compile from source with libcurl dev headers
💰 Pricing Plans
Free
Pricing details are gathered from public sources and are subject to change. Please visit the official website for real-time rates.
Last updated: July 2026 · 9bests editorial review
✅ Who should use Q
- • Interleaved Terminal + LLM REPL
- • OpenAI-compatible Local LLM Support
- • MCP Server Integration
- • Executable Code Block Detection
- • Session Recording and Resume
⚠️ Who should look elsewhere
- • Very early stage — author describes it as 'rough' proof-of-concept with ~7k lines of 'vibed code' (AI-generated), not production-ready
- • Only 1 GitHub star and 0 forks at time of review — minimal community validation or adoption
- • Limited to OpenAI-compatible Responses API endpoints only — does not support Anthropic, Gemini, or other non-OpenAI API formats directly
- • Written in C with manual memory management — maintenance and extensibility may be challenging for community contributors compared to Python/Rust alternatives
- • No packaged binaries or package manager distribution — users must compile from source with libcurl dev headers
🎯 Common use cases
Autocompleting and refactoring code
Multi-file AI edits
Debugging and test generation
⚖️ Q vs Cursor
| Q | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3/5 | 4.8/5 |
| Pricing | Free | Free / $20/mo |
| Key strength | Interleaved Terminal + LLM REPL | Best AI code editor |
See the full head-to-head in our Q vs Cursor comparison.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Is Q free?
+
Q offers a free tier (Free). Paid plans unlock higher limits and advanced features.
What is Q best for?
+
Q is best for Interleaved Terminal + LLM REPL and OpenAI-compatible Local LLM Support. A REPL for LLM inside the terminal — query any LLM interactively without leaving your command line
How does Q compare to Cursor?
+
Q (3/5) and Cursor (4.8/5) serve overlapping needs. Q stands out for Interleaved Terminal + LLM REPL, while Cursor is stronger at Best AI code editor. Choose based on your priority.
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