iFlow CLI

Published on: https://karozieminski.substack.com/p/vibecoding-clis-claudecode-codex-iflow

Author: Karo Zieminski

Date: October 20, 2025

About

iFlow CLI is a terminal-based AI assistant designed for code analysis, automation, and productivity.

Developed by an Alibaba-affiliated team, it brings advanced AI models such as Qwen3-Coder, Kimi K2, and DeepSeek v3 directly to your command line, supporting natural language commands for both technical and everyday tasks.

iFlow CLI is rapidly gaining attention as an open-source alternative to tools like Claude Code, driven by strong support for both development and general automation.

Its flexible API compatibility and active community make it a promising choice for developers, analysts, and technical creators looking to embed AI-powered workflows into their daily routines.

Key Features

• AI-powered code analysis: Scans repositories, interprets requirements, outputs documentation, and suggests improvements.

• Natural language automation: Use plain language to automate file management, data analysis, and planning tasks (e.g., organize files, analyze spreadsheets, plan food tours, compare prices).

• Multi-model support: Integrates with free AI models via the Xinliu Open Platform and supports any OpenAI-compatible provider.

• Integrations: Companion extensions available for VS Code and GitHub Actions; use iFlow CLI in CI/CD workflows to automate code reviews and documentation generation.

• Workflow automation: Links local system tools to enterprise suites via the MCP server, enabling custom scripting and regular backups.

• Flexible setup: Works on macOS, Linux, and Windows (via WSL or Git for Windows), requiring Node.js 18+.

• Community support: GitHub Issues and WeChat group provide user support and collaboration opportunities.

Quick Start

For full installation, configuration, and advanced scenarios, see the official GitHub repo: /iflow-ai/iflow-cli

Installation

macOS/Linux:

bash
bash -c “$(curl -fsSL https://cloud.iflow.cn/iflow-cli/install.sh)”

Windows:

Download latest Node.js, then run:

bash
npm install -g @iflow-ai/iflow-cli iflow

Authentication

Generate an API key via your iFlow account settings or use any OpenAI-compatible API key.

Usage

• Run iflow in your terminal workspace.

• New project: Enter your requirements in natural language.

• Existing repo: Use /init to scan and document codebase, then issue further commands.

Typical Use Cases

• Generating slideshow-style documentation from GitHub Actions

• Data cleaning and analysis (spreadsheets, CSVs)

• Automated file organization and bulk image downloads

• Coding support (debugging, architectural analysis, script creation)

• Personalized planning and comparative price searches

• Custom workflow automation for backups and reporting

Customization

• Switch or add AI models by editing ~/.iflow/settings.json, updating baseUrl and modelName for any supported provider.​

• Integrate with your CI/CD pipeline using ready-to-use GitHub Actions.

Related Ecosystems

• Python SDK: iflow-cli-sdk available for custom integrations

• Product management toolkit: NioPD

• VS Code extension: Enables active code context analysis

Sources

• https://github.com/iflow-ai/iflow-cli

• https://github.com/iflow-ai

• https://dev.to/t/iflowcli

• https://news.futunn.com/en/post/62481917/alibaba-team-releases-new-terminal-ai-agent-iflow-cli

• https://www.xugj520.cn/en/archives/iflow-cli-ai-terminal.html

• https://dev.to/yeshan333/generate-slideshow-style-documentation-sites-for-github-repositories-with-iflow-cli-github-action-5bi0

• https://open-vsx.org/extension/iflow-cli/iflow-cli-vscode-ide-companion?spm=54878a4d.2ef5001f.0.0.4e7d57836ej8FU

• https://libraries.io/pypi/iflow-cli-sdk

• https://www.npmjs.com/package/@iflow-ai/niopd

Related

• Read on Substack

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Tags

#CLI #iFlow #Alibaba #terminal #Qwen3