Phi: A 12 MB Open-Source Terminal Coding Agent Built for Speed and Control

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A developer has released Phi, a lightweight terminal-based coding agent written in Go, weighing just 12 MB as a single binary with no external runtime dependencies. Unlike tools such as Claude Code or Aider, Phi supports any AI model without locking users into a specific provider, making it adaptable as the AI landscape evolves rapidly. The tool defaults to read-only file access and uses hash-anchored line edits to prevent stale-context errors that commonly cause coding agents to misplace file changes. Phi also features a sub-agent system to manage long-running tasks without polluting the main context window, along with a hook system that lets users inject custom logic around tool calls without modifying the binary. The project is MIT-licensed and available on GitHub, with the developer actively seeking open-source contributors.

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