Comparison¶
How does zhi compare to other terminal AI tools? This page provides a factual comparison across key dimensions.
Feature Matrix¶
| Feature | zhi | aider | Claude Code | GitHub Copilot CLI | Gemini CLI | shell-gpt | Qwen Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installation | pip | pip | npm | gh extension | npm | pip | pip |
| Setup time | ~30s (1 API key) | ~2 min | ~1 min | GitHub login | Google auth | ~1 min | ~1 min |
| Primary use | Terminal AI + document processing | AI pair programming | Code agent | Shell suggestions | Code + terminal | Shell AI | Code agent |
| LLM provider | Zhipu GLM (Chinese) | OpenAI, Anthropic, etc. | Anthropic Claude | OpenAI / Anthropic / Google | Google Gemini | Various via OpenAI API | Alibaba Qwen |
| File access | Read + write + OCR (isolated output) | Read + edit (in-place) | Read + edit (in-place) | None | Read + edit | None | Read + edit |
| Skill system | 15 YAML skills + custom | None | Slash commands | None | None | None | None |
| Cost model | Dual-model (flash for skills, ~10% cost) | Single model | Single model + subscription | Subscription | Free tier + paid | Single model | Free |
| Chinese LLM | Native (GLM-5 / GLM-4-flash) | No | No | No | No | No | Native (Qwen) |
| Output safety | Isolated output dir, shell confirmation | In-place file editing | Sandbox + approval | N/A | In-place editing | N/A | In-place editing |
Detailed Comparison¶
vs aider¶
aider is an AI pair programming tool focused on code editing within git repositories.
| Aspect | zhi | aider |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Document processing + general terminal AI | Code editing in git repos |
| File editing | Writes to isolated zhi-output/ directory |
Edits files in-place, auto-commits |
| OCR | Built-in (PDF, images via Zhipu API) | No |
| Skills | 15 reusable YAML workflows | No equivalent |
| LLM | Zhipu GLM (optimized for Chinese) | Multi-provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) |
| Git integration | Via shell tool | Deep git integration |
Choose zhi for document processing, Chinese language tasks, and reusable workflows. Choose aider for AI-assisted code editing with git integration.
vs Claude Code¶
Claude Code is Anthropic's official CLI agent powered by Claude models.
| Aspect | zhi | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Document processing + Chinese LLM | Code agent + general development |
| LLM | Zhipu GLM | Anthropic Claude |
| Cost | Dual-model (~10% cost for skills via flash) | Single model pricing |
| Skills | 15 YAML + composable | Slash commands (not composable) |
| File safety | Isolated output directory | Sandbox with approval prompts |
| Chinese | Native GLM support | English-focused |
Choose zhi for Chinese document workflows and cost-efficient batch processing. Choose Claude Code for code-heavy development tasks with Claude's reasoning.
vs GitHub Copilot CLI¶
GitHub Copilot CLI suggests shell commands and explains terminal output.
| Aspect | zhi | GitHub Copilot CLI |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Full agentic loop with tools | Shell command suggestions |
| File access | Read, write, OCR | None |
| Autonomy | Multi-turn agent with tool calls | Single suggestion |
| Skills | 15 reusable workflows | None |
| Pricing | Pay-per-token (Zhipu) | GitHub subscription |
Choose zhi for complex multi-step tasks. Choose Copilot CLI for quick shell command suggestions.
vs Gemini CLI¶
Gemini CLI is Google's terminal AI tool powered by Gemini models.
| Aspect | zhi | Gemini CLI |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Document processing + Chinese LLM | Code + general terminal |
| LLM | Zhipu GLM | Google Gemini |
| File editing | Isolated output | In-place |
| Skills | 15 YAML + composable | None |
| Pricing | Pay-per-token | Free tier available |
vs shell-gpt¶
shell-gpt is a lightweight CLI for AI-powered shell commands.
| Aspect | zhi | shell-gpt |
|---|---|---|
| Agent loop | Multi-turn with tools | Single-turn |
| File access | Read + write + OCR | None |
| Skills | 15 reusable workflows | None |
| Shell safety | Blocked/warned/allowed tiers | Basic |
vs Qwen Code¶
Qwen Code is Alibaba's code agent powered by Qwen models.
| Aspect | zhi | Qwen Code |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Document processing | Code editing |
| Chinese LLM | Zhipu GLM | Alibaba Qwen |
| File editing | Isolated output | In-place |
| Skills | 15 YAML + composable | None |
| Pricing | Pay-per-token | Free |
What Makes zhi Unique¶
Native Chinese LLM + Document Processing¶
zhi is the only terminal AI tool that combines a native Chinese LLM (Zhipu GLM) with a full document processing pipeline including OCR, table extraction, and format conversion. This makes it ideal for Chinese-language office workflows.
Dual-Model Architecture¶
zhi uses two models strategically:
- GLM-5 (premium) for interactive chat -- intelligent, nuanced responses
- GLM-4-flash (economy) for skill execution -- fast, cost-effective (~10% the cost)
This means batch operations like summarizing 50 documents cost a fraction of what a single-model approach would.
YAML Skill System¶
Skills are composable YAML configurations, not hardcoded features. You can:
- Create custom skills without writing code
- Compose skills together (e.g.,
contract-reviewusesanalyze+compare+proofread) - Share skills as
.yamlfiles
Safety by Design¶
zhi cannot delete your files — not because of a setting you might forget to enable, but because no delete capability exists in the architecture. There is no delete tool, no overwrite mode, and no way for the AI to remove or modify your original files. Safety is enforced in code, not in prompts — so it cannot be lost during context compression or ignored by the model.
This is a deliberate design choice: AI agents should never be able to cause irreversible damage to your data.
Output Isolation¶
Unlike tools that edit files in-place, zhi writes all output to an isolated zhi-output/ directory. Your original files are never modified, making it safe to experiment without risk.