pi-web-chat

pi-web-chat

Web UI for the pi coding agent (OpenWebUI-style, mobile-friendly).

한국어

Install & run

Intended flow:

# 1) Install pi (skip if already installed)
npm i -g @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent

# 2) Install pi-web-chat
pi install npm:pi-web-chat
# pi install /path/to/pi-web-chat          # local path
# pi install git:github.com/preinpost/pi-web-chat@v0.1.1

# 3) Start the web UI daemon only (no TUI; returns to the shell immediately)
pi --web
# → pi-web-chat started — http://localhost:3141

pi --web status
pi --web stop
pi --web restart             # stop + start (keeps prior port/host)
pi --web 3200                # custom port
pi --web --lan               # bind 0.0.0.0 (LAN)
pi --web --host 0.0.0.0      # same, explicit bind address
pi --web 3200 --host 0.0.0.0

pi --web starts only the web server daemon and exits. It does not open the pi TUI. If the server is already running, it prints the URL again.

--lan / --host 0.0.0.0 exposes the server on all interfaces. There is no app auth — use only on trusted networks.

Other ways to run

# Standalone CLI (no pi session)
pi-web-chat
# HOST=0.0.0.0 pi-web-chat   # LAN bind via env

# Inside a pi session
/web                    # start (default port 3141, bind 127.0.0.1)
/web 3200               # custom port
/web --lan              # bind 0.0.0.0
/web --host 0.0.0.0     # explicit bind address
/web status
/web stop
/web restart

State files: ~/.pi/web-chat/pi-web-chat.pid, pi-web-chat.port, pi-web-chat.host, pi-web-chat.log

pi install installs production dependencies only. The frontend ships as built assets under dist/public, so end users do not need Vite/React installed.

Development

npm install

# Dev (server:3141 + vite:5173, proxies /api and /ws)
npm run dev
# → http://localhost:5173

# Production build + run
npm run build
npm start
# → http://localhost:3141

Package checks

npm run pack:check   # build + npm pack --dry-run
npm pack             # creates pi-web-chat-*.tgz
pi install ./pi-web-chat-0.1.1.tgz
# or install from the directory
pi install .

Quick local extension load:

npm run build
pi -e .
# then /web in the session

GitHub Actions release

In the repo: Actions → Release → Run workflow

input	description
mode	release (bump + tag + publish) or publish-only (current package.json version → npm, no git bump)
bump	patch / minor / major (release mode only)
publish_npm	publish to npm after tagging (release mode; always on for publish-only)
dry_run	skip git push + npm publish --dry-run

release flow: npm ci → typecheck → build → pack check → npm version <bump> → push commit/tag → npm publish
publish-only flow: npm ci → typecheck → build → pack check → npm publish (no version bump / no git push)

Use publish-only when the git tag already exists but npm publish failed.

Required secret:

• NPM_TOKEN — npm automation token (publish steps)

Environment

• PORT — server port (default 3141)
• HOST — bind address (default 127.0.0.1). Use 0.0.0.0 only on trusted networks. Prefer pi --web --lan / pi --web --host 0.0.0.0 when starting via the extension
• PI_WEB_CWD — agent working/session directory (default ~/.pi/web-chat, created if missing)

Auth uses the same ~/.pi/agent/auth.json as the pi CLI. Configure pi (login / API keys) first.

Security: There is no built-in app auth. The server binds to loopback by default. Do not expose it on a public network. For remote access, prefer Tailscale Serve or an SSH tunnel.

Stack

• Server: Node + pi SDK (@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent) + WebSocket (ws)
• Frontend: React 19 + TanStack Router / Query + Base UI + Tailwind CSS v4 + Vite

Layout

bin/pi-web-chat.mjs       CLI entry (runs dist/index.js)
extensions/pi-web-chat.ts pi package extension (/web, --web)
scripts/build.mjs         vite frontend + esbuild server bundle
server/                   server source
shared/protocol.ts        shared server/client types
src/                      frontend source
dist/index.js             built server (published)
dist/public/              built frontend (published)

Features

• Live streaming (text / thinking deltas)
• Markdown rendering (react-markdown + GFM + highlight.js)
• Tool-call display (bash, edit, read, …) with expandable results
• Session list / switch / new session (can share pi CLI sessions)
• Session fork from a user message via the settings menu
• Model switching + thinking level
• Image attachments (file picker / clipboard paste)
• Settings menu: theme (system/light/dark) + session fork
• Send while streaming → steering
• Abort
• Mobile: safe-area, dvh layout, session drawer