# Codebuff

Codebuff is a terminal-based AI coding assistant that edits code and runs terminal commands from natural-language instructions for developers working in existing codebases.

- Findings24: <https://findings24.com/products/codebuff>
- Website: <https://codebuff.com>
- Pricing: Freemium
- Categories: AI Code Assistant, AI Developer Tools

## What is Codebuff?

Codebuff is an AI coding assistant for the terminal. It lets developers use natural-language instructions to edit code and run terminal commands inside an existing project, with a workflow designed to fit into the local development environment.

The site positions Codebuff around understanding a whole codebase before acting. It indexes project structure, dependencies, and patterns, then uses that context to make focused changes and support tasks such as setup, refactoring, and implementation work.

## What can Codebuff do?

### Terminal-based coding agent

Uses natural-language instructions to edit your codebase and run terminal commands from the terminal.

### Codebase indexing

Indexes the entire codebase and builds a map of project structure, dependencies, and patterns before making changes.

### Surgical code changes

Makes targeted edits that respect existing structure and style rather than rewriting unrelated files.

### Multiple operating modes

Supports workflow modes such as Free, Max, and Plan, giving users different ways to work with the agent.

### Project initialization

Can initialize project-specific files with \`/init\`, which is helpful for new projects and custom agent setups.

## Use Cases

### Implementing code changes

Use Codebuff when you want to ask for a code change in plain language and have the agent edit files and run related terminal commands in the same workflow.

### Working across a full repository

Use it when a project has many files or hidden dependencies and you want the agent to build context from the codebase before making edits.

### Bootstrapping a project

Use it for setup tasks in a new project, including optional \`/init\` initialization and creating the project-specific files the product expects.

### Refactoring existing code

Use it for refactors or structural updates where preserving existing code style and project structure matters more than making a one-off file edit.

### Terminal-assisted workflows

Use it when you need to automate repetitive terminal-driven work from an interactive coding session, especially inside an IDE terminal.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How do you get started with Codebuff?

Codebuff is installed globally with npm, then launched from your terminal inside a project directory. The help page shows the flow as \`npm install -g codebuff\`, \`cd /path/to/your-repo\`, and \`codebuff\`.

### Where does Codebuff run?

The help page says Codebuff works in your terminal and can be used inside IDE terminals such as VSCode or Cursor. The site does not describe a separate desktop app or browser-only workflow.

### What does the optional /init command do?

The help page says you can initialize a project with the \`/init\` command inside Codebuff. It notes this is useful for new projects without \`AGENTS.md\` or \`CLAUDE.md\`, and for building custom agents.

### How is Codebuff priced?

The pricing page offers subscription plans at $100/mo, $200/mo, and $500/mo, each with different usage levels, and also a usage-based option at 1¢ per credit after 500 free signup credits.

### Does Codebuff store conversation history locally?

The advanced help page says chat history is stored locally at \`~/.config/manicode/projects/\<your-project-name\>/chats\`, and it also stores downloaded files under \`~/.config/manicode\`.

## Quick Facts

- **Category**: Developer Tool
- **Platform**: Terminal / CLI
- **Primary users**: Developers working in codebases
- **Website**: codebuff.com
- **Pricing model**: Subscription and usage-based
- **Setup**: Global npm install