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How to Connect a Local AI CLI to Pluely

Route Pluely's questions through a CLI you already run — Claude Code, the Gemini CLI, or Ollama — so answers come from a tool on your own machine. Once connected, your CLI outranks every other group in the overlay's model picker.

What "Your CLI" means in Pluely

The model picker at the top of the overlay is split into three groups: Your CLI, Your Providers, and Pluely Models. "Your CLI" is a local AI command-line tool already installed on your machine that Pluely v1 connects to directly. Because it runs locally, a connected CLI takes priority over every other model group — Pluely routes requests to it first whenever it's available.

Supported CLIs

  • Claude Code — Anthropic's coding-focused CLI.
  • The Gemini CLI — Google's command-line AI tool.
  • Ollama — run open models entirely on your own hardware.

Step-by-step: connecting a CLI

  1. Confirm the CLI you want (Claude Code, the Gemini CLI, or Ollama) is installed and working from your terminal.
  2. Open the Pluely dashboard and go to the Dev / providers area.
  3. In the "Your CLI" section, select which CLI Pluely should use.
  4. Follow the on-screen path or command details so Pluely can locate the CLI on your system.
  5. Save. Pluely confirms the CLI is reachable.
  6. Open the overlay's model picker — your CLI now appears under "Your CLI" and is selected automatically as the priority option.

Why local-first matters

A connected CLI runs on your own machine, so requests never have to leave your device to reach Pluely's managed infrastructure. If you already pay for or maintain a CLI subscription, Pluely becomes a convenient overlay on a tool you already trust — no new managed model in the loop.

Switching back to managed models

You don't have to disconnect your CLI to use a different model group. Open the model picker and select an option under "Your Providers" or "Pluely Models" for that session — the CLI connection stays saved for next time. To stop the CLI from taking automatic priority, disconnect it in the same Dev / providers area.

Troubleshooting a CLI that won't connect

  • Confirm the CLI runs correctly from your terminal, outside of Pluely.
  • Re-check the path or command Pluely uses to find the CLI in the Dev / providers area.
  • Restart Pluely after installing or updating the CLI so it re-detects the binary.
  • If the CLI requires its own login or subscription, complete that authentication outside Pluely first.

Tips

  • Claude Code and the Gemini CLI require their own accounts — Pluely doesn't manage that billing; it connects to what's already installed.
  • Ollama is a strong choice for fully offline, zero-cost local inference.
  • Keep your CLI updated independently; Pluely calls whatever version is on your machine.
  • If you switch between a CLI and managed models often, the model picker at the top of the overlay makes it one click.

Last updated 2026-07-10 · pluely.com