earendil-works/pi: README-based editorial guide

earendil-works/pi describes itself in the README as "AI agent toolkit: unified LLM API, agent loop, TUI, coding agent CLI". This article keeps to facts that can be checked in the repository. Stars, forks, and promotional badges are signals of attention, not proof of quality. Under "README", the README says: > New issues and PRs from new contributors are auto-closed by default. Maintainers review auto-closed issues daily. See CONTRIBUTING.md.. That establishes the project's stated boundary, not a production test.

The README's "Pi Agent Harness" section gives a useful starting point for deciding whether the project fits: @earendil-works/pi-agent-core: Agent runtime with tool calling and state management. If that problem is not yours, popularity is a poor reason to adopt it. Project names, commands, and component names are kept as written so a reader can return to the primary source without guessing at terminology. Another checkable README item is: @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent: Interactive coding agent CLI. It can shape a first test, but it does not replace testing in the intended environment.

The operating model is spread across sections such as "All Packages". The source evidence includes: | Package | Description | |---------|-------------| | @earendil-works/pi-ai | Terminal UI library with differential rendering |. This article does not turn missing architecture, performance, or security details into claims. A real deployment still needs a look at the repository layout, configuration files, and release history.

Start installation from the README's documented entry point. A command that can be checked in the source is: npm install --ignore-scripts # Install all dependencies without running lifecycle scripts npm run build # Refresh model data, then build all packages npm run build:offline # Rebuild using existing model data without network access npm run check # Lint, format, and type check ./test.sh # Run tests (skips LLM-dependent tests without API keys) ./pi-test.sh # Run pi from sources (can be run from any directory) When the README contains no runnable command, this article does not invent one. Open its "All Packages" section and confirm system dependencies, default ports, and first-run initialization before using a public server.