C
No Node.js runtime
The core is built with C11 / C++20 for fast startup and lower memory usage in long-lived terminal sessions.
+
+ Why rebuild an AI coding assistant in C/C++?
+dstalk is positioned alongside tools like Claude Code, OpenCode, and KiloCode, but uses a systems-language implementation and a CDLL architecture to optimize startup time, runtime footprint, embeddability, and long-running terminal workflows.
+
+
+ ABI
Stable C ABI
Public functions such as dstalk_init, dstalk_chat, and dstalk_file_read make it easy to embed from C/C++, Python, Rust, C#, and Go.
AI
Compatible AI APIs
DeepSeek V4 is the primary target, with OpenAI / Anthropic-style APIs configurable through base_url, api_key, and model settings.
CLI
CLI-first workflow
The current CLI uses ANSI terminal UI and supports natural-language chat, model switching, file I/O, and session save/load.
DLL
Decoupled frontends
The CLI and GUI do not own business logic. They call the same dstalk-core.dll, allowing additional hosts to be added later.
OSS
Open source and hackable
dstalk is released under GNU GPL v3.0 and welcomes learning, customization, and workflow-specific extensions.
+
+
+
+ Quick Start
+dstalk provides an automated toolchain script and a one-command build script. Keep API keys in local config.toml or a secure environment, and never commit them to the repository.
+
+
+
+
+
+ 1
Install the local toolchain
Run setup.bat inside the tools directory to download CMake, Ninja, LLVM/Clang, and Conan2.
2
Build dstalk
Run build.bat to install Conan dependencies, configure CMake, and build with Ninja.
3
Start the CLI
Run build/dstalk-cli/dstalk-cli.exe with config.toml, or let it use the default config lookup.
+
+ quickstart
+# Install toolchain
+cd tools
+setup.bat
+
+# Return to repo root and build
+cd ..
+build.bat
+
+# Create config.toml
+[api]
+base_url = "https://api.deepseek.com/v1"
+api_key = "sk-xxxxxxxx"
+model = "deepseek-chat"
+
+# Run CLI
+build/dstalk-cli/dstalk-cli.exe config.toml
+
+ CDLL + decoupled multi-frontend architecture
+dstalk-core.dll provides networking, AI API adaptation, file I/O, and session management. Frontends focus on interaction. The GUI directory is reserved, while the root CMake currently enables the CLI and core library first.
+
+
+ architecture
+┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│ Frontends │
+│ dstalk-cli (ANSI UI) dstalk-gui (SDL3) │
+│ enabled today roadmap │
+└───────────────┬─────────────────────────────┘
+ │ C ABI
+┌───────────────▼─────────────────────────────┐
+│ dstalk-core.dll │
+│ API / Session / File I/O / AI Adapter │
+└───────┬──────────────┬──────────────┬────────┘
+ │ │ │
+ Boost.JSON HTTP Client OpenSSL TLS
+ Boost.Asio / Beast
+
+ Tech stack and project status
+The following is based on dstalk's CMake files, Conan configuration, and public API header.
+
+
+
+
+ | Module | Current technology | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Core library | C11 / C++20, dstalk-core.dll, public C ABI | Enabled |
| CLI frontend | ANSI terminal UI using dstalk/dstalk_api.h | Enabled |
| GUI frontend | SDL3 graphical frontend | Roadmap |
| Dependencies | Conan2, boost/1.86.0, openssl/3.4.1 | Configured |
| Build system | CMake 3.21+, Ninja, LLVM/Clang | Configured |
| License | GNU GPL v3.0 | Confirmed |
+
+ Common CLI commands
+In addition to natural-language prompts, dstalk-cli provides commands for files, models, and session management.
+
+
+
+
+ | Commands | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| /help | Show help | /help |
| /clear | Clear the current conversation context | /clear |
| /model <name> | Switch the current model | /model deepseek-chat |
| /file read <path> | Read file content and print it to the terminal | /file read README.md |
| /file write <path> <content> | Write content to a file | /file write note.txt hello |
| /save <path> / /load <path> | Save or restore a session | /save session.json |
+
+ Public C API
+dstalk-core exposes functions through dstalk-core/include/dstalk/dstalk_api.h, so frontends and third-party hosts call the same core interface.
+
+
+ dstalk_api.h
+int dstalk_init(const char* config_path);
+void dstalk_destroy(void);
+
+void dstalk_set_api_key(const char* api_key);
+void dstalk_set_base_url(const char* base_url);
+void dstalk_set_model(const char* model);
+
+int dstalk_chat(const char* input, char** output);
+int dstalk_chat_stream(const char* input, dstalk_stream_cb cb, void* userdata);
+void dstalk_free_string(char* str);
+
+void dstalk_session_clear(void);
+int dstalk_session_save(const char* path);
+int dstalk_session_load(const char* path);
+
+int dstalk_file_read(const char* path, char** content);
+int dstalk_file_write(const char* path, const char* content);
+
+ Roadmap
+The website reflects dstalk's current README roadmap and avoids presenting planned capabilities as already complete.
+
+
+
+
+ | Phase | Scope | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Project skeleton, CMake build, DLL exports, frontend main loop | Current |
| Phase 2 | HTTPS networking, DeepSeek API integration, basic chat | In progress |
| Phase 3 | Streaming output, multi-turn sessions, file tools, CLI experience polish | Planned |
| Phase 4 | SDL3 GUI, plugin system, LSP integration | Planned |
+
+ Open source contributors welcome
+dstalk is an open project. Developers interested in C/C++, terminal UX, AI API adapters, GUI, documentation, and testing are welcome to participate.
+
+
+
+ PR
Improve the codebase
Good starting points include build scripts, error handling, CLI interaction, streaming output, file tools, and cross-platform compatibility.
DOC
Improve docs and examples
Installation notes, config templates, API examples, and real usage scenarios all help new users get started faster.
IDEA
Discuss the roadmap
If you care about the SDL3 GUI, plugin system, LSP integration, or multi-model adapters, issues and design suggestions are welcome.
Start in the terminal, embed dstalk everywhere
+dstalk is more than a CLI. It is a local AI coding core that can be reused by multiple frontends. dstalk.top will keep tracking project progress, build instructions, and available capabilities.
+ +