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Fx: Unix Like Coding Agent

Vercel Labs released fx, an open-source (Apache-2.0) coding agent harness and CLI written in Zig, optimized for research and embeddability, with a 7.8 MiB binary. The tool supports local and cloud inference, offers a Unix-like CLI, and can be embedded via WebAssembly or connected through the Agent Client Protocol. It is currently experimental and available at fx.sh.

read3 min views1 publishedAug 18, 2026
Fx: Unix Like Coding Agent
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fx is a coding agent harness and CLI written in Zig, optimized for research and embeddability as part of larger systems.

It focuses on minimalism and performance across the board, from system prompt design to its tools, feature set, and 7.8 MiB binary.

For end users, its CLI output style and form factor aim to be closer to a Unix shell than a heavy "IDE in the terminal" TUI.

It's open source (Apache-2.0), model-agnostic, and suitable for both local and cloud inference.

curl -fsSL https://fx.sh/setup.sh | bash

To get started, sign in with Vercel:

fx login

Or add an AI Gateway API key:

fx setup

Run fx from a project:

cd your_project
fx

The current directory becomes the primary workspace. Enter a prompt, or run /help

to browse interactive commands.

Run /feedback

to open the feedback form at fx.sh/feedback

. It does not create a diagnostic or change the clipboard.

Run /trace

to create a private Markdown diagnostic with logs, session context, runtime state, permissions, and recent activity. On macOS, fx copies the .md

file to the clipboard; on other platforms, it saves the file and prints its path. Review and redact the trace before sharing it.

Use fx ask

for a single request:

fx ask "explain the changes in this repository"

fx starts in auto

permission mode, which reviews unresolved sensitive actions. See Permissions for other modes and persistent rules.

Inside a saved session, /permissions remember <allow|deny> <tool-name> <arguments-json>

stores an exact confirmed rule without running the action. /permissions

lists stable rule IDs, and /permissions revoke <rule-id>

removes a stored rule even when its original workspace or file state has changed.

fx builds as a native binary or WebAssembly. Applications embedding fx can provide network transport, session storage, configuration, permission handling, and terminal I/O.

Surface Use
fx acp
Connect the native agent to editors and other Agent Client Protocol clients.
createFxAgent()
Embed the agent core in a JavaScript host with fx-core.wasm .
createFxTerminal()
Embed the interactive terminal with fx-term.wasm .

The WebAssembly SDK is experimental. See the WebAssembly SDK and ACP documentation.

Add reusable instructions with skills, connect external tools through MCP, or delegate independent work to subagents. Project instruction files may link within their scope, and read-only workspace or compatibility skill directories may link within their owning workspace or home; managed skills, SKILL.md

files, resources, and escaping links remain no-follow. fx status

and fx doctor

report an invalid trusted MCP profile without starting its servers.

Read the fx documentation.

Building fx requires Zig 0.16.0+:

git clone https://github.com/vercel-labs/fx.git
cd fx
zig build -Doptimize=ReleaseSafe
./zig-out/bin/fx

Run the test suite with zig build test

. See CONTRIBUTING.md for development and contribution guidelines.

Third-party licenses and attributions are listed in THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md.

Interface sounds by cuelume.

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