Working with large language models has often been a cumbersome task due to slow, complex applications that require constant switching between interfaces. Many existing solutions, especially web-based ones, do not support all necessary models and also have slow processing speeds. Consequently, users are left with no choice but to struggle through these snags, yearning for a simpler, faster, and more efficacious method to interact with their preferred language models.
An attempt to fill this void has led to the development of a new application named Elia. Elia is a simple, fast, terminal-based solution that allows users to chat with various large language models directly from their terminal. With the ability to support both popular proprietary models and local ones, Elia has provided a flexible way to interact efficiently with Artificial Intelligence.
The application is designed to be highly keyboard-centric, catering to users who prefer to operate their systems via terminal. It stores dialogues in a local SQLite database, ensuring that interactions are easily accessible and saved. Users can conveniently start new chats, specify models, and even operate local models through accessible tools such as LocalAI and Ollama. Setting up Elia is not complicated either; it can be easily installed via pipx and configured with the help of a single file.
Elia comes with several significant features. It allows users to interact with multiple models such as Llama 3, Claude, ChatGPT, Phi 3, Gemma, and Mistral. Both inline and full-screen chat modes are supported by Elia, providing flexibility to users based on their preference and the task at hand. The configuration file gives users the option to customize system prompts, set default models, and modify the theme for code syntax highlighting in messages. And perhaps the most essential feature – adding new models has been made simple with the provision of clear examples in the configuration file, thereby making the process user-friendly.
To conclude, Elia has introduced a practical solution for users requiring a terminal-based efficient interaction with their large language models. By emphasizing on simplicity and easy-to-use functionality, it manages to tackle the limitations of existing tools. It offers a trustworthy alternative for AI model interactions, promising a streamlined and effective experience. No matter if one is working with proprietary or local models, Elia ensures a smooth experience directly from the terminal.
