Caveman Code Caveman Code
Caveman Code is a terminal coding agent that compresses prompts, tool output, and file reads to reduce token usage by ~2x compared to Codex, while maintaining similar pass rates. It supports 20+ providers, plan mode, autopilot loop, session branching, subagents, MCP, and sandboxing.
Published 25-task MicroBench on 2026-05-18 showing 1.93x fewer tokens than Codex CLI with similar pass rate (14/25 vs 15/25). Version 0.65.2 released on 2026-05-18. The project is actively developed with 906 stars on GitHub.
As of
- Caveman Mode compression: 3-layer compression of prompts, tool output, and file reads (~85% reduction on tool output)
- 20+ providers with 6 OAuth flows (Claude Pro, ChatGPT Plus, GitHub Copilot, Gemini, etc.)
- Plan mode with read-only exploration and structured plans
- Autonomous goal loop with autopilot
- Session branching and shadow-git checkpoints with /rollback
- Native MCP support (stdio, Streamable HTTP, in-process) and can serve as MCP server
- Worktree-isolated subagents (up to 7) and persistent memory via cavemem
Developers who want to reduce token costs while using terminal-based AI coding agents, especially those with existing subscriptions to Claude, ChatGPT, or other providers, and those who value open-source, provider-agnostic tools.
Teams requiring enterprise support or managed cloud services, as Caveman Code is self-hosted and community-driven; also, users who prefer a polished, first-party experience like Claude Code or Codex may find the caveman-style output too terse.
Caveman Code is MIT-licensed open source and free to use. It supports 20+ providers, including subscription-based OAuth (Claude Pro, ChatGPT Plus, GitHub Copilot, Gemini) and API keys, so you can use existing subscriptions or pay per token via API providers.
Caveman Code is a compelling open-source alternative for token-conscious developers, offering significant cost savings without sacrificing much performance. Its unique compression approach and multi-provider support are strong differentiators, but it may lack the polish and ecosystem of more established tools.
Is Caveman Code free?
Caveman Code is Freemium. Caveman Code is MIT-licensed open source and free to use. It supports 20+ providers, including subscription-based OAuth (Claude Pro, ChatGPT Plus, GitHub Copilot, Gemini) and API keys, so you can use existing subscriptions or pay per token via API providers. Check the official site for current plans.
What is Caveman Code best for?
Developers who want to reduce token costs while using terminal-based AI coding agents, especially those with existing subscriptions to Claude, ChatGPT, or other providers, and those who value open-source, provider-agnostic tools.
Who makes Caveman Code?
Caveman Code is developed by Julius Brussee. It is listed in the Terminal & CLI Agents category on ai.dosa.dev.
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