---
title: "howto"
url: https://perrotta.dev/2025/11/howto/
last_updated: 2025-11-24
---


https://github.com/nalgeon/howto ([via](https://antonz.org/howto/)):

> Humble command-line assistant
>
> Howto helps you solve command-line tasks with AI. Describe the task, and howto
> will suggest a solution:
>
> Howto works with any OpenAI-compatible provider and local Ollama models. It's
> a simple tool that doesn't interfere with your terminal. Not an "intelligent
> terminal" or anything. You ask, and howto answers. That's the deal.

Installation:

```shell
brew tap nalgeon/howto https://github.com/nalgeon/howto
brew install howto
```

Configuration: add to my shell startup file:

```shell
# Lazy-load API keys only when needed to avoid shell startup delay
if command -v howto &>/dev/null; then
	_load_api_keys_howto() {
		export HOWTO_AI_TOKEN="$(command llm keys get openai)"
		# Redefine itself to be a no-op after first call
		_load_api_keys_howto() { :; }
	}

	# Wrap all AI CLI commands to auto-load keys
	command -v howto &>/dev/null && eval "howto() { _load_api_keys_howto; command howto \"\$@\"; }"
fi
```

In this case, I retrieve the API token from
[`llm`](https://github.com/simonw/llm).

Usage examples:

```shell
% howto curl post request
curl -X POST [URL] -d "[data]"

The `curl` command is used to make HTTP requests from the command line.
The `-X POST` option specifies that the request method is POST.
The `-d "[data]"` option is used to send the specified data in the POST request
body.
```

```shell
% howto terraform init given a backend and a tfvars
terraform init -backend-config=<backend-config-file> -var-file=<variables-file>

The `terraform init` command initializes a Terraform working directory,
preparing it for other commands.
The `-backend-config=<backend-config-file>` option specifies a file containing
backend configuration settings.
The `-var-file=<variables-file>` option specifies a file containing variable
definitions.
```

Workflow: when stuck, press `Ctrl + a` (go to beginning of line), type `howto`,
press `<Enter>`.