DeepSeek CLI is an open-source coding agent powered by DeepSeek that runs locally in your terminal. It offers agentic coding from plan to execution, a Codex-style terminal UI with six themes and nine interface languages, persistent sessions, MCP integration, and plugin-based profiles for the terminal, headless automation, and the Web UI.
DSH integration
Native runtime
Author-claimed
Safety audit
Unaudited
Last verified
2026-09-02
License
MIT
01What can it help you accomplish?
Run agentic coding tasks from planning to execution in your terminal
A locally running DeepSeek-powered coding agent with a Codex-style TUI, persistent sessions, and plugin-based profiles
Developers who want a self-hosted, terminal-based coding agent powered by DeepSeek
Automate non-interactive tasks in scripts and CI
Runs a task such as `deepseek exec "run the tests"` and returns results (optionally JSON)
CI/CD pipelines and automation scripts
Extend the CLI with MCP servers and managed plugins
Connected MCP servers and enabled/disabled Cordis plugin bundles via `deepseek mcp` and `deepseek plugin`
Teams customizing tooling and integrating external services
02How to install into DeepSeek Harness
Prerequisites
- A DeepSeek API key (paste on first launch, or set DEEPSEEK_API_KEY before launch)
- macOS, Linux, or Windows with curl/PowerShell available
- Node.js ^22.19 or >=24 and pnpm 11.7.0 (required only for source builds)
Installation steps
- 01
macOS/Linux — run: curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/peiyuwang54/deepseek-harness-cli/master/apps/cli/install/install.sh | sh
- 02
Windows — run in PowerShell: irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/peiyuwang54/deepseek-harness-cli/master/apps/cli/install/install.ps1 | iex
- 03
Or install via npm: npm install -g @peiyu_wang/deepseek-harness-cli
- 04
Or install via Homebrew: brew install --cask peiyuwang54/dsh/deepseek-harness-cli
- 05
Open a project directory and run `deepseek` (or the shorter `dsh` alias) to get started
$ dsh
Verify the integration
- The Web UI starts at http://127.0.0.1:3080 by default and opens in your default browser
- Run `deepseek doctor` to diagnose the installation and report enabled MCP connections
03DSH integration and capability boundaries
DeepSeek Harness CLI, kept in sync with the official DeepSeek Harness
Agentic coding in the terminal
Natural-language prompts, plans, and shell commands→Edited code, shell runs, web search, skills, and subagent results
MCP server integration
MCP server commands and configurations→Connected MCP tools available inside the session
Starting a configured MCP server probes it with a 5000 ms per-request timeoutPlugin-based profiles
Plugin package names for the tui profile→Enabled/disabled Cordis plugin bundles
`install`, `update`, and `remove` resolve dependencies with pnpmPersistent sessions and credentials
Resumed sessions and a DeepSeek API key→Resumed context and a stored API key via the shared credential provider
The API key is stored by the shared credential provider and not added to chat history
04Who is it for? When not to use it?
Good for
- Developers who want a self-hosted, terminal-based coding agent powered by DeepSeek
- CI/CD pipelines and automation scripts
- Teams customizing tooling and integrating external services
Not for
- First launch requires a DeepSeek API key, stored by the shared credential provider
- `--yolo` disables both confinement and approval prompts; use it only in an isolated environment
05Compatibility, maintenance and safety notes
- First launch requires a DeepSeek API key, stored by the shared credential provider
- `--yolo` disables both confinement and approval prompts; use it only in an isolated environment
- Source builds require Node.js ^22.19 or >=24 and pnpm 11.7.0
active
06Frequently asked questions
How do I install DeepSeek CLI?
On macOS/Linux run the curl install script, on Windows run the PowerShell install script, or install via npm (`npm install -g @peiyu_wang/deepseek-harness-cli`) or Homebrew. Then run `deepseek` or `dsh` in a project directory.
Do I need a DeepSeek API key?
Yes. Paste your DeepSeek API key into the masked prompt on first launch, or set DEEPSEEK_API_KEY before launch. The key is stored by the shared credential provider and never added to chat history.
How do I run non-interactive tasks for CI?
Use `deepseek exec "your task"` to run a task without a session. It supports `--json` for structured output and `resume --last` to continue the previous run.
How do I add MCP servers or plugins?
Add an MCP server with `deepseek mcp add <name> -- <command>` and manage plugins with `deepseek plugin --profile tui <list|verify|install|enable|disable|update>`. Plugin install/update/remove resolve dependencies with pnpm.
07Related DSH workflows
deepseek-reasonix
by esengine
DeepSeek-native AI coding agent for your terminal. Engineered around prefix-cache stability — leave it running.
mnemon
by mnemon-dev
LLM-supervised persistent memory for AI agents — graph-based recall, cross-session knowledge, single binary. Works with DeepSeek Harness, Claude Code, OpenClaw, and any agent runtime.
sivtr
by ariestar
A unified agent memory workspace for human and agent
phi
by pulseaiclub
a coding Agent, npc plugin, sub-agents, hashline edits, and mcp
08Data and sources
This is DeepSeek Harness CLI. We keep iterating in sync with the official [DeepSeek Harness](https://github.com/deepseek…
This page is generated from the project’s public documentation, repository metadata and a structured parse of DSH Plugins; last verified on 2026-09-02. Found an error? Submit a correction.
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