/docs · nelsen CLI
Run local models from your terminal.
The nelsen CLI is a single binary that wraps a local model runtime. No cloud calls, no API keys, no telemetry — just your terminal, your machine, and the model you chose.
01 / What is it
What is it
nelsen is a rebranded wrapper around an open-source local model runtime. It bundles the runtime, a model registry, and a thin CLI surface so the workflow is one short command per intent: install, sign in, serve, launch.
Models run locally on your machine. Nothing about your prompts, your files, or your session is sent off-device unless you explicitly configure a different backend. The default configuration is local-only.
02 / Quick start
Quick start
Pick your OS. Every command is shown with a Copy button.
1. Install
Install the nelsen CLI globally via npm. The package ships a single binary that bundles the local model runtime — no Ollama, no Docker, no extra daemon.
npm install -g @nelsen/clinelsen --version2. Sign in
Linking the CLI to your Nelsen account is a one-time device-code handshake. After sign-in, the CLI stores a long-lived token locally and uses it for every future command — your browser session stays independent and can be signed out without affecting the CLI.
nelsen signinThe terminal prints a short pairing code and a URL. Open the URL, approve the device, and the CLI completes the handshake automatically.
3. Run the local server
Start the local model server in the foreground. The CLI listens on a localhost port and exposes the standard completion / streaming endpoints used by every supported agent.
nelsen servenelsen serve --port 11434 --model llama3.24. Launch an agent
Once the server is running, you can launch an agent directly from the terminal. The agent uses the local server as its backend; nothing leaves your machine.
nelsen launch claudenelsen launch claude --model llama3.2 --no-confirm5. Sign out
Revoke the local token at any time. This signs out the CLI only — your browser session on nelsen.studio is untouched.
nelsen signoutmacOS install instructions will land here once the Homebrew tap is published — the binary is the same; only the install command differs.
03 / Authentication
Authentication
`nelsen signin` pairs your terminal with your Nelsen account.
The first time you run nelsen signin the CLI prints a short code and a URL. Open the URL on any device that's already signed in to nelsen.studio and click Approve. The CLI detects the approval and stores a long-lived token on disk.
After sign-in the CLI never asks for a password again. The token is independent of your browser session — signing out of the website does not sign out the CLI, and revoking the CLI token does not log you out of the website.
Pairing codes expire after 15 minutes and are single-use. A code that's already been approved can't be re-used by another device — this protects you against shoulder-surfing or copy-paste leaks from the terminal.
04 / Run the server
Run the server
`nelsen serve` starts the local model server in the foreground.
The server binds to localhost only — it's not reachable from other devices on your network. Use --port to override the default; use --model to pick which model to load. The CLI auto-pulls the model the first time you reference it.
When the server is up, it exposes the standard completion and streaming endpoints any local agent can talk to. Keep the terminal open while you work — closing the window stops the server.
05 / Launch an agent
Launch an agent
`nelsen launch claude` starts an agent that talks to the local server.
Agents run in your terminal and exit when their task finishes — there's no background daemon. The agent reads from your stdin and writes to your stdout the same way a normal shell process does, so you can pipe to files, redirect output, or chain commands.
nelsen launch takes the agent name as its first argument and passes everything after it to that agent's launcher. claude is the default agent; future agents will land under the same launch <name> surface.
06 / Sign out
Sign out
`nelsen signout` revokes the local token.
Use this when you're done with the device, switching accounts, or troubleshooting a stuck token. The token is deleted from disk and invalidated server-side at the same time — a subsequent nelsen signin on the same device starts a fresh pairing flow.
07 / License
License
nelsen is a thin wrapper around the local model runtime. The runtime is distributed under the MIT License; see the full attribution text.