Octofriend – Open-source AI coding assistant with flexible LLM switching

What is Octofriend？

Octofriend is an intelligent coding assistant that works like a trusted partner, allowing developers to freely switch between large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-5 and Claude, and pick the most suitable model based on task requirements. It comes with custom machine learning models that can automatically fix code editing and JSON encoding errors. Octofriend is open-source, with zero data tracking to safeguard user privacy. Developers can access it via API or integrate it into editors like VS Code, enabling real-time code checking, suggestions, and workflow optimization to improve code quality and development efficiency.

Key Features of Octofriend

• Flexible LLM Switching: Octofriend allows seamless switching between LLMs such as GPT-5 and Claude, enabling developers to choose the best model for each task and improve both code quality and productivity.

• Encrypted Information Handling: Supports processing encrypted tokens from OpenAI and Anthropic, ensuring information security when using powerful LLMs.

• Custom ML Models: Comes with built-in machine learning models that automatically fix code editing and JSON encoding errors, reducing manual debugging efforts.

• Docker Support: Compatible with Docker containers, enabling smooth connection to existing containers or launching new ones, ensuring a clean and secure development environment.

• Zero Data Tracking: Octofriend does not collect any user data, fully protecting code security and user privacy.

How to Use Octofriend

1. Install Octofriend: Run the installation command in your terminal or command-line interface to add Octofriend to your system.

2. Launch Octofriend: After installation, start Octofriend by entering the launch command in the terminal or CLI.

3. Configure Octofriend: The configuration file is usually located in the .config/octofriend folder under the user’s home directory. Edit it with a text editor to add custom model configurations, connect to MCP servers, etc.

4. Use Octofriend:

   • Integration with IDEs: Integrate Octofriend into popular code editors or development tools like VS Code or IntelliJ to easily access its features while coding.

   • Real-time Assistance: Get live code checking, suggestions, and automatic code snippet generation as you type.

   • Flexible LLM Switching: Switch between different LLMs depending on the task—use more powerful models for complex logic analysis and lightweight models for tasks like formatting.

   • Secure Encrypted Info Handling: Safely process encrypted tokens when using LLMs that support them.

   • Automatic Error Fixing: The built-in ML models detect and fix common code editing and JSON encoding issues, saving time and improving reliability.

Project Repository

• GitHub: https://github.com/synthetic-lab/octofriend

Application Scenarios of Octofriend

• Individual Developers: Provide real-time code completion and optimization suggestions to speed up coding and save effort.

• Team Collaboration: Enforce consistent coding styles and standards across a team, making collaboration and maintenance easier.

• Cross-language Projects: Help developers quickly adapt or convert code across multiple programming languages, reducing friction from language differences.

• Complex System Debugging: Quickly locate bugs in large systems and suggest fixes, shortening debugging cycles and improving efficiency.

• Learning & Teaching Programming: Act as a teaching aid by offering code examples and explanations, helping beginners better understand programming concepts.