Choose a Model and Interface for Sidekick in Your Terminal

Choosing a model and interface for Sidekick in your terminal determines how you interact with it and what kind of responses you can expect. Before starting, check which Sidekick product or command-line tool you have: its supported models, setup commands, and interface options can differ by release or provider.

What You’ll Need

• Sidekick installed and a terminal open in the environment where you plan to use it.
• Access to the account or provider credentials required by your Sidekick setup. Never paste credentials into a public script or share them in a prompt.
• A clear idea of your main tasks, such as asking questions, editing code, or running commands. This helps you compare options instead of choosing by name alone.
• Network access if your selected model is hosted remotely. A locally run model may instead require a compatible runtime and enough system resources.

Step-by-Step

1. Confirm which Sidekick you are using. Check its installation instructions or built-in help before copying commands from a different project. Run the documented help command—often a command followed by --help—and look for sections about configuration, models, providers, or interactive mode. If Sidekick reports its version, note it; settings in one version may not exist in another.
2. List the available model choices. Use Sidekick’s documented model-list or configuration command if it provides one. Otherwise, consult the setup guide for your configured provider. Record the exact model identifiers and any requirements, such as an account, API key, local runtime, or network connection. Do not assume a model name from another tool will work.
3. Choose a model based on the work. For routine questions and short coding tasks, start with a general-purpose option. For complex reasoning, larger code changes, or long context, compare models that explicitly support those needs. Consider response speed, usage limits, context capacity, and whether prompts are sent to a remote service. The most capable option is not automatically the best fit for every task.
4. Decide what information the model may receive. Terminal assistants can sometimes use text you provide, files, or project context, depending on their configuration. Read the product’s documentation to understand what is sent to a provider and how access is controlled. Avoid including passwords, private keys, personal data, or confidential files in prompts. If you work in a sensitive repository, begin with the narrowest available context and permissions.
5. Pick an interface that fits your workflow. A one-shot command is useful for a quick question or scripted task; an interactive or chat-style interface is more convenient for follow-up questions. If Sidekick offers a terminal user interface, use it when you want a persistent screen with visible conversation history. Choose plain text output for shell pipelines or automation. Interface names and features vary, so confirm the exact options in the help output rather than guessing flags.
6. Set the model and interface using the documented method. Depending on the tool, you might select them through a command-line option, a configuration file, an environment variable, or an interactive setup prompt. Follow the instructions for your installed version and use the exact model identifier. If a setting can be saved globally or per project, prefer the project-level setting when different repositories need different models. Check that local configuration files containing secrets are not committed to version control.
7. Run a low-risk test. Start Sidekick and ask a simple question that does not require private project data. Check that the selected model appears in the status or startup information, if available, and that the chosen interface behaves as expected. For an interactive interface, try a follow-up question and exit using its documented command. For plain output, verify that it does not add formatting that would break your intended shell workflow.
8. Test your real workflow with review enabled. If you want help with code, begin with a small, non-sensitive example. Ask for a suggestion or explanation before allowing changes or command execution. Read proposed edits and commands, and use your normal version-control or backup process before applying changes. A model can produce incorrect or incomplete output, regardless of interface.
9. Adjust one choice at a time. If replies are too slow, too brief, or unsuitable for your work, change the model or interface—not both at once—then repeat the same test prompt. This makes it easier to tell which change helped. Keep a note of the working model identifier and configuration so you can restore it later.

Common Mistakes

• Using an unsupported model name: Model labels are provider-specific and may change. Copy the exact identifier from Sidekick’s available-model list or the provider’s instructions.
• Confusing model with interface: The model generates responses; the interface controls how you send prompts and read them. Changing the interface does not necessarily change the model.
• Assuming every feature is available everywhere: Tool use, file access, streaming, and long-context support depend on the particular model, provider, and Sidekick implementation. Verify each requirement.
• Putting a secret in a command or prompt: Shell history, logs, and shared screens can expose sensitive text. Use the documented credential setup and avoid pasting secrets into conversations.
• Letting a terminal assistant run changes without review: A suggested command can remove files or alter a project. Inspect it first, understand its effects, and keep important work backed up.
• Copying flags from an unrelated tutorial: Options differ between tools and releases. Check the local help output before relying on an example command.

Tips

• Write down what matters most—speed, quality, context size, privacy, or predictable output—before comparing models.
• Use the simplest interface that supports the task. A short one-shot prompt is often easier to automate; an interactive session is better for refinement.
• Use a consistent test prompt when comparing choices, and judge whether the response is correct and useful rather than relying only on model descriptions.
• Keep configuration specific to a project when teams or repositories have different needs. Document the model identifier and setup steps without recording credentials.
• For scripts, check whether Sidekick has a documented non-interactive mode and stable output format. Do not assume an interactive display is suitable for piping into another command.

Troubleshooting

Sidekick cannot find the model: Recheck spelling and capitalization, then confirm the model is available to the configured provider and account. Use the documented list command if available. If the model was recently added, follow the provider’s setup instructions and restart the terminal session if its documentation requires it.

Authentication or connection fails: Confirm that credentials were set using the supported method, have not expired, and are available to the current terminal session. Check network access and provider status. Do not print a secret to diagnose the problem; inspect whether the relevant variable or configuration entry exists without displaying its value.

The interface does not start or a flag is rejected: Run the local help command and compare the option with the installed version’s documentation. Check for a missing dependency or runtime if the interface requires one. Remove unrecognized flags and start with the default interface, then add supported options individually.

Responses are slow, truncated, or unhelpful: Try a shorter prompt and reduce unnecessary context. Confirm the model’s documented limits and check for a provider outage or usage restriction. Then test another supported model with the same prompt. If output is truncated, ask for a smaller result or use the tool’s documented continuation control.

Sidekick tries to change files or run a command unexpectedly: Stop or decline the action using the interface’s documented controls. Review its permissions and configuration, and restart in a read-only or less-privileged mode if the tool provides one. Restore files from version control or a backup if needed; do not run commands you cannot explain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the model without changing the interface?
Usually, if Sidekick supports both choices independently. Use its configuration instructions and verify the active model after restarting or reloading.

Which model should I choose for coding?
Start with a supported general-purpose model suited to your task. Compare it on a small example, and check its context and tool-support requirements before using it on a project.

Should I use an interactive interface or a one-shot command?
Use interactive mode for back-and-forth work. Use a one-shot command for a quick request or automation, provided its output format fits your workflow.

Can I use Sidekick offline?
Only if the chosen setup supports a locally hosted model and all required components are installed. A remote model generally needs a network connection.

Is a more capable model always better?
No. It may be slower or subject to different resource and usage limits. Choose the option that meets your task’s quality, privacy, and workflow needs.

How can I tell which model Sidekick is using?
Check its startup message, status command, or configuration display if provided. If it does not show the active model, verify the setting in the documented configuration source.

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