# RTK — CLI Proxy That Cuts LLM Token Usage by 60-90%

> RTK is a single-binary CLI proxy written in Rust that sits between your AI coding agent and shell commands, intelligently compressing tool outputs to reduce LLM token consumption by 60-90% with zero configuration.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# RTK — CLI Proxy That Cuts LLM Token Usage by 60-90%

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install RTK
curl -fsSL https://rtk.sh | bash

# Use RTK as a prefix for any command
rtk ls -la
rtk git diff
rtk cat large-file.txt

# Or set it as your shell proxy for AI agents
export RTK_ENABLED=1
```

## Introduction
RTK intercepts shell command output between your AI coding agent and the terminal, intelligently compressing verbose results so the LLM sees only what matters. Written in Rust as a single static binary with zero dependencies, it drops into any workflow without configuration changes.

## What RTK Does
- Intercepts CLI output and compresses it before it reaches the LLM context window
- Reduces token consumption by 60-90% on common dev commands like `git diff`, `find`, and `ls`
- Ships as a single Rust binary with no runtime dependencies
- Works transparently with Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, and other AI coding agents
- Preserves semantic meaning while stripping noise, whitespace, and repetitive patterns

## Architecture Overview
RTK acts as a lightweight proxy layer that wraps shell commands. When the AI agent issues a command, RTK executes it, captures stdout/stderr, applies format-aware compression heuristics (different strategies for JSON, diffs, directory listings, logs), and returns the compressed output. The compression is deterministic and lossless in terms of actionable information.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install with a one-line curl command or download the binary from GitHub releases
- No configuration file required; works out of the box with sensible defaults
- Set `RTK_ENABLED=1` to enable proxy mode for all commands
- Customize compression levels via `RTK_LEVEL` environment variable (1-5)
- Supports allowlist and blocklist patterns for selective command interception

## Key Features
- Zero-config single binary with sub-millisecond overhead per command
- Format-aware compression: understands git diffs, JSON, file trees, and log output
- Reduces AI coding costs proportionally to token savings
- Open source under MIT license with an active contributor community
- Compatible with any AI agent that shells out to the terminal

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Native context management** — Built into some agents but lacks cross-tool portability
- **Manual prompt trimming** — Requires user intervention; RTK automates it
- **Output piping with grep/sed** — Loses structure; RTK preserves semantic content
- **LLM context window expansion** — Costs more tokens; RTK reduces the need

## FAQ
**Q: Does RTK change the meaning of command output?**
A: No. RTK strips formatting noise and repetitive patterns but preserves all actionable information the LLM needs to make decisions.

**Q: Does it work with any AI coding agent?**
A: Yes, it works with any tool that executes shell commands, including Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, and custom agent setups.

**Q: What is the performance overhead?**
A: Sub-millisecond per command invocation. The Rust binary is compiled to native code with no garbage collection pauses.

**Q: Is it open source?**
A: Yes, RTK is fully open source under the MIT license.

## Sources
- https://github.com/rtk-ai/rtk
- https://rtk.sh

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-27408fd9
Author: Script Depot