groundhog

What it does

A teaching project that exists to show how Cursor and its peers actually work underneath, built up increment by increment alongside a written series — the premise being that understanding the mechanism lets you drive these tools harder or write your own. The author is explicit that it's a teaching tool, points you at Goose, Roo/Cline, Aider or AllHands if you want something that works today, and says up front they won't be handling issue reports. AGPL-3.0.

Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.

Screenshots & visuals

Before you start

• Setup difficultyFor advanced users
• Command lineRequired
• API keyRequired
• Sends data onlineYes

Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.

groundhog FAQ

Is groundhog free?

groundhog itself is free, but it needs an API key for an external AI service. That service charges separately, though some have a free tier.

Do I need to install anything or write code to use groundhog?

It needs the command line. If you are not comfortable typing commands, expect to get stuck during setup.

Does groundhog work on a phone?

No. It needs a computer.

Can I use groundhog commercially?

The licence is AGPL-3.0. Using it commercially is fine, but if you distribute something built on it you may be required to release that under the same licence. Keep it internal, or check before distributing.

How it compares

The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.

"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.

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