ssa

ssa is a POSIX sh program. On Windows, run it under a POSIX shell such as WSL. It gives a task to a local model through llama-cli and repeats until the task is done. If llama-cli is not installed, it uses the llama command. A model file on disk needs no network. This file is the help. The program has no -h or --help.

Run

Put the task on the command line. Text piped in is extra context for that task.

export SSA_LLAMA_CLI_ARGUMENTS="-m /models/gemma.gguf -c 8192 -n -1"
ssa fix the failing test
cat notes.txt | ssa summarize this repo

SSA_LLAMA_CLI_ARGUMENTS must include -m or --model and a model path. A path with a space does not work. Give the model enough room to finish each reply. A short reply limit can leave the run waiting.

SSA_NO_ASK=1 runs scripts, writes, and edits without asking. A run with no terminal needs that setting. Questions and messages are then off.

Loop

Each turn the model does one thing: run a script, write a file, edit a file, ask a question, or show a message. You approve a script, a write, and an edit unless SSA_NO_ASK=1. A question or a message is shown without that approval. The run ends when the model completes the task or the user quits. At least one action must stay on.

One log file is written per run, under SSA_LOG_FOLDER, and it stays after exit. SSA_VERBOSE=1 shows progress and the log path. A failure prints the log path on stderr.

Settings

Set these in the environment. VAR=value ssa … covers one run.

Setting	Default
SSA_EXTRA_SYSTEM_TEXT	empty, added to the instructions
SSA_LLAMA_CLI_ARGUMENTS	required; llama-cli flags, including the model
SSA_LOG_FOLDER	temp directory (TMPDIR, or /tmp)
SSA_NO_ASK	0 (ask before a script, write, or edit)
SSA_NO_EDITS	0 (allow file edits)
SSA_NO_MESSAGES	0 (allow messages)
SSA_NO_QUESTIONS	0 (allow questions)
SSA_NO_SCRIPTS	0 (allow scripts)
SSA_NO_WRITES	0 (allow file writes)
SSA_VERBOSE	0 (hide progress)

Exit status

Code	Meaning
0	The task completed
1	Bad arguments, harness failure, or user quit
129	Hangup
130	Interrupt
143	Terminate

Hangup, interrupt, and terminate print no status line.