zerostack

zerostack

A lightweight web tool by gi-dellav for creating, managing, and visualizing zero-stack architectures, simplifying cloud infrastructure design and deployment.

zero-stack architecturecloud infrastructure designdeployment visualizationinfrastructure as codecloud architecture tool
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What is zerostack?

zerostack is a minimal coding agent written in Rust, weighing in at ~16k lines of code and a 26MB binary. It provides a lightweight alternative to JavaScript-based agents, consuming only ~16 MB RAM on average (~24 MB peak) versus ~700 MB for JS counterparts. Users leverage it to create, manage, and visualize zero-stack architectures, simplifying cloud infrastructure design and deployment through a terminal-based interface. It integrates multiple AI providers, a permission system, and session management for efficient, long-horizon coding tasks.

Application scenarios

  • Cloud infrastructure design

    Visualize and manage zero-stack architectures directly from the terminal.

  • Long-horizon coding tasks

    Use iterative coding loops (Ralph Wiggum loops) for complex, multi-step development projects.

  • Parallel codebase exploration

    Run multiple agents on the same repo with temporary git worktrees that merge and clean up on exit.

  • Code review and debugging

    Leverage built-in prompts for correctness, design, testing, and root-cause analysis before fixing.

  • Read-only exploration

    Use ask or brainstorm prompts to explore ideas or produce plans without executing code.

  • Security auditing

    Run review-security prompts to find exploitable vulnerabilities in codebases.

  • Multi-provider agent orchestration

    Switch between OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Ollama, or custom providers at runtime.

Core Features

  • Multi-provider support

    Connect to OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Ollama, or custom providers for flexible agent backends.

  • Permission system

    Five modes (restrictive, readonly, guarded, standard, yolo) with per-tool glob patterns, session allowlists, and doom-loop detection to prevent runaway agents.

  • Terminal UI

    Built with crossterm, includes markdown rendering, mouse support, and scrollback for a rich terminal experience.

  • Prompts system

    Ten built-in prompts (code, plan, review, debug, ask, brainstorm, frontend-design, review-security, simplify, write-prompt) switchable at runtime via `/prompt`.

  • Session management

    Save, load, resume sessions with auto-compaction; manage via `/session` command.

  • MCP support

    Connect external tool servers for extended agent capabilities.

  • Git Worktrees

    Branch-per-task workflow with `/worktree` and `/wt-merge` commands for isolated development.

  • Subagents

    Run parallel, fast codebase exploration agents on the same repository.

  • Persistent memory (gated)

    Plain-Markdown memory across sessions for long-term context retention.

  • Sandbox mode

    Use bubblewrap or zerobox isolation for secure agent execution.

Target users

Software engineers, cloud architects, and DevOps teams who need a lightweight, Rust-based agent for designing zero-stack architectures, managing complex codebases, or automating multi-step development workflows. It suits developers comfortable with terminal interfaces and those seeking a memory-efficient alternative to JavaScript-based coding agents.

How to use zerostack?

  1. Install the binary (26MB) and run it in your terminal.
  2. Use /prompt autoconfig after install to explore docs and configure everything interactively.
  3. Switch models with /model, set permission modes with /mode, and manage sessions with /session.
  4. For parallel agents, use --parallel flag to run multiple agents on the same repo with temporary git worktrees.
  5. Custom prompts can be added by placing markdown files in $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/zerostack/prompts/.

Effect review

zerostack delivers a remarkably lightweight coding agent that outperforms JavaScript-based alternatives in memory efficiency (~16 MB vs ~700 MB peak). Its comprehensive permission system and built-in prompts make it practical for both exploratory and production-grade coding tasks. The terminal UI and session management are solid for daily use, though the gated features (ACP support, persistent memory) suggest some capabilities are still maturing. For developers seeking a Rust-native agent with multi-provider flexibility and sandbox isolation, zerostack is a compelling choice—especially for long-horizon or parallel codebase work. The lack of a GUI may limit appeal for non-terminal users, but its performance and feature set are well-suited for infrastructure-focused teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is zerostack?
zerostack is a lightweight web tool for creating, managing, and visualizing zero-stack architectures, simplifying cloud infrastructure design and deployment.
Who developed zerostack?
zerostack was developed by gi-dellav.
What is a zero-stack architecture?
A zero-stack architecture minimizes or eliminates traditional infrastructure layers, relying on serverless and managed services for simplified deployment.
Is zerostack free to use?
Yes, zerostack is a free web tool, though specific pricing details may be available on the official site.
Can I deploy cloud infrastructure directly from zerostack?
zerostack helps design and visualize architectures, but deployment may require integration with cloud providers or additional tools.
Do I need coding skills to use zerostack?
No, zerostack is designed for simplicity, requiring minimal coding for creating and managing cloud architectures.

zerostack - AI Tool Detail

A lightweight web tool by gi-dellav for creating, managing, and visualizing zero-stack architectures, simplifying cloud infrastructure design and deployment.

Category：Code generation

Visit Link：https://gi-dellav.github.io/zerostack/

Tags：zero-stack architecture、cloud infrastructure design、deployment visualization、infrastructure as code、cloud architecture tool