Ask LLM
Give your AI coding assistant a second opinion — from a different model.
Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cursor, Claude Desktop, or any of 40+ MCP clients can call Codex, Claude, Grok, Antigravity, Ollama, or Gemini to review a diff, debate a plan, or catch the bug the first model missed. Standard MCP; no prompt hacks.
Quick Start · Choose a reviewer · Claude Code plugin · Docs · Packages
You: ask codex to review src/auth.ts for security issues
Codex: ⚠ verifyToken() compares tokens with === — not timing-safe (line 42)
⚠ the session cookie is missing a SameSite attribute
Claude: Good catches — applying both fixes to src/auth.ts.
One prompt. A second model reviews independently; your assistant applies the fix. No copy-pasting between tools.
Why a second opinion?
Your primary AI is confident, but confidence isn't correctness. A second model with no stake in the first answer catches what it glossed over.
| You want to… | Ask LLM does |
|---|
| Review a diff | A different model analyzes your changes and surfaces issues your primary AI missed |
| Debate a plan | Send an architecture proposal for critique, alternatives, and trade-off analysis |
| Get a second opinion on code | Have another model review an approach independently before you commit to it |
| Read more than fits | Gemini and Antigravity ingest whole codebases in one call (1M+ tokens) |
| Keep it local | Route reviews through Ollama when nothing can leave your machine |
| Compare models side by side | multi-llm fans one prompt out to several providers in parallel |
Quick Start
Prerequisites: Node.js 20+ for MCP packages or 24+ for the plugin, on Linux or macOS, and at least one provider CLI installed and authenticated (see Provider setup).
Claude Code
claude mcp add --scope user ask-llm -- npx -y @ask-llm/mcp
Then try: ask codex to review my last commit. Run npx @ask-llm/mcp doctor if anything looks off.
Advanced: install split provider packages instead
claude mcp add --scope user codex -- npx -y @ask-llm/codex-mcp
claude mcp add --scope user grok -e XAI_API_KEY="$XAI_API_KEY" -- npx -y @ask-llm/grok-mcp
claude mcp add --scope user antigravity -- npx -y @ask-llm/antigravity-mcp
claude mcp add --scope user ollama -- npx -y @ask-llm/ollama-mcp
claude mcp add --scope user gemini -- npx -y @ask-llm/gemini-mcp
Cursor
Add to .cursor/mcp.json (project) or ~/.cursor/mcp.json (user):
{
"mcpServers": {
"ask-llm": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@ask-llm/mcp"] }
}
}
Codex CLI
[mcp_servers.ask-llm]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "@ask-llm/mcp"]
Want Codex to consult Claude specifically? codex mcp add claude -- npx -y @ask-llm/claude-mcp
Claude Desktop
Add to claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"ask-llm": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@ask-llm/mcp"] }
}
}
Pi
Pi has no built-in MCP client, so it installs the host package instead, which registers native ask-* tools plus the shared skills:
pi install npm:@ask-llm/plugin
Then use /skill:codex-review, /skill:multi-review, /skill:compare, /skill:brainstorm, or just describe what you want. See the Pi host guide for trust, data-transfer, and compatibility details.
Any other MCP client (STDIO)
{ "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@ask-llm/mcp"] }
Swap @ask-llm/mcp for @ask-llm/codex-mcp, @ask-llm/claude-mcp, @ask-llm/grok-mcp, @ask-llm/antigravity-mcp, @ask-llm/ollama-mcp, or @ask-llm/gemini-mcp to install a single provider.
Choose your reviewer
The unified @ask-llm/mcp server is the recommended install: one registration, every provider you have, and parallel fan-out via multi-llm. Each provider is also available standalone.
| Provider | Best for | Model (default → fallback) | Requires |
|---|
| Codex | Code reasoning, targeted reviews, architecture critique | gpt-6-astra → gpt-5.6-terra | OpenAI/Codex account |
| Claude | An independent Claude opinion from Codex or another non-Claude host | opus (Opus 5.5) → sonnet | Claude Code CLI; read-only workspace tools |
| Grok | Grok 4.7 critique via xAI API or the official Grok CLI | grok-4.7, reasoning high (no fallback) | XAI_API_KEY or Grok CLI; one explicit harness per call |
| Antigravity | Subscription-backed second opinion; large-context reads | gemini-3.1-pro → gemini-3.5-flash (--effort high) | Google AI Pro/Ultra; agy CLI. Experimental, one-shot |
| Ollama | Private, offline, zero-cost review | qwen3.8:27b (no auto-fallback) | Ollama running locally |
| Gemini | Whole-codebase reads (1M+ tokens) | gemini-3.1-pro-preview → gemini-3.8-flash | Enterprise Gemini seat (see note) |
Gemini CLI is enterprise-only since 2026-06-18. Google restricted Gemini CLI to Gemini Code Assist Standard/Enterprise seats; free, Google AI Pro, and Ultra accounts lost access. @ask-llm/gemini-mcp still installs, but non-enterprise accounts get actionable guidance instead of output. On a subscription plan, use Antigravity (Google's sanctioned successor, covered by AI Pro/Ultra), Codex, Claude, or Ollama. Announcement
Fallbacks fire only under each provider's documented conditions (quota for Gemini/Codex, overload for Claude, rate limit for Antigravity). Grok and Ollama never substitute a model: Grok sends the exact harness catalog ID unchanged, and Ollama returns a clear ollama pull error if the requested model isn't local. Full details in Model Selection.
The Ask LLM plugin (Claude Code, Cursor Agent, Pi)
MCP gives your assistant the tools. The plugin, @ask-llm/plugin, adds the workflows: slash-command reviews with a validation pipeline, multi-model brainstorming, and opt-in continuous pair review.
/plugin marketplace add Lykhoyda/ask-llm
/plugin install ask-llm@ask-llm-plugins
| Command | What it does |
|---|
/multi-review | Parallel Antigravity + Codex review with a 4-phase validation pipeline and consensus highlighting |
/codex-review · /gemini-review · /ollama-review · /antigravity-review | Single-provider reviews with confidence filtering |
/sol-review | Model-pinned GPT-6 Sol review through Codex |
/grok-review | Metered Grok review through xAI with exact model attribution and no fallback |
/fable-review | Isolated, read-only review that requests the native Fable model and discloses runtime verification limits |
/brainstorm | Claude Opus researches your real files in parallel with external providers, then synthesizes, weighting verified findings higher. Also supports an exact no-Gemini Grok + GPT-6 Sol panel routed through Cursor Agent |
/compare | Raw side-by-side answers from multiple providers, no synthesis |
codex-pair | Opt-in continuous review on gpt-6-sol at medium effort: Codex checks every Edit/Write/MultiEdit when a .codex-pair/context.md marker is present |
Review agents follow a 4-phase pipeline inspired by Anthropic's code-review plugin: context gathering, prompt construction with explicit false-positive exclusions, synthesis, and source-level validation of each finding.
Host support matrix
@ask-llm/plugin is one package, one version, one release lifecycle, and one canonical skill corpus. Claude Code loads its marketplace agents and hooks; Cursor Agent loads the adapted /codex-pair and /grok-pair skills through Agent Skills plus mcp.json (agent --plugin-dir ./packages/claude-plugin; see the Cursor Agent host guide); Pi loads explicit native tools, portable skill adapters, and a thin lifecycle extension.
| Capability | Claude Code | Cursor Agent | Codex CLI host | Pi |
|---|
| Provider transport | MCP | MCP (mcp.json, unified ask-llm only) | MCP | native Ask LLM tools (no built-in MCP) |
| Review/compare/brainstorm skills | yes | Agent Skills | tools only | /skill:<name> + natural language |
| Isolated reviewer contexts / Fable | yes | no; fable-review excluded | no | no; fable-review excluded |
| codex-pair | hooks | on-demand persisted session | no | lifecycle extension |
/grok-pair | yes (explicit Cursor/xAI/CLI route) | direct xAI/CLI routes via pinned unified ask-llm (or user-installed ask-grok) | no | excluded |
| Blocking HIGH Stop gate | opt-in | no | no | no; surfaced non-blockingly |
| Async pairing in one-shot print | n/a | on-demand skill | no | unsupported |
Pi specifics: codex-pair requires the repository marker, Pi project trust, and interactive user-owned consent via /codex-pair; a committed marker alone never authorizes source transfer or cost. Pi surfaces findings non-blockingly and does not claim Claude's blocking Stop gate or one-shot print parity. fable-review is Claude Code-only. Provider CLI authentication is separate from Pi's host-model login. Update or remove with pi update npm:@ask-llm/plugin / pi remove npm:@ask-llm/plugin.
See the plugin docs for hooks, agents, and configuration.
| Tool | Package | Purpose |
|---|
ask-llm | @ask-llm/mcp | Unified orchestrator: pick a provider per call, or fan out to every installed provider |
multi-llm | @ask-llm/mcp | Send one prompt to multiple providers in parallel; returns per-provider responses and usage in one call |
ask-codex | @ask-llm/codex-mcp | Codex CLI. GPT-6 Astra with Terra fallback. Omit sessionId for ephemeral use, or pass sessionId: "" first to persist and resume |
ask-claude | @ask-llm/claude-mcp | Claude Code CLI. opus (Opus 5.5) with Sonnet fallback; native sessions; Read/Glob/Grep-only workspace access |
ask-grok | @ask-llm/grok-mcp | One-shot Grok prompt through explicit xai-api (default) or grok-cli; exact harness model ID; no harness/model fallback |
ask-cursor-agent | @ask-llm/mcp | Model-neutral Cursor Agent harness: separate provider (claude, codex, gemini, grok) + exact Cursor catalog model verified against that family; read-only ask mode; no force/trust/spend changes or fallback |
ask-antigravity | @ask-llm/antigravity-mcp | Google Antigravity (agy) for a subscription-backed second opinion. Experimental; one-shot |
ask-ollama | @ask-llm/ollama-mcp | Local Ollama. Fully private, zero cost. Server-side conversation replay via sessionId |
ask-gemini | @ask-llm/gemini-mcp | Gemini CLI with @ file syntax. 1M+ token context. Live progressive output via stream-json |
ask-gemini-edit | @ask-llm/gemini-mcp | Structured OLD/NEW code edit blocks from Gemini |
fetch-chunk | @ask-llm/gemini-mcp | Retrieve chunks from cached large responses |
get-usage-stats | all | Per-session token totals, fallback counts, breakdowns by provider/model. In-memory only |
diagnose | @ask-llm/mcp | Self-diagnosis: Node version, PATH resolution, provider CLI presence and versions. Read-only |
ping | all | Connection test |
Session-capable ask-* tools accept an optional sessionId and return a structured AskResponse (provider, response, model, sessionId, usage) via MCP outputSchema alongside the human-readable text. Codex requires sessionId: "" on the first call for a resumable thread. The orchestrator also exposes usage://current-session as an MCP Resource for live JSON snapshots.
Things to say
ask codex to review the changes in src/auth.ts for security issues
ask claude for an independent opinion on this architecture (from Codex or another non-Claude client)
ask antigravity to debate the plan in docs/design.md
ask ollama to explain src/config.ts (runs locally, nothing leaves your machine)
ask gemini to summarize @. the current directory (1M+ context; @ syntax is Gemini-only)
use multi-llm to compare what codex and grok think about this approach
More patterns in How to Ask and Multi-Turn Sessions.
CLI
The @ask-llm/mcp binary (ask-llm-mcp) starts the MCP server when run with no arguments. With arguments it's a CLI; ask-llm-mcp --help is the canonical reference.
npx @ask-llm/mcp doctor
npx @ask-llm/mcp doctor --json
npx @ask-llm/mcp doctor --format toon
npx @ask-llm/mcp doctor --format toon --full
npx @ask-llm/mcp repl
The REPL keeps a session per provider (/provider codex, /new, /sessions, /usage) and inherits all executor behavior: quota fallback, stream-json output for Gemini, native session resume.
Provider setup
Install and authenticate whichever providers you want to consult. The unified server detects what's present.
| Provider | Setup |
|---|
| Codex CLI | Install and sign in |
| Claude Code CLI | Install and sign in (for Codex or other clients consulting Claude) |
| xAI API / Grok CLI | Set XAI_API_KEY for the default metered harness, or install and authenticate official Grok Build and pin harness: "grok-cli" per request (or set ASK_GROK_HARNESS=grok-cli). No failover between harnesses |
| Cursor CLI | Optional model-neutral harness. Authenticate and pick an exact ID from agent --list-models |
Antigravity CLI (agy) | Version >= 1.1.5, logged in once (Google AI Pro/Ultra). Verify with agy --version |
| Ollama | Running locally with a model pulled: ollama pull qwen3.8:27b |
| Gemini CLI | npm install -g @google/gemini-cli && gemini login. Enterprise-gated since 2026-06-18 |
Packages
Migrating from the old package names
All public MCP packages now live in the @ask-llm npm organization. The old names are deprecated, but executable names are unchanged: update the package argument in your MCP config and commands such as ask-codex-mcp and ask-llm-mcp doctor keep working after a global install.
| Old package | Use instead |
|---|
ask-llm-mcp | @ask-llm/mcp |
ask-codex-mcp | @ask-llm/codex-mcp |
@anton-lykhoyda/ask-claude-mcp | @ask-llm/claude-mcp |
ask-antigravity-mcp | @ask-llm/antigravity-mcp |
ask-ollama-mcp | @ask-llm/ollama-mcp |
ask-gemini-mcp | @ask-llm/gemini-mcp |
The installation guide has the complete package-to-executable mapping.
Documentation
Contributing
Contributions are welcome. Start with the open issues and CONTRIBUTING.md.
License
MIT. See LICENSE.
Disclaimer: Ask LLM is an unofficial, third-party tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, or xAI.
