How2
How2 is an AI tool designed specifically for the Unix Command-Line. With its code-completion features, How2 aims to enhance the user experience by proposing rel...
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What is How2?
How2 is an AI-powered tool designed to enhance your Unix Terminal experience by suggesting shell commands directly from your terminal. It works like a smarter version of the man command, allowing you to query it in natural language instead of memorizing specific command syntax. The tool uses AI code-completion models that have been retrained specifically on Bash/Zsh and PowerShell commands to provide accurate suggestions.
Key features include intelligent code completion that suggests context-re relevant shell commands based on your input, automatic Bash script generation for rapid development, and the ability to search StackOverflow via Google using the -s option for community-driven solutions. When you press SPACE after a search, you enter interactive mode where you can choose different StackOverflow questions and answers. How2 also supports cross-platform compatibility on MacOSX, Ubuntu, Windows, and integrates seamlessly with PowerShell.
How2 is specifically designed for developers, system administrators, indie hackers, and anyone who frequently interacts with the command line. It's particularly beneficial for those who write Bash scripts, manage systems through the terminal, or want to learn terminal commands. The tool is safe to use because it will never run a command for you—it only proposes options and takes extra care to prevent code injection or misuse, rejecting some queries that might be potentially harmful.
The tool operates entirely as a terminal application that you install on your system rather than a browser-based tool. You can invoke it using the 'how2' command after installation via Brew (MacOSX), NPM, or by downloading the .deb file for Ubuntu/Debian. If you install without sudo, you run it with 'npx how2'. The AI models are still in early development and are being improved to be more focused on the Command Line experience.
How2 pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
How2 is free up to 5 AI queries per day. The rest of the features are forever free. There are two pricing tiers: Free at $0 with 5 AI queries per day, and Hacker at $9/month with 100 AI queries per day. An Enterprise plan that saves by bundling multiple accounts is coming soon. The team is doing their best to keep it free for most users and considers subscribing if you need more queries.
How2 pros
- AI-powered shell command suggestions directly from terminal
- Natural language query instead of memorizing command syntax
- Intelligent code completion for improved command line experience
- Automatic Bash script generation for rapid development
- Safe design that never executes commands—only proposes options
- Prevents code injection and misuse by rejecting dangerous queries
- StackOverflow search via Google with -s option for community solutions
- Interactive mode after pressing SPACE to choose different answers
- Cross-platform compatibility: MacOSX, Ubuntu, Windows
- Seamless PowerShell integration for unified shell experience
- No browser needed—works entirely from your Unix Terminal
- Replaces Chrome→Google→StackOverflow workflow with one command
- 5 free AI queries per day for most users
- Simple installation via Brew, NPM, or .deb file
- Works behind proxy with HTTP_PROXY or HTTPS_PROXY environment variables
- MIT license open source available on GitHub
- 5.8k stars on GitHub showing strong community adoption
- Can reword prompts with 'for loop', 'bash script', or 'one liner' for better results
- Block-select copy-paste support with Ctrl+Alt on Ubuntu or Alt+Cmd on Mac
How2 cons
- Only 5 free AI queries per day limits heavy usage
- AI models still in early development and not fully refined
- Sometimes cannot find solutions resulting in unexpected output
- May reject some queries as potentially harmful even when legitimate
- Requires installation on system rather than browser-based access
- Paid subscription needed for professional users needing more queries
- $9/month pricing may be expensive for some users
- StackOverflow search via -s option may show outdated answers
- Model focus on Command Line experience still being improved
- Interactive mode requires learning SPACE press and 'p' key commands
- Proxy setup requires manual environment variable configuration
- NPM installation requires sudo or using npx prefix
- Windows installation requires downloading binary manually
- No official Enterprise plan yet—marked as Coming Soon
- Big language models require prompt rewording skill for best results
Frequently asked questions about How2
What is How2Terminal?
How2Terminal is an AI-powered command-line tool that uses AI models to suggest shell commands and entire scripts right from your Unix Terminal. It's like the man command but you can query it in natural language, using a mix of AI code-completion and StackOverflow search to find the simplest way to do something in a unix shell.
How many free queries does How2 offer per day?
How2 offers 5 free AI queries per day. The rest of the features are forever free. If you need more queries, you can subscribe to the Hacker plan at $9/month which gives you 100 AI queries per day.
Is How2 safe to use?
Yes, How2 is safe to use. It will never run a command for you—it just proposes options. The tool takes extra care to prevent any code injection or misuse, and some queries might be rejected on this basis if they appear potentially harmful.
Can How2 create Bash scripts?
Yes, How2 can create quick Bash scripts for you. If it doesn't give you the answer you were looking for, try rewording your prompt by adding 'for loop', 'bash script', or 'one liner' at the end. With big language models, a little rewording goes a long way.
Does How2 work with PowerShell?
Yes, How2 works with PowerShell too. It understands the context and plays nicely with PowerShell, providing AI-driven suggestions for PowerShell commands just like it does for Bash/Zsh commands.
How do I install How2 on my system?
Installation varies by operating system: For MacOSX, use 'brew tap how2terminal/how2' followed by 'brew install how2'. For Ubuntu/Debian, download the .deb file with 'wget how2terminal.com/how2.deb' and run 'sudo dpkg -i how2.deb'. For Windows, download the binary. You can also install via NPM with 'sudo npm install -g how2' or run with 'npx how2' if installed without sudo.
What does the -s option do?
By default, How2 uses an AI model trained on Bash/Zsh programs. But if you pass the -s option, it searches StackOverflow via Google for an answer instead. After the search, you can press SPACE to go into interactive mode where you can choose a different StackOverflow question or answer.
Who can benefit from using How2?
How2 is suitable for a wide range of users including beginners wanting to learn the terminal, seasoned developers looking for quick command references, system administrators who manage systems through the terminal, indie hackers, and anyone who writes Bash scripts or frequently interacts with the command line. Everyone can find value in its intelligent code-completion features.
What happens if How2 doesn't find the right solution?
Sometimes the model cannot find a solution and will result in unexpected output. In that case, try rewording your input—it often takes minor changes to get to a good solution. And if it really doesn't work, just add -s to get the best answer on StackOverflow straight into the Terminal.