Rtk

Free

CLI proxy that reduces LLM token consumption by 60-90% on common dev commands. Single Rust binary, zero dependencies

FreeFree tier

Type

Open Source

Visit Website GitHub (49.1k stars)

About Rtk

RTK (Rust Token Killer) is an open-source CLI proxy that compresses command outputs before they reach the context window of AI agents, reducing token consumption by 60-90% on common developer commands. It is implemented as a single Rust binary with zero dependencies, licensed under Apache 2.0. RTK integrates with tools like Claude Code, Cursor, Aider, Gemini CLI, OpenAI Codex, Cline, Windsurf, and GitHub Copilot, extending session length by up to 3x and cutting costs (e.g., a team of 10 saves ~$1,750/month). Benchmarks across 2,900+ real-world commands show 89% average noise reduction, with specific savings of 91.8% for cargo test, 80.8% for git status, 78.3% for find, and 49.5% for grep.

Key Features

Reduces token consumption by 60-90% on common developer commands

Achieves 89% average noise reduction measured across 2,900+ real-world commands

Single Rust binary with zero dependencies (Apache 2.0)

Integrates with Claude Code, Cursor, Aider, Gemini CLI, OpenAI Codex, Cline, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot

Extends AI agent sessions up to 3x longer by preventing context overflow

Reduces costs: team of 10 saves ~$1,750/month on pay-per-token setups

Provides side-by-side comparisons of original vs compressed output

Supports commands: cargo test, git status, git log, grep, find, ls, deps, pytest, go test, and more

Pros & Cons

Pros

Significant token reduction (up to 91.8% for cargo test)
Free and open source with permissive Apache 2.0 license
Lightweight single binary, no dependencies needed
Works with most popular AI coding tools and agents
Real-world benchmarks demonstrate measurable savings

Cons

Only optimizes CLI command outputs, not general text or code
Requires installation of Rust binary and configuration
Lossy compression may omit non-critical output details

Best For

Reducing token waste for AI coding agents using CLI toolsLowering API costs for teams using pay-per-token LLMsExtending session length in tools like Cursor, Claude Code, and AiderImproving reasoning quality by preserving context window space for actual codeStreamlining CI/CD logs and command output for LLM consumption

FAQ

How much token reduction can I expect with RTK?

Based on benchmarks across 2,900+ real-world dev commands, RTK achieves 89% average noise reduction. Specific savings: cargo test 91.8%, git status 80.8%, find 78.3%, grep 49.5%.

Which AI coding tools does RTK work with?

RTK works with Claude Code, Cursor, Aider, Gemini CLI, OpenAI Codex, Cline, Windsurf, and GitHub Copilot.

Is RTK free to use?

Yes, RTK is completely free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license. The source code is available on GitHub.