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AI Roundtable Poll · 4 models

Which OpenRouter-compatible lightweight (old laptop) CLI agent should I use?

Result: Unanimous — Aider (4/4 votes)

Options

Model Responses

Grok 4.20

Vote: Aider

Aider stands out as a mature, lightweight CLI coding agent that runs efficiently on older laptops with minimal dependencies. It is Python-based and requires no heavy frameworks or GPU, making it suitable for resource-constrained hardware. Aider directly supports OpenRouter via API base URL and key configuration, allowing access to a wide range of models without extra setup. In contrast, options like OpenHands involve more complex agent frameworks that can be heavier, while others (Goose, Crush, Claw Code, Pi, Roo Code CLI) are either less established for CLI use or lack clear lightweight OpenRouter compatibility.

GPT-5.4

Vote: Aider

Aider is the safest default for an old laptop: it is mature, terminal-first, and generally light on local resources because the heavy lifting happens in the model API, not on your machine. It has strong OpenRouter compatibility in practice, broad model support, and a large user base. That usually means fewer surprises, better docs, and easier troubleshooting than newer or less proven CLI agents. Compared with heavier autonomous agents like OpenHands, Aider is much better aligned with “lightweight CLI” use. It is focused, fast to start, and works well for iterative coding tasks without demanding a complex runtime. If your priority is reliability, low overhead, and good OpenRouter support, Aider is the best overall pick here.

Gemini 3.1 Pro

Vote: Aider

Aider is the definitive choice for a lightweight, terminal-based AI coding assistant. Because it runs directly in your CLI and offloads the heavy computational lifting to external APIs, it requires minimal local CPU and RAM, making it perfectly suited for an older laptop. It features first-class, native support for OpenRouter—you simply set your `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` environment variable and append `--model openrouter/<model-name>` to your command. Unlike OpenHands (which requires Docker and is much heavier) or Roo Code (which is primarily a VS Code extension), Aider is a pure Python CLI tool. It also seamlessly integrates with git to automatically commit changes with context-aware messages, providing a highly efficient and incredibly lightweight development experience.

Claude Opus 4

Vote: Aider

Aider is the best choice for a lightweight CLI agent on an old laptop with OpenRouter compatibility, for several reasons: First, Aider is a mature, well-established CLI tool specifically designed for AI-assisted coding. It runs entirely in the terminal with minimal resource overhead — no Electron wrapper, no heavy GUI, no browser instance. This makes it ideal for older hardware with limited RAM and CPU. Second, Aider has excellent OpenRouter support built in. You can simply set `--openrouter-api-key` or configure it via environment variables and access any model available on OpenRouter. This is a first-class integration, not a workaround. Third, compared to the alternatives: Goose (by Block) is heavier and less proven; Crush is relatively obscure with limited community support; Claw Code (Claude Code CLI variant) typically requires Anthropic's direct API; OpenHands runs a sandboxed Docker environment which is resource-heavy and not ideal for old laptops; Pi is not primarily a coding agent; Roo Code CLI is newer and less battle-tested than Aider. Aider is a pure Python CLI tool with a small footprint, strong git integration, broad model support via OpenRouter, and a large active community. It's the most practical and lightweight option for the described use case.