Coding agents
Nova CLI, Claude Code, Cline, and Hermes — running on one CircuitNotion API key, built and billed from Kigali.
AI coding agents changed how software gets written in 2025 — but most of them assume a foreign credit card and a US billing address. CircuitNotion is a Rwanda-based AI company building the developer platform that removes that barrier: one API key, local top-ups, and agents that run on the same infrastructure as the rest of Rwanda’s AI ecosystem.
Why it matters
Agents are the current frontier of advanced technology in Rwanda's software sector — here is what actually differs.
A coding agent reads the repository, proposes a plan, edits files, and runs commands in your terminal. That is a different workflow from pasting snippets into a chat window, and it scales to real projects.
API usage draws on CircuitNotion credits topped up through the local payment platform, so teams in Kigali are not blocked by foreign card or billing-address requirements.
A single CircuitNotion API key routes to CircuitNotion, OpenAI, DeepSeek, Anthropic, and Moonshot models. kimi-k3 is the recommended default for agentic coding.
Nova CLI’s plan mode never loads write tools, so you can point an agent at unfamiliar code and get an explanation without risking edits.
Nova CLI
Published on npm as @circuit-nova/nova-cli. Requires Node.js 22.5 or newer.
Run nova for a session, or pass a single request and exit — useful in scripts and CI.
nova --plan answers questions about a codebase without ever loading write tools.
nova --doctor probes endpoints so proxy and firewall problems surface immediately.
Compatibility
| Agent | Protocol |
|---|---|
| Nova CLIBuilt by CircuitNotion | CircuitNotion Agent |
| Claude Code | Anthropic Messages |
| Cline | OpenAI Compatible |
| Hermes | OpenAI Compatible |
Coding agents
Start with Nova CLI — CircuitNotion's terminal coding agent — or point Claude Code, Cline, or Hermes at one cn_ API key. Your wallet pays for usage.
cn_… secret.Nova CLI
CIRCUITNOTION_API_KEYOfficial CircuitNotion agent — npm package
Claude Code
https://api.circuitnotion.comAnthropic Messages — no trailing /v1
Cline & Hermes
https://api.circuitnotion.com/v1OpenAI Compatible — include /v1
Terminal agent from @circuit-nova/nova-cli. Runs against your working tree (or an isolated sandbox). Needs Node.js 22.5+ and a cn_… key via CIRCUITNOTION_API_KEY.
1# Requires Node.js 22.5+ (node --version)
2npm install -g @circuit-nova/nova-cli
3nova --version # 1.0.0+
4
5# Or try once without installing:
6# npx @circuit-nova/nova-cli@latest --version
7
8# Also: pnpm add -g / yarn global add / bun add -g @circuit-nova/nova-cli1# Point Nova at CircuitNotion (env overrides saved settings)
2export CIRCUITNOTION_API_KEY=cn_YOUR_KEY
3
4# Interactive config (arrow keys / numbers; secrets are masked)
5nova settings
6
7# Confirm the provider is detected
8nova --providers
9
10# Optional: E2B_API_KEY for --sandbox, EXA_API_KEY for web_search1cd your-project
2nova # interactive session
3nova "Fix the failing test in src/parser.ts" # one request, then exit
4nova --plan "how does auth work here?" # read-only: write tools never load
5
6# Health checks
7nova --doctor # probe endpoints (proxy / firewall friendly)
8nova history status # native SQLite index, or portable fallbacknova update (or nova update --yes in CI).E2B_API_KEY for --sandbox, EXA_API_KEY for web search.nova --doctor — it names the blocked endpoint.402 = fund wallet · 429 = rate limit · Live models: GET https://api.circuitnotion.com/v1/models
FAQ
A coding agent is an AI tool that reads your codebase, plans a change, edits files, and runs commands — rather than only answering questions in a chat window. It works inside your terminal or editor, so it can see the project as it actually is.
Nova CLI is CircuitNotion’s own terminal coding agent. Claude Code works through the Anthropic Messages protocol, and Cline and Hermes work through the OpenAI-compatible endpoint. All four authenticate with a single CircuitNotion API key.
Nova CLI is a terminal coding agent published as @circuit-nova/nova-cli on npm. It requires Node.js 22.5 or newer, is configured with the CIRCUITNOTION_API_KEY environment variable, and includes a read-only plan mode, a sandbox mode, and a --doctor health check for restricted networks.
Yes. CircuitNotion bills API usage in credits that can be topped up through the CircuitNotion payment platform, so Rwandan developers and teams do not need a foreign card or a foreign billing address to use coding agents.
No. One CircuitNotion API key works across Nova CLI, Claude Code, Cline, and Hermes, and the usage from all of them draws on the same credit balance.
kimi-k3 is the recommended default for agentic coding work. You can list every model available to your key with a GET request to https://api.circuitnotion.com/v1/models.
Create a key on the developer platform, add credits, and point any supported agent at CircuitNotion.