askalf/dario

What it solves

dario is a local proxy that allows users to use their existing paid AI subscriptions (like Claude Pro/Max or ChatGPT Plus/Pro) across any AI tool or script that requires an API key. It eliminates the need to pay per-token API bills for tools like Cursor, Aider, Cline, and Zed by routing requests through the user's existing consumer subscriptions.

How it works

It creates a local endpoint (http://localhost:3456) that acts as a bridge. When a tool sends a request, dario translates the request's "wire shape" (the protocol/format) between different providers. For example, it can translate an OpenAI-compatible request into a format that a Claude subscription can understand, or vice versa.

Key technical features include:

• Multi-account pooling: It can manage multiple subscriptions, routing requests to the account with the most available headroom to avoid rate limits.
• Session stickiness: It pins conversations to a specific account to maximize the use of Claude's prompt caching, reducing token costs.
• Failover: It can automatically switch between different subscriptions (e.g., from Claude to ChatGPT) if one is rate-limited or down.
• Shadow compare: It can run the same prompt through two different models simultaneously and save the results for comparison without affecting the primary request.
• Overage guard: It automatically halts the proxy if it detects a response being billed outside the subscription pool to prevent unexpected costs.

Who it’s for

Developers and power users who have paid AI subscriptions and want to use those subscriptions in third-party AI agents, IDEs, and scripts without paying additional per-token API fees.

Highlights

• Unified Endpoint: One local URL for multiple AI providers (Claude, ChatGPT, Groq, OpenRouter, local Ollama).
• Subscription-based Pricing: Uses existing consumer plans instead of API credits.
• Zero Runtime Dependencies: Written in Node.js with no external runtime dependencies.
• Interactive TUI: A full-screen control panel for monitoring request streams, burn-rates, and account status.
• Protocol Translation: Seamlessly converts between Anthropic Messages and OpenAI Chat formats.