Self-host Deadend CLI
v0.1.15Autonomous pentesting CLI with feedback-driven AI iteration
- Stars
- 319
- Requires
- Docker
What is Deadend CLI?
This command-line tool performs autonomous web application penetration testing through an AI agent that iteratively refines exploitation strategies based on observed feedback. It runs entirely on local infrastructure with no cloud dependencies, supports any language model accessible via LiteLLM (including local models through Ollama), and presents a React/Ink terminal interface offering both supervised and fully autonomous execution modes. The agent reaches about four-fifths success on the XBOW validation suite using Kimi K2.5 at approximately US$122 in API costs. Users install it via a shell script that fetches pre-built binaries for Linux x86_64 and macOS ARM64, with Docker as a required prerequisite. Model credentials and settings live in ~/.deadend/config.json while CLI preferences reside in ~/.deadend/settings.json.
Should you self-host Deadend CLI?
Deadend CLI scores 46/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #54 of 78 in Security. It has 319 GitHub stars.
It shipped 6 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v0.1.15, came out on 11 April 2026. New versions land roughly every 9 days.
Setup is moderate: expect some configuration beyond a single command. It is AGPL-3.0-licensed and written mostly in Python.
Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is pentagi (83/100, 32 629 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See Deadend CLI vs pentagi side by side.
Features
- Autonomous penetration testing
- Confidence-based decision making
- Custom sandboxed tools
- Embedding Model Support
- Fully local execution
- Interactive terminal UI
- Model-agnostic architecture
- Presetup configuration wizard
- Supervisor-subagent hierarchy
- XBOW benchmark evaluation
Deadend CLI README
More in CLI Tools
EntrolyEntroly is a self-hosted, open-source tool that reduces AI token usage by picking relevant code evidence within a budget and providing auditable receipts.
ffmpeg-over-ipOpen-source, self-hosted client and server that run GPU-accelerated ffmpeg on a remote machine and tunnel file I/O back, dropping GPU passthrough and NFS/SMB shares.
leatherleather is a self-hosted, open-source local agent runtime running declarative AI agents from a single zero-dependency Go binary.
ManagarrManagarr is a self-hosted, open-source terminal interface and CLI for managing Radarr, Sonarr, Lidarr, and Readarr from one unified tool.
MyCoderMyCoder is a self-hosted, open-source command-line AI agent for developers. Runs locally via npm, uses multiple AI providers, integrates with GitHub.
nxvSelf-hosted, open-source CLI and API server indexing 9+ years of nixpkgs history to instantly find any package version and its exact commit.
Open CodexOpen Codex is an open-source CLI AI assistant that converts natural language to shell commands using local LLMs via Ollama, running offline on macOS, Linux, and Windows.
PatchworkAn open-source CLI tool that automates pull request reviews, bug fixes, and security patching using your own LLM keys — runs locally or in CI/CD.
poolPool is a self-hosted AI coding agent for terminal and ACP-compatible editors, supporting Poolside Platform, OpenRouter, Ollama, and OpenAI-compatible APIs.
recyclarrThis self-hosted, open-source CLI pushes TRaSH Guides quality profiles, custom formats and naming rules into your Sonarr and Radarr servers, keeping many of them in sync.
RembgOpen-source, self-hosted background remover: a Python library, CLI and HTTP server that cuts subjects out of images using switchable ONNX models.
roterote is a self-hosted, open-source CLI cron replacement that captures stdout/stderr, records exit codes and timing, and provides a live terminal dashboard.
0 comments