Soda AI CLI

Learn more about Soda AI CLI, a Soda terminal-built assistant.

Soda AI CLI is an experimental feature that is being developed and improved based on user feedback. The feature may change and usage may be subject to limits.

Soda AI CLI is an AI-driven assistant built into the Soda CLI that operates on local project files and assists with data contracts. It is an experimental feature included in soda-core and provides an interactive terminal interface to perform tasks related to Soda data contracts and checks. It reads files from the local directory and can create, translate, and explain contracts and related artifacts without requiring context switching to external tools.

• No separate installation is required.

• No API keys are needed to run the tool.

• A work email is required to access the tool; this is used to manage fair use and token limits.

Watch Soda AI CLI in action

Overview

Running the command:

soda ai

starts an interactive session. The assistant accepts prompts typed in the terminal and reads referenced local files by name to provide contextual outputs.

Prompt inputs

Within the session, you can enter free-text prompts or refer to local files (e.g., specification files, other contracts). The assistant will attempt to interpret the prompt and respond with generated text or actions performed on referenced files.

Saving outputs

When applicable (e.g., translated contracts), outputs can be saved back to disk after you confirm the action.

Supported capabilities

Soda AI CLI currently supports the following operations:

• Contract translation

  • Convert ODCS contract files to Soda Data Contract Language syntax.

• Migration of legacy checks

  • Migrate Soda v3 checks files to Soda v4 data contracts.

• Contract generation

  • Generate new data contracts from source definitions. Input can include:

    • Table schemas

    • dbt model definitions

    • Pipeline definitions The output includes a drafted data contract with schema definitions and quality rules.

• Contextual Q&A

  • Answer questions about Soda Contract Language syntax, checks, configuration, and best practices using context from project files.

Session interface

When the assistant starts, it displays a prompt with suggested actions. Example interaction:

❯ soda ai

============================================================
Soda AI - AI Assistant for Data Contracts (experimental)
============================================================

Welcome back, [email protected]!

Suggested prompts:
  [1] Translate ODCS contract to Soda Data Contract
  [2] Translate Soda v3 checks file to a Soda Data Contract (v4)
  [3] Create a new data contract

Enter to submit | Shift+Enter for new line | /help for commands
============================================================

❯ translate my_contract.yml to v4

⏺ Here is your contract translated to Soda v4 format: ...

Built-in commands (slash commands)

Within a session, the following slash commands are available:

Command	Description
/help	Show available commands and tips.
/clear	Clear conversation history and start fresh.
/history	Show recent conversation messages.
/files	List relevant files in the current directory.
/model	Show current model and routing information.
/exit	Exit the session.

All slash commands execute within the interactive session.

Scope & security

• The assistant uses the local file context to inform responses.

• It reads files by filename when referenced; users do not need to copy content into the prompt.

• Outputs that are file modifications require explicit user confirmation before saving.

Limitations

• This feature is experimental. Outputs may vary and edge cases are not finalized.

• The assistant is intended for data contract and Soda syntax related tasks. It is not a general-purpose terminal agent.