gptel
An LLM chat client package for GNU Emacs that supports multiple model backends.
Emacs users like gptel for sending LLM requests from anywhere in the editor,12 its extensibility with custom tools,345 and keeping LLM chats inside Org mode buffers.678 The one caveat raised is that it fits completion-style workflows better than agentic ones, which led one commenter to switch to claude-code.el.9
Why people recommend it
Extensible · 3
Commenters value how easily gptel can be extended, including with custom tools.
“I like gptel because it's enormously extendable and exploitable”
“I did consult my LLMs advisor through gptel(https://github.com/karthink/gptel) with a few custom tools setup, which I cannot recommend enough.”
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“It's been good enough as a memory for me.”
Works anywhere · 3
It sends LLM requests from any buffer for quick, discardable interactions.
“I like gptel because it's enormously extendable and exploitable”
“I invoked (gptel-inline) - if the answer is short - I'd dismiss the popup”
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“I do use https://github.com/karthink/gptel on my own machine, because it is just too damn useful.”
Org mode integration · 3
Users keep LLM chats in Org buffers, where gptel-mode marks which text came from the model.
“I have since turned my LLM usage to gptel inside org-mode buffers.”
“I use gptel and org mode when I was to be really hands on driving the development.”
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“gptel (a simple LLM client for Emacs)”
Notes as memory · 2
Paired with note tools like denote or org-roam, it serves as a searchable memory and chat archive.
“It's been good enough as a memory for me.”
“I have since turned my LLM usage to gptel inside org-mode buffers.”
Language learning · 2
One commenter uses it with Emacs and Gemini models to study Latin.
“I use an ancient text editor, GNU Emacs, along with gptel and some other tools to help me me study an ancient language.”
“gptel (a simple LLM client for Emacs)”
Caveats and dissent
Not agentic · 1
One user found it great for completion-like work but dropped it for agentic tools.
“I have used gptel a while ago which was great for completion-like workflow, but abandoned when I moved to more agentic stuff.”
Often compared with
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- I have officially retired from Emacs 2 mentions
- Emacs Turns 50 1 mention
- “I just chose words carefully” 1 mention
- Emacs, how it all started (for me) 1 mention
- DeepSeek makes the V4 Pro price discount permanent 1 mention
- Ask HN: What Are You Working On? (April 2026) 1 mention
Data: gptel.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 13
“I have used gptel a while ago which was great for completion-like workflow, but abandoned when I moved to more agentic stuff.”
“I invoked (gptel-inline) - if the answer is short - I'd dismiss the popup”
“configuration for gptel, agent-shell, and various hydras”
“I use it with Pi and with Gptel”
“I like gptel because it's enormously extendable and exploitable”
“I use gptel and org mode when I was to be really hands on driving the development.”
“along with gptel, Gemini, some local models, yt-dlp, and patreon-dl”
“I use an ancient text editor, GNU Emacs, along with gptel and some other tools to help me me study an ancient language.”
“gptel (a simple LLM client for Emacs)”
“I do use https://github.com/karthink/gptel on my own machine, because it is just too damn useful.”
“I did consult my LLMs advisor through gptel(https://github.com/karthink/gptel) with a few custom tools setup, which I cannot recommend enough.”
“I have since turned my LLM usage to gptel inside org-mode buffers.”
“It's been good enough as a memory for me.”