Iva CLI
A self-hosted Telegram AI assistant with Markdown memory: voice, photos, tasks and Google Workspace on your own server.
- 287 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Broad access
Why this level
- The shell tool runs with the rights of the user who installed Iva, and the installer is run through `curl | bash`.
- Access to Gmail, Calendar, Drive and the personal Telegram account (userbot) is broad; userbot violates Telegram rules and can lead to a ban.
- Messages, transcripts and photos go to the model and recognition providers.
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add cli/ivaDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- The shell tool runs with the rights of the user who installed Iva, and the installer is run through `curl | bash`.
- Access to Gmail, Calendar, Drive and the personal Telegram account (userbot) is broad; userbot violates Telegram rules and can lead to a ban.
- Messages, transcripts and photos go to the model and recognition providers.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Iva receives Telegram messages and files them into an Obsidian-compatible vault. Voice notes, photos, forwarded posts and decisions become Markdown cards: contacts, projects, decisions, ideas. Every message lands verbatim in a daily journal, and a nightly rollup folds the day into week, month and year. The assistant searches memory and the web, keeps tasks and reminders, and works with Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sheets and Docs through the `gws` CLI. Skills and MCP servers are added with one file. Everything runs on your server with your keys.
Who it is for. Entrepreneurs and specialists who want a personal assistant in a messenger with long memory, deployed on their own and not at a third-party service.
Good fit when
- Months later you have to recall what was agreed with a client about the last shipment.
- A five-minute voice note from the car should become a task list or an email draft.
- An assistant is needed whose data and keys stay on your server.
- A Google Docs document or a Calendar event must be created from a chat.
Not a fit when
- There is no Ubuntu or Debian server and no wish to fiddle with installation: Iva installs on your own host.
- The model and speech recognition must stay off the cloud: they run through external APIs.
- Workflows forbid automating a personal Telegram account: the userbot mode violates service terms.
Example request
Remember: Marina at Acme wants the revised quote by Friday and never picks up the phone. Then ask how best to follow up with her.Limitations
The installer targets Ubuntu or Debian with Node.js 24 and runs as a normal user, not root. The model and speech recognition use cloud APIs you choose and pay for (OpenRouter, Ollama Cloud, OpenCode Go, ChatGPT and Claude subscriptions). The userbot mode violates Telegram rules and can get an account limited, so it is opt-in. The prompt-injection screen does not cover every source: document bodies and `agent-browser` output are not screened.
How to disable. Stop the Iva services through systemd, revoke the bot token in @BotFather and the provider keys. The memory vault lives in your private git repository and is deleted separately.
FAQ
Where is memory stored?
In Markdown files: daily journals `daily/`, summaries `summaries/` and cards `cards/`, plus a `CORE.md` file of up to 3600 characters that rides in every prompt. It is your private git repository.
Is a public address needed?
No. The bridge long-polls Telegram, so no domain, HTTPS or webhook is required.
Which models can I connect?
Six options: OpenCode Go, Ollama Cloud, OpenRouter, a ChatGPT subscription, a Claude Pro or Max subscription and your own OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
How do I update?
`iva update` installs releases only. `iva beta` turns on the beta branch and `iva stable` goes back to the stable channel.
How does voice work?
Voice, audio and video notes are transcribed with Deepgram `nova-3`, and the language (Russian, Uzbek or English) is detected automatically.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Cards that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Tool | Official | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iva (this card) | no | 287 | |
| OpenClaw | no | 393,956 | an open personal assistant for several messengers; Iva focuses on Telegram and keeps memory in a Markdown vault with a nightly rollup |
| GolemBot | no | 322 | connects coding agents to Telegram, Slack and Discord; Iva itself serves as an assistant with memory, tasks and Google Workspace |
README in short
The installer sets up two systemd user services, two watchdog timers and seven schedules. Russian documentation lives in `docs/ru/`.