AI coding agent for C and C++

Writes C++. Proves it compiles, runs, and passes.

ByteAsk works in your terminal. It edits the code, runs the compiler, the sanitizers and your tests, and can drive the gdb session you already have open. You review the diff.

$ curl -fsSL https://code.byteask.ai/install.sh | sh

Zero data retention

The deadlock is found and fixed.

ByteAskAI pair-debuggerdone

❯ byteask "my gdb is stopped on the deadlock in orderd, take a look"

● Joined the bridge in your gdb. orderd is stopped.

▸ Two threads are stuck in __lll_lock_wait with no progress since 09:31.

▸ T7 (match) is blocked in OrderBook::cancel at order_book.cpp:214.

▸ T7 holds book_mtx_ and waits on risk_mtx_, owned by LWP 71154.

▸ T12 holds risk_mtx_ and waits on book_mtx_, owned by LWP 71149.

▸ That is a lock-order inversion between cancel() and on_fill().

✎ order_book.cpp

-std::lock_guard<std::mutex> bk(book_mtx_);

-std::lock_guard<std::mutex> rk(risk_mtx_);

+std::scoped_lock lk(book_mtx_, risk_mtx_);

▸ The same change is applied in risk_engine.cpp:87.

$ ninja -C build && ./build/stress --orders 5000000 --threads 16

✓ 5000000 orders, 0 stalls

▸ I want to run detach in your gdb. Approve? [y/n]

▸ Approved. Sent to your gdb.

✓The diff is ready for review.

gdbyour gdb, bridge armeddetached

(gdb) source ~/.byteask/byteask_gdb_bridge.py your session · 09:36

(gdb) byteask-bridge

ByteAsk bridge armed. The AI can attach now.

[byteask] (gdb) info threads

Id Target Id Frame

* 1 LWP 71142 "orderd" epoll_wait ()

2 LWP 71143 "io" io_uring_enter ()

7 LWP 71149 "match" __lll_lock_wait ()

9 LWP 71151 "md_feed" recvmsg ()

12 LWP 71154 "risk" __lll_lock_wait ()

[byteask] (gdb) thread 7

[Switching to thread 7 (LWP 71149 "match")]

[byteask] (gdb) bt

#0 __lll_lock_wait ()

#1 ___pthread_mutex_lock ()

#2 std::mutex::lock () at bits/std_mutex.h

#3 OrderBook::cancel (this=0x55d1a3f2c8e0, id=88213004) at order_book.cpp:214

[byteask] (gdb) frame 3

#3 OrderBook::cancel (this=0x55d1a3f2c8e0, id=88213004) at order_book.cpp:214

[byteask] (gdb) p risk_mtx_._M_mutex.__data.__owner

$1 = 71154 ← held by T12

[byteask] (gdb) thread 12

[Switching to thread 12 (LWP 71154 "risk")]

[byteask] (gdb) bt

#0 __lll_lock_wait ()

#1 ___pthread_mutex_lock ()

#2 std::mutex::lock () at bits/std_mutex.h

#3 RiskEngine::on_fill (this=0x55d1a3f30120, fill=...) at risk_engine.cpp:87

[byteask] (gdb) p book_mtx_._M_mutex.__data.__owner

$2 = 71149 ← held by T7 · cycle confirmed

[byteask] (gdb) detach

Detaching from program: /srv/orderd, process 71142

[Inferior 1 (process 71142) detached]

(gdb)

Built-in support for

C/C++LLVMGCCclangCompiler ExplorergdbValgrindASan, UBSan, TSanperfmakeCMakeQuickBenchvcpkgConanGitLinux

It joins the gdb session you already have open.

Linux allows one debugger per process. If your gdb is attached, an agent that shells out to gdb gets Operation not permitted. ByteAsk connects through a bridge you start inside your own gdb, reads the live state, and asks before it runs anything that changes it.

Your gdb is stopped on the bug, and you ask an agent for help.

A shell agentClaude CodeLocked out

claude, ~/orderd

❯ claude "my gdb is stopped on the deadlock in orderd, take a look"

Your gdb is holding the process.

$ gdb -p <pid> -batch -ex bt

✗warning: process <pid> is already traced by process <your-gdb>

✗ptrace: Operation not permitted.

One tracer per process. The kernel refuses

a second debugger while yours is attached.

ByteAskIn your session

byteask, ~/orderd

❯ byteask "my gdb is stopped on the deadlock in orderd, take a look"

Joined through the bridge you started.

(gdb) bt

#3 OrderBook::cancel (...) at order_book.cpp:214

(gdb) p risk_mtx_._M_mutex.__data.__owner

$1 = 71154 (held by the risk thread)

Your breakpoints are still set for the next turn.

+ std::scoped_lock lk(book_mtx_, risk_mtx_);

✓Proposed, waiting for your approval.

Your gdb holds the process. A second debugger is refused by the kernel. ByteAsk goes through the bridge you started.

How a session is wired.

Check it yourself: while your gdb holds a process, run gdb -p <pid> in another shell.

An agent that shells out to gdb can run it in batch mode on a process nobody is debugging. It cannot join the session you are in, because Linux gives each process one tracer and that tracer is your gdb. ByteAsk connects through a bridge you start inside your gdb, reads the stop state, and proposes any command that would change it.

You get the tool's full output.

ByteAsk builds with your flags, runs the sanitizers, and runs your tests. It hands back the raw report with the frames, files and line numbers intact, so you can check the agent's reasoning against the same evidence.

ASang++ -O1 -g -fsanitize=address -fno-omit-frame-pointer order_book.cpp && ./order_book_asan

==2967905==ERROR: AddressSanitizer: heap-buffer-overflow on address 0x60c0000000c8WRITE of size 4 at 0x60c0000000c8 thread T0    #0 0x55d75c82e5a6 in OrderBook::cancel_all() demo/outputs/order_book.cpp:31    #1 0x55d75c82e5a6 in main demo/outputs/order_book.cpp:42    #2 0x7feead645249 in __libc_start_call_main libc_start_call_main.h:580x60c0000000c8 is located 8 bytes to the right of 128-byte regionallocated by thread T0 here:    #0 0x7feeadcb94c8 in operator new(unsigned long)SUMMARY: AddressSanitizer: heap-buffer-overflow demo/outputs/order_book.cpp:31

g++ 12.2 with AddressSanitizer, captured 2026-09-03. Source and script in demo/outputs. The overflow is the one bug in order_book.cpp: cancel_all() walks the level array one iteration too far.

ctestcmake -B build && cmake --build build && ctest --test-dir build

Test project demo/outputs/build1/3 Test #1: book_ops .........................   Passed    0.00 sec2/3 Test #2: risk_engine ......................   Passed    0.00 sec3/3 Test #3: wire_codec .......................   Passed    0.00 sec 100% tests passed, 0 tests failed out of 3 Total Test time (real) =   0.01 sec

ctest on the same tree, same run. The three demo tests from the same tree, each a plain executable that returns zero when it passes.

Nothing in these two blocks was typed by hand. They are what the tools printed.

Use our models, your key, or your own server.

Managed: Sign in and use OpenAI, Anthropic and Google models through ByteAsk. No API key to paste.
byteask login
Your key: Use your own OpenAI, Anthropic or Gemini key. Traffic goes straight to the provider, not through ByteAsk.
byteask byok set
Your server: Point ByteAsk at vLLM, Ollama, llama.cpp, LM Studio, TGI, SGLang or a LiteLLM proxy. Self-hosted models are not metered.
byteask models add my-model --url http://your-host:8000

Reference documents it can cite

Seven built-in reference tools search these standards and datasheets and return the exact passage with a page citation. If there is no match, they say so instead of guessing.

Tool	Corpus
autosar_ref	AUTOSAR C++14 · MISRA · ISO C++
mcu_ref	STM32 · Cortex-M · Modbus · CAN
fpga_ref	Xilinx UltraScale · AMBA AXI
hft_ref	ITCH/OUCH · FIX · IEEE 1588 PTP
grid_ref	IEEE 1547 · 2030.5 · SunSpec
scpi_ref	SCPI · instrument manuals
x86_ref	x86-64 Software Developer Manual

Install.

One command on Linux, macOS or Windows, or a plugin for your editor. Sign in with a link sent to your email.

Install

One line on Linux, macOS or Windows, or an editor plugin.

Sign in

A link is emailed to you. There is no password.

Run it in a repo

Describe the change. ByteAsk edits, builds and tests, then shows the diff.

macOS Apple SiliconLinux x86_64, arm64Windows native

Editors also on Windsurf and VSCodium via Open VSX. Every connector needs the byteask CLI on your PATH.

Pick your platform

$ curl -fsSL https://code.byteask.ai/install.sh | sh

Your code stays yours.

Zero-retention by design. Your machine carries a short-lived token and nothing more.

Zero data retention

Your prompts and code are processed to answer the request, then dropped. Nothing is kept.

Read the privacy policy

Not used to train models

Your repositories are not used to train any model. Ours or anyone's.

Passwordless sign-in

A signed magic link logs you in. No password to manage, and nothing to paste or leak.

Read the privacy policy

Pricing.

Free to start. Paid plans add usage.

Plans and what each includes
Feature	Free	Pro	Max
Price	$0forever	$20per month	$100per month
Usage	Base monthly usage	3x the usage of Free	20x the usage of Free
C and C++ toolchain	Included	Included	Included
Sanitizers, gdb, and your tests	Included	Included	Included
Install with pip, uv, or npm	Included	Included	Included
Run priority	Standard	Priority runs	Highest priority runs
Support	Community support	Email support	Dedicated support
Get started	Get started	Start Pro	Go Max

Free

Price$0forever

UsageBase monthly usage

C and C++ toolchainIncluded

Sanitizers, gdb, and your testsIncluded

Install with pip, uv, or npmIncluded

Run priorityStandard

SupportCommunity support

Get started

Pro

Price$20per month

Usage3x the usage of Free

C and C++ toolchainIncluded

Sanitizers, gdb, and your testsIncluded

Install with pip, uv, or npmIncluded

Run priorityPriority runs

SupportEmail support

Start Pro

Max

Price$100per month

Usage20x the usage of Free

C and C++ toolchainIncluded

Sanitizers, gdb, and your testsIncluded

Install with pip, uv, or npmIncluded

Run priorityHighest priority runs

SupportDedicated support

Go Max

Self-hosted models are never metered by ByteAsk and do not count against your plan. With your own key, traffic goes directly to the provider.

Install ByteAsk.

$ curl -fsSL https://code.byteask.ai/install.sh | sh

Get started See how it works