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AI · August 5, 2025

Elf0 – Build and run AI agent workflows in YAML (CLI)

Hi HN — I built Elf0, a command-line tool to define and run AI agent workflows in YAML. It helps you iterate on small multi-step "agents" without scaffolding a whole codebase. The agent patterns described in Anthropic's article was an inspiration: https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/building-effective-age... I then used Nvidia's AgentIQ YAML spec as inspiration. Why: I keep bumping into tasks where a single prompt isn’t enough (e.g., extracting quote data from an insurance PDF). Defining the workflow in YAML makes it easy to version prompts, parameters and logic, and to…

Elf0 – Build and run AI agent workflows in YAML (CLI) launched on August 5, 2025 with 6 votes and more than 75% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 1 year on.

What it does

Elf0 is a powerful command-line tool for building and testing AI agent workflows using YAML configuration. Create sophisticated AI agents that can analyze files, process YouTube videos, run simulations, and execute complex multi-step workflows. Perfect for developers, researchers, and AI enthusiasts who want to rapidly prototype and experiment with AI agent architectures using a simple, version-co

Rapidly prototype multi-model AI workflows with file analysis, multi-agent interactions, and Claude Code integration. Everything version-controlled, transparent, and experimental. Switch between OpenAI, Anthropic, and Ollama models in the same workflow. Compare outputs, combine strengths, avoid vendor lock-in. True model flexibility. Reference entire codebases, documents, or directories with simple @ syntax. Build workflows where multiple AI agents collaborate, debate, and refine each other's work. Seamlessly connect with Claude Code and MCP (Model Context Protocol). Build agents that integrate with your development environment. Full transparency in prompts, model calls, and reasoning.…from elf0.com

In the maker’s words, at launch

Hi HN — I built Elf0, a command-line tool to define and run AI agent workflows in YAML. It helps you iterate on small multi-step "agents" without scaffolding a whole codebase. The agent patterns described in Anthropic's article was an inspiration…

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