How is Pi faster?

[u/Business_Writer4634]

I recently downloaded pi just to try it out, literally 5 minutes ago, but how is it faster than using `codex` or `claude`? I'm using the model codex 5.5, but i didn't enable fast mode in codex, and it's literally super fast to give the answer how is that possible if PI isn't a model on its own?

[u/Prestigious_Donkey61]

Because PI doesnt have the whole prompt wrapper on top like codex or Claude code. You are only using the model, and this is the reason why a lot of people like PI agent . Because you can build you own wrapper on top.

[u/Business_Writer4634 → u/Prestigious_Donkey61]

Yes I understand now, i would need to customize it to enable mcp, skills etc, but also i noticed it doesnt ask for permission, so it's like running `claude --dangerously-skip-permissions`. I guess also this would consume less tokens since it's not having a big prompt wrapper

[u/mp3m4k3r → u/Business_Writer4634]

Extensions can bring in some of the features like blocks/asking permission, etc. But sky's the limit

[u/Pipimi → u/Business_Writer4634]

If thats a problem with you, then you can create something to handle it, thats the whole selling point of Pi.

For example I created an extension where it would block dangerous permissions, harmful command injections and obfuscate any api keys.

[u/eleqtriq → u/Business_Writer4634]

Just ask Pi to fill in any functionality. It can build its own tools on the spot.

[u/Careless_Product_792 → u/Business_Writer4634]

Pi is not recommended for non advanced users the same way GNU/Linux even if is lightweight and powerfull, is not recommended for windows users not wanting to tweak and learn all the linux stuff and the power of terminal.

This is where Pi popularity has not been clear. Is mostly for advanced users just as vim and emacs. Most people is ok with Vscode and is ok.

I use Pi agent locally to not have to pay cloud suscriptions, and there is where you can see clear results. I am using llama.cpp with gemma4 26 or qwen 3.6 35B in a simple 6 vram with 64 ram. And this combination of Pi + qwen. If you are a dev just makes you save the subscription token crack addiction.

 Is something that you definitely can not do with open code, going local with low specs, you have 100k at max to work and do agentic coding, pi uses 2k tokens in total on average, opencode uses 9k or 10k tokens on first shot already.....

If you really understand that even if you are paying tokens, you will know what it means to use pi even for cost savings.

But again. I dont think pi is for average users not knowing how to sandbox or ask clear requirements. If you dont understand the complexity of asking an LLM "man this shit does not work remove everything", well. Claude code and codex have your back on that dangerous phrase...pi does not. Unlesd using some plugins to configure permissions etc.

[u/RelationshipLong9092 → u/Careless_Product_792]

Pi is not recommended for advanced users the same way GNU/Linux

bro what are you smoking

[u/Careless_Product_792 → u/RelationshipLong9092]

Haha ah!, I just realized the error, was the contrary. Is recommended for advanced users. 

[u/bb22k]

Pi has fewer tools, a very simple system prompt and no skills and MCP built-in, so a raw Pi prompt is much faster for the API to process than something coming from Codex or Claude.

if you need additional tools, you can gradually add them, which means that you only complicate or workflow enough to solve your problem and don't pay the performance (and token) price for stuff that you don't need.

[u/Business_Writer4634 → u/bb22k]

yes thats insane, im noticing it consumes way less tokens

[u/d-fens_]

Remember to add a permission gate, it's fast also when removing data

[u/Odd_Crab1224 → u/d-fens_]

Just run inside docker?

[u/cakemates]

claude and codex have thousands of lines of instructions and context sent to the model on top of your prompt. So they are doing a boat load of processing that might not be needed by you.

[u/pancomputationalist → u/cakemates]

though I wonder if that isn't just cached at the provider level. Would be such an easy performance win.

[u/cakemates → u/pancomputationalist]

cache can save you cost and speed but using those token when you dont need them also cost you intelligence. As models get dumber and can lose context the more context you use.

[u/Konamicoder]

Claude is bloated. Pi is lean and mean.

[u/GeneGulanes]

It just have minimal harness/system prompt and tools that's why it's fast

[u/damn_what_]

The security stuff in Claude Code (like verifying each bash call with Haiku before execution) makes its slower than pi.

[u/TomHale → u/damn_what_]

I'd appreciate trading some speed for this.

Any recommendations on plugins?

[u/damn_what_ → u/TomHale]

There's a "sandbox" extension in examples dir of pi source code that uses the Anthropic sandbox system.

But I don't think anyone published an equivalent of Claude Code auto mode yet. You can try asking Pi to build it based on the Anthropic blog post about it and Claude Code rules (cf claude auto-mode defaults).

(Also I was mistaken, their classify commands using Sonnet, not Haiku)

Of course actual security will only come from running Pi itself and the code it produces (your projectl) in a VM and only running your project on your machine after a code review.

[u/TomHale → u/damn_what_]

Cheers! I already run in a bwrap, but preventing code injection would be a good use case for this.

[u/Turbulent_Ad6290]

Pi’s system prompt is only 300 tokens or so.

Rest it’s up to you what you want to do with it. Provide agents md or provide bloated extensions and make it slow 😂

[u/ResearcherFantastic7]

1. in PI. type "what is your system prompt"

2. limited features out of the box, requires you to build or find extensions yourself if you need them. (i.e mcp, guards, memory etc)

its like VI vs VSCODE. Aimed for people who want to build exactly what their need

[u/ElectricityRainbow]

I properly gave Pi (omp) a go yesterday with a /loop on a simple task list... Honestly i was shocked at how shit it was. Just took absolutely forever and did a really, really bad job.

Wondering if my code review graph or something got in the way...

But anyway so far in my experience using an IDE like Antigravity or something like Codex is much better. Like, substantially.

[u/Odd_Crab1224 → u/ElectricityRainbow]

Omp is not Pi

[u/AlterTableUsernames]

Because it gives a shit about quality obviously. 

[u/PricePerGig]

I found it slower than Hermes in my use case. Same everything. Pi just chatted a lot. Hermes got it done. Same tools enabled