CLI-Anything: Making ALL Software Agent-Native

Today's Software Serves Humans👨‍💻. Tomorrow's Users will be Agents🤖.
CLI-Anything: Bridging the Gap Between AI Agents and the World's Software

One Command Line: Make any software agent-ready for OpenClaw, nanobot, Cursor, Claude Code, etc.  中文文档 | 日本語ドキュメント

Thanks to all invaluable efforts from the community! More updates continuously on the way everyday..

• 2026-03-16 🤖 Added SKILL.md generation (Phase 6.5) — every generated CLI now ships with an AI-discoverable skill definition inside the Python package. ReplSkin auto-detects the skill file after pip install, and the REPL banner displays the absolute path for agents. Includes skill_generator.py, Jinja2 template, package_data in all setup.py files, and 51 new tests.

• 2026-03-15 🐾 Support for OpenClaw from the community! Merged Windows cygpath guard to ensure CLI-Anything works reliably in Windows bash environments. Community contributions continue to strengthen cross-platform support.

• 2026-03-14 🔒 Fixed a GIMP Script-Fu path injection vulnerability and added Japanese README translation. OpenCode version requirements documented alongside several Windows compatibility improvements.

CLI is the universal interface for both humans and AI agents:

• Structured & Composable - Text commands match LLM format and chain for complex workflows

• Lightweight & Universal - Minimal overhead, works across all systems without dependencies

• Self-Describing - --help flags provide automatic documentation agents can discover

• Proven Success - Claude Code runs thousands of real workflows through CLI daily

• Agent-First Design - Structured JSON output eliminates parsing complexity

• Deterministic & Reliable - Consistent results enable predictable agent behavior

• Python 3.10+
• Target software installed (e.g., GIMP, Blender, LibreOffice, or your own application)
• A supported AI coding agent: Claude Code | OpenClaw | OpenCode | Codex | Qodercli | More Platforms

# Add the CLI-Anything marketplace
/plugin marketplace add HKUDS/CLI-Anything

# Install the cli-anything plugin from the marketplace
/plugin install cli-anything

# /cli-anything:cli-anything <software-path-or-repo>
# Generate a complete CLI for GIMP (all 7 phases)
/cli-anything:cli-anything ./gimp

# Note: If your Claude Code is under 2.x, use "/cli-anything" instead.

# Broad refinement — agent analyzes gaps across all capabilities
/cli-anything:refine ./gimp

# Focused refinement — target a specific functionality area
/cli-anything:refine ./gimp "I want more CLIs on image batch processing and filters"

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything.git

# Copy plugin to Claude Code plugins directory
cp -r CLI-Anything/cli-anything-plugin ~/.claude/plugins/cli-anything

# Reload plugins
/reload-plugins

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything.git

# Global install (available in all projects)
cp CLI-Anything/opencode-commands/*.md ~/.config/opencode/commands/
cp CLI-Anything/cli-anything-plugin/HARNESS.md ~/.config/opencode/commands/

# Or project-level install
cp CLI-Anything/opencode-commands/*.md .opencode/commands/
cp CLI-Anything/cli-anything-plugin/HARNESS.md .opencode/commands/

# Generate a complete CLI for GIMP (all 7 phases)
/cli-anything ./gimp

# Build from a GitHub repo
/cli-anything https://github.com/blender/blender

# Broad refinement — agent analyzes gaps across all capabilities
/cli-anything-refine ./gimp

# Focused refinement — target a specific functionality area
/cli-anything-refine ./gimp "batch processing and filters"

/cli-anything:cli-anything ./gimp
/cli-anything:refine ./gimp "batch processing and filters"

git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything.git
bash CLI-Anything/qoder-plugin/setup-qodercli.sh

/cli-anything:cli-anything ./gimp
/cli-anything:refine ./gimp "batch processing and filters"
/cli-anything:validate ./gimp

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything.git

# Install to the global skills folder
mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/skills/cli-anything
cp CLI-Anything/openclaw-skill/SKILL.md ~/.openclaw/skills/cli-anything/SKILL.md

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything.git

# Install the skill
bash CLI-Anything/codex-skill/scripts/install.sh

.\CLI-Anything\codex-skill\scripts\install.ps1

Use CLI-Anything to build a harness for ./gimp
Use CLI-Anything to refine ./shotcut for picture-in-picture workflows
Use CLI-Anything to validate ./libreoffice

Regardless of which platform you used to build it, the generated CLI works the same way:

# Install to PATH
cd gimp/agent-harness && pip install -e .

# Use from anywhere
cli-anything-gimp --help
cli-anything-gimp project new --width 1920 --height 1080 -o poster.json
cli-anything-gimp --json layer add -n "Background" --type solid --color "#1a1a2e"

# Enter interactive REPL
cli-anything-gimp

Each installed CLI ships with a SKILL.md inside the Python package (cli_anything/<software>/skills/SKILL.md). The REPL banner automatically displays the absolute path to this file so AI agents know exactly where to read the skill definition. No extra configuration needed — pip install makes the skill discoverable.

• 🌐 Universal Access - Every software becomes instantly agent-controllable through structured CLI.

• 🔗 Seamless Integration - Agents control any application without APIs, GUI, rebuilding or complex wrappers.

• 🚀 Future-Ready Ecosystem - Transform human-designed software into agent-native tools with one command.

AI agents are great at reasoning but terrible at using real professional software. Current solutions are fragile UI automation, limited APIs, or dumbed-down reimplementations that miss 90% of functionality.

CLI-Anything's Solution: Transform any professional software into agent-native tools without losing capabilities.

Each generated CLI includes a SKILL.md file inside the Python package at cli_anything/<software>/skills/SKILL.md. This self-contained skill definition enables AI agents to discover and use the CLI through Claude Code's skill system or other agent frameworks.

What SKILL.md provides:

• YAML frontmatter with name and description for agent skill discovery
• Command groups with all available subcommands documented
• Usage examples for common workflows
• Agent-specific guidance for JSON output, error handling, and programmatic use

SKILL.md files are auto-generated during Phase 6.5 of the pipeline using skill_generator.py, which extracts metadata directly from the CLI's Click decorators, setup.py, and README. Because the file lives inside the package, it is installed alongside the CLI via pip install and auto-detected by the REPL banner — agents can read the absolute path displayed at startup.

CLI-Anything works on any software with a codebase — no domain restrictions or architectural limitations.

Tested across 13 diverse, complex applications spanning creative, productivity, communication, diagramming, AI image generation, and AI content generation domains previously inaccessible to AI agents.

From creative workflows (image editing, 3D modeling, vector graphics) to production tools (audio, office, live streaming, video editing).

Each application received complete, production-ready CLI interfaces — not demos, but comprehensive tool access preserving full capabilities.

100% pass rate across all 1,588 tests — 1,138 unit tests + 450 end-to-end tests.

Each CLI harness undergoes rigorous multi-layered testing to ensure production reliability:

================================ Test Summary ================================
gimp          107 passed  ✅   (64 unit + 43 e2e)
blender       208 passed  ✅   (150 unit + 58 e2e)
inkscape      202 passed  ✅   (148 unit + 54 e2e)
audacity      161 passed  ✅   (107 unit + 54 e2e)
libreoffice   158 passed  ✅   (89 unit + 69 e2e)
obs-studio    153 passed  ✅   (116 unit + 37 e2e)
kdenlive      155 passed  ✅   (111 unit + 44 e2e)
shotcut       154 passed  ✅   (110 unit + 44 e2e)
zoom           22 passed  ✅   (22 unit + 0 e2e)
drawio        138 passed  ✅   (116 unit + 22 e2e)
mermaid        10 passed  ✅   (5 unit + 5 e2e)
anygen         50 passed  ✅   (40 unit + 10 e2e)
comfyui        70 passed  ✅   (60 unit + 10 e2e)
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
TOTAL        1,588 passed  ✅   100% pass rate

1. Authentic Software Integration — The CLI generates valid project files (ODF, MLT XML, SVG) and delegates to real applications for rendering. We build structured interfaces TO software, not replacements.

2. Flexible Interaction Models — Every CLI operates in dual modes: stateful REPL for interactive agent sessions + subcommand interface for scripting/pipelines. Run bare command → enter REPL mode.

3. Consistent User Experience — All generated CLIs share unified REPL interface (repl_skin.py) with branded banners, styled prompts, command history, progress indicators, and standardized formatting.

4. Agent-Native Design — Built-in --json flag on every command delivers structured data for machine consumption, while human-readable tables serve interactive use. Agents discover capabilities via standard --help and which commands.

5. Zero Compromise Dependencies — Real software is a hard requirement — no fallbacks, no graceful degradation. Tests fail (not skip) when backends are missing, ensuring authentic functionality.

cli-anything/
├── 📄 README.md                          # You are here
├── 📁 assets/                            # Images and media
│   ├── icon.png                          # Project icon
│   └── teaser.png                        # Teaser figure
│
├── 🔌 cli-anything-plugin/               # The Claude Code plugin
│   ├── HARNESS.md                        # Methodology SOP (source of truth)
│   ├── README.md                         # Plugin documentation
│   ├── QUICKSTART.md                     # 5-minute getting started
│   ├── PUBLISHING.md                     # Distribution guide
│   ├── repl_skin.py                      # Unified REPL interface
│   ├── commands/                         # Plugin command definitions
│   │   ├── cli-anything.md               # Main build command
│   │   ├── refine.md                     # Expand existing harness coverage
│   │   ├── test.md                       # Test runner
│   │   └── validate.md                   # Standards validation
│   └── scripts/
│       └── setup-cli-anything.sh         # Setup script
│
├── 🤖 codex-skill/                      # Codex skill entry point
├── 🎨 gimp/agent-harness/               # GIMP CLI (107 tests)
├── 🧊 blender/agent-harness/            # Blender CLI (208 tests)
├── ✏️ inkscape/agent-harness/            # Inkscape CLI (202 tests)
├── 🎵 audacity/agent-harness/           # Audacity CLI (161 tests)
├── 📄 libreoffice/agent-harness/        # LibreOffice CLI (158 tests)
├── 📹 obs-studio/agent-harness/         # OBS Studio CLI (153 tests)
├── 🎞️ kdenlive/agent-harness/           # Kdenlive CLI (155 tests)
├── 🎬 shotcut/agent-harness/            # Shotcut CLI (154 tests)
├── 📞 zoom/agent-harness/               # Zoom CLI (22 tests)
├── 📐 drawio/agent-harness/             # Draw.io CLI (138 tests)
├── 🧜 mermaid/agent-harness/            # Mermaid Live Editor CLI (10 tests)
├── ✨ anygen/agent-harness/             # AnyGen CLI (50 tests)
└── 🖼️ comfyui/agent-harness/            # ComfyUI CLI (70 tests)

Each agent-harness/ contains an installable Python package under cli_anything.<software>/ with Click CLI, core modules, utils (including repl_skin.py and backend wrapper), and comprehensive tests.

# Build a complete CLI for GIMP from local source
/cli-anything /home/user/gimp

# Build from a GitHub repo
/cli-anything https://github.com/blender/blender

# Refine an existing harness — broad gap analysis
/cli-anything:refine /home/user/gimp

# Refine with a specific focus area
/cli-anything:refine /home/user/shotcut "vid-in-vid and picture-in-picture compositing"

# Run tests and update TEST.md
/cli-anything:test /home/user/inkscape

# Validate against HARNESS.md standards
/cli-anything:validate /home/user/audacity

Here's what an agent can do with cli-anything-libreoffice:

# Create a new Writer document
$ cli-anything-libreoffice document new -o report.json --type writer
✓ Created Writer document: report.json

# Add content
$ cli-anything-libreoffice --project report.json writer add-heading -t "Q1 Report" --level 1
✓ Added heading: "Q1 Report"

$ cli-anything-libreoffice --project report.json writer add-table --rows 4 --cols 3
✓ Added 4×3 table

# Export to real PDF via LibreOffice headless
$ cli-anything-libreoffice --project report.json export render output.pdf -p pdf --overwrite
✓ Exported: output.pdf (42,831 bytes) via libreoffice-headless

# JSON mode for agent consumption
$ cli-anything-libreoffice --json document info --project report.json
{
  "name": "Q1 Report",
  "type": "writer",
  "pages": 1,
  "elements": 2,
  "modified": true
}

$ cli-anything-blender
╔══════════════════════════════════════════╗
║       cli-anything-blender v1.0.0       ║
║     Blender CLI for AI Agents           ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════╝

blender> scene new --name ProductShot
✓ Created scene: ProductShot

blender[ProductShot]> object add-mesh --type cube --location 0 0 1
✓ Added mesh: Cube at (0, 0, 1)

blender[ProductShot]*> render execute --output render.png --engine CYCLES
✓ Rendered: render.png (1920×1080, 2.3 MB) via blender --background

blender[ProductShot]> exit
Goodbye! 👋

HARNESS.md is our definitive SOP for making any software agent-accessible via automated CLI generation.

It encodes proven patterns and methodologies refined through automated generation processes.

The playbook distills key insights from successfully building all 13 diverse, production-ready harnesses.

See the full methodology: cli-anything-plugin/HARNESS.md

# Add marketplace & install (recommended)
/plugin marketplace add HKUDS/CLI-Anything
/plugin install cli-anything

# Build a CLI for any software with a codebase
/cli-anything <software-name>

# Install any generated CLI
cd <software>/agent-harness
pip install -e .

# Verify
which cli-anything-<software>

# Use
cli-anything-<software> --help
cli-anything-<software>                    # enters REPL
cli-anything-<software> --json <command>   # JSON output for agents

# Run tests for a specific CLI
cd <software>/agent-harness
python3 -m pytest cli_anything/<software>/tests/ -v

# Force-installed mode (recommended for validation)
CLI_ANYTHING_FORCE_INSTALLED=1 python3 -m pytest cli_anything/<software>/tests/ -v -s

We welcome contributions! CLI-Anything is designed to be extensible:

• New software targets — Use the plugin to generate a CLI for any software with a codebase, then submit your harness via cli-anything-plugin/PUBLISHING.md.
• Methodology improvements — PRs to HARNESS.md that encode new lessons learned
• Plugin enhancements — New commands, phase improvements, better validation
• Test coverage — More E2E scenarios, edge cases, workflow tests

• Requires strong foundation models — CLI-Anything relies on frontier-class models (e.g., Claude Opus 4.6, Claude Sonnet 4.6, GPT-5.4) for reliable harness generation. Weaker or smaller models may produce incomplete or incorrect CLIs that require significant manual correction.
• Relies on available source code — The 7-phase pipeline analyzes and generates from source code. When the target software only provides compiled binaries that require decompilation, harness quality and coverage will degrade substantially.
• May require iterative refinement — A single /cli-anything run may not fully cover all capabilities. Running /refine one or more times is often needed to push the CLI's performance and coverage to production quality.

• Support for more application categories (CAD, DAW, IDE, EDA, scientific tools)
• Benchmark suite for agent task completion rates
• Community-contributed CLI harnesses for internal/custom software
• Integration with additional agent frameworks beyond Claude Code
• Support packaging APIs for closed-source software and web services into CLIs
• Produce SKILL.md alongside the CLI for agent skill discovery and orchestration

Each generated harness also includes:

• <SOFTWARE>.md — Architecture SOP specific to that application
• tests/TEST.md — Test plan and results documentation

If CLI-Anything helps make your software Agent-native, give us a star! ⭐

MIT License — free to use, modify, and distribute.

CLI-Anything — Make any software with a codebase Agent-native.

_{A methodology for the age of AI agents | 13 professional software demos | 1,588 passing tests}

Thanks for visiting ✨ CLI-Anything!