cli-anything-agent-native

What this skill does

```markdown
---
name: cli-anything-agent-native
description: Make any software agent-controllable by generating a complete CLI harness with JSON output, REPL, tests, and docs in one command
triggers:
  - make this software agent-native
  - generate a CLI harness for this app
  - use cli-anything to wrap this software
  - build an agent-ready CLI for this project
  - cli-anything build harness
  - make this tool work with AI agents
  - wrap this application with a CLI using cli-anything
  - use cli-anything to expose this software to agents
---

# CLI-Anything: Making ALL Software Agent-Native

> Skill by [ara.so](https://ara.so) — Daily 2026 Skills collection.

CLI-Anything generates a full agent-ready CLI harness for any software in one command. It analyzes source code or repos, designs a Click-based CLI with structured JSON output, implements REPL interaction, writes comprehensive tests, and publishes to PATH — bridging AI agents and the world's software through the universal CLI interface.

---

## What CLI-Anything Does

Given any software (local path or GitHub repo), CLI-Anything runs a **7-phase pipeline**:

1. 🔍 **Analyze** — Scans source, maps GUI actions to APIs
2. 📐 **Design** — Architects command groups, state model, output formats
3. 🔨 **Implement** — Builds Click CLI with REPL, JSON output, undo/redo
4. 📋 **Plan Tests** — Creates `TEST.md` with unit + E2E test plans
5. 🧪 **Write Tests** — Implements comprehensive test suite
6. 📝 **Document** — Updates `TEST.md` with results
7. 📦 **Publish** — Creates `setup.py`, installs to PATH

The output lives in `<software>/agent-harness/` and is immediately usable by any AI agent.

---

## Installation

### Prerequisites

- Python 3.10+
- Target software installed (GIMP, Blender, LibreOffice, or any app)
- A supported AI coding agent (Claude Code, OpenCode, OpenClaw, Codex, Qodercli)

### Claude Code (Recommended)

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

# Install the plugin
/plugin install cli-anything
```

> **Windows users:** Claude Code uses `bash`. Install Git for Windows (includes `bash` + `cygpath`) or use WSL to avoid `cygpath: command not found` errors.

### Manual Installation (Claude Code)

```bash
git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything.git
cp -r CLI-Anything/cli-anything-plugin ~/.claude/plugins/cli-anything
/reload-plugins
```

### OpenCode

```bash
git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything.git

# Global install
cp CLI-Anything/opencode-commands/*.md ~/.config/opencode/commands/
cp CLI-Anything/cli-anything-plugin/HARNESS.md ~/.config/opencode/commands/

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

### OpenClaw

```bash
git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything.git
mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/skills/cli-anything
cp CLI-Anything/openclaw-skill/SKILL.md ~/.openclaw/skills/cli-anything/SKILL.md
```

Then invoke: `@cli-anything build a CLI for ./gimp`

### Codex

```bash
git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything.git
bash CLI-Anything/codex-skill/scripts/install.sh
# Windows: .\CLI-Anything\codex-skill\scripts\install.ps1
```

### Qodercli

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

---

## Core Commands

### Building a Harness

```bash
# Claude Code — generate full CLI for a local app
/cli-anything:cli-anything ./gimp

# Claude Code — generate from a GitHub repo
/cli-anything:cli-anything https://github.com/blender/blender

# OpenCode
/cli-anything ./gimp
/cli-anything https://github.com/blender/blender

# Codex (natural language)
# "Use CLI-Anything to build a harness for ./gimp"
```

> **Claude Code < 2.x:** Use `/cli-anything` instead of `/cli-anything:cli-anything`.

### Refining an Existing Harness

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

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

# OpenCode equivalents
/cli-anything-refine ./gimp
/cli-anything-refine ./gimp "batch processing and filters"

# Codex
# "Use CLI-Anything to refine ./shotcut for picture-in-picture workflows"
```

Refine is **incremental and non-destructive** — run it multiple times to expand coverage.

### Validation & Testing

```bash
# OpenCode: validate the generated harness
/cli-anything-validate ./gimp

# OpenCode: run tests
/cli-anything-test ./gimp

# Codex
# "Use CLI-Anything to validate ./libreoffice"
```

### Listing Available Harnesses

```bash
# OpenCode
/cli-anything-list
```

---

## Using a Generated CLI

After the pipeline completes, the harness is in `<software>/agent-harness/`.

### Install to PATH

```bash
cd gimp/agent-harness
pip install -e .
```

### Basic Usage

```bash
# Get help (self-documenting for agents)
cli-anything-gimp --help
cli-anything-gimp layer --help

# Create a new project
cli-anything-gimp project new --width 1920 --height 1080 -o poster.json

# Add a layer (JSON output mode)
cli-anything-gimp --json layer add -n "Background" --type solid --color "#1a1a2e"

# Open a file
cli-anything-gimp file open ./image.png

# Export
cli-anything-gimp file export --format png --output ./out.png
```

### JSON Output Mode

Every command supports `--json` for structured agent consumption:

```bash
cli-anything-gimp --json project new --width 800 --height 600
```

```json
{
  "status": "ok",
  "command": "project new",
  "result": {
    "width": 800,
    "height": 600,
    "layers": [],
    "id": "proj_abc123"
  }
}
```

On error:

```json
{
  "status": "error",
  "command": "layer add",
  "error": "No active project. Run `project new` or `file open` first.",
  "code": "NO_ACTIVE_PROJECT"
}
```

### Interactive REPL

```bash
# Enter REPL (stateful session)
cli-anything-gimp

# Inside REPL:
# > project new --width 1920 --height 1080
# > layer add -n "Sky" --type gradient
# > layer add -n "Text" --type text --content "Hello"
# > undo
# > redo
# > file export --format jpeg --quality 90
# > exit
```

### Undo / Redo

```bash
cli-anything-gimp undo
cli-anything-gimp redo
cli-anything-gimp history --last 10
```

---

## Generated Harness Structure

```
gimp/
└── agent-harness/
    ├── setup.py                  # pip-installable package
    ├── TEST.md                   # Test plan + results
    ├── cli_anything_gimp/
    │   ├── __init__.py
    │   ├── main.py               # Click CLI entrypoint
    │   ├── commands/
    │   │   ├── project.py        # project new/open/save/close
    │   │   ├── layer.py          # layer add/remove/reorder/merge
    │   │   ├── filter.py         # filter apply/list/preview
    │   │   ├── file.py           # file open/export/import
    │   │   └── ...
    │   ├── state.py              # Application state model
    │   ├── output.py             # JSON + human output formatting
    │   └── repl.py               # Interactive REPL
    └── tests/
        ├── unit/
        │   ├── test_project.py
        │   ├── test_layer.py
        │   └── ...
        └── e2e/
            ├── test_workflow_poster.py
            └── ...
```

---

## Writing a Custom Harness (Python Pattern)

If you need to manually create or extend a harness, here's the standard pattern CLI-Anything follows:

### Entry Point (`main.py`)

```python
import click
import json
import sys
from .state import AppState
from .output import output_result, output_error
from .commands import project, layer, file_ops, filters

@click.group()
@click.option("--json", "json_mode", is_flag=True, default=False,
              help="Output results as JSON for agent consumption")
@click.pass_context
def cli(ctx, json_mode):
    """CLI-Anything harness for GIMP — agent-ready interface."""
    ctx.ensure_object(dict)
    ctx.obj["json_mode"] = json_mode
    ctx.obj["state"] = AppState()

cli.add_command(project.group)
cli.add_command(layer.group)
cli.add_command(file_ops.group)