CLI-Anything

CLI-Anything is an open-source project from HKUDS that turns ordinary software into agent-native command-line tools. The pitch is simple: today's software is built for humans clicking through GUIs, while tomorrow's users are agents that need a typed, inspectable interface. The project ships a public registry called CLI-Hub, plus generated CLIs and SKILL.md packages that OpenClaw, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, nanobot, and other skill-compatible agents can install in one command. The GitHub repository is Apache-2.0 licensed, created on March 8, 2026, and has grown to about 47.6K stars.

Key Features

• CLI-Hub registry: pip install cli-anything-hub gives you cli-hub list, search, info, install, update, uninstall, and launch for community CLIs.
• Agent-native packaging: Each harness can be installed as a SKILL with npx skills add HKUDS/CLI-Anything --skill cli-hub-meta-skill -g -y.
• Generated CLIs for real software: The hub covers desktop apps, developer tools, cloud services, SaaS APIs, and creative suites. Demos include FreeCAD, Blender, QGIS, Calibre, Rekordbox, MiniMax, and Unreal workflows.
• JSON plus human output: Commands are designed so an agent can parse structured results instead of scraping a GUI.
• Tested harnesses: The README reports 2,461 passing tests and a public contributing path, including a wishlist issue template.
• Research backing: The team published a technical report at arXiv:2606.03854.

Use Cases

• Agent operators: Give OpenClaw or Claude Code a one-command way to find and run software that never had an official CLI.
• Creative and CAD work: Let an agent assemble a FreeCAD rover, grow a Blender hard-surface model, or drive QGIS without sitting at the GUI.
• Internal tooling: Wrap a company SaaS API or desktop app as a typed CLI, then let coding agents call it the same way they call git.
• Contributors: Submit a new harness through the PR template and have it appear in CLI-Hub after review.

Pricing

CLI-Anything and CLI-Hub are free and open source under Apache-2.0. You pay only for the underlying applications, cloud APIs, or model providers that a given CLI talks to.

Getting Started

1. Install the hub with pip install cli-anything-hub.
2. Browse the registry with cli-hub list or cli-hub search image.
3. Install one tool, for example cli-hub install gimp, then inspect it with cli-hub info gimp.
4. Launch it with cli-hub launch gimp or feed the matching SKILL.md to your agent.
5. For agent auto-discovery, run npx skills add HKUDS/CLI-Anything --skill cli-hub-meta-skill -g -y.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this replace the original GUI app?

No. It wraps the app or API so an agent can operate it. You still need a license or install for software such as FreeCAD, Blender, or a paid SaaS.

Which agents work with it?

The project documents OpenClaw, nanobot, Claude Code, Codex, Antigravity, Cursor, and other SKILL-compatible agents.

Is every CLI generated automatically?

No. Some harnesses are community-contributed and reviewed. Quality varies by software, so read cli-hub info and the test notes before trusting a new tool in production.

Alternatives

• OpenClaw: a self-hosted assistant gateway that can consume CLI-Anything skills.
• Claude Code: a terminal coding agent that can install the CLI-Hub meta-skill.
• Hermes Agent: a self-improving agent runtime that already has a proposed CLI-Anything orchestration skill.

Tips & Best Practices

1. Start from the hub, not a random clone: cli-hub install keeps updates and uninstalls consistent.
2. Prefer JSON output in agent prompts: ask the CLI for machine-readable results so the agent does not scrape banners.
3. Check the wishlist before writing a wrapper: someone may already be building the software you need.

Conclusion

CLI-Anything is the missing package manager between coding agents and the rest of the software world. If your agent can already edit a repo but still cannot drive FreeCAD, Blender, or a SaaS console, start at CLI-Hub and install one harness.