cli-anything — Claude Code skill: CLI harnesses for GUI apps

---
name: cli-anything
description: Use when the user wants Codex to build, refine, test, validate, or list CLI-Anything harnesses for GUI applications or source repositories. Adapts the full CLI-Anything methodology to Codex without changing the generated Python harness format.
---

# CLI-Anything for Codex

Use this skill when the user wants Codex to act like the `CLI-Anything` builder.

## Read the Full Methodology First

Before implementation, use the full methodology source of truth:

1. Read `references/HARNESS.md` relative to this skill directory.
2. Read the matching mode specification under `references/commands/`.
3. Read referenced files under `references/guides/` only when they apply to the target.
4. If the installed resources are unavailable and this skill is being used from a
   `CLI-Anything` repository checkout, read `../cli-anything-plugin/HARNESS.md` and
   the resources around it.
5. If neither local source is available, clone or download
   `https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything` and use `cli-anything-plugin/HARNESS.md`.
6. Only if all full-methodology sources are unavailable, follow the condensed rules below.

The installer vendors the canonical resources from `cli-anything-plugin/` into this
skill so a normal Codex installation is self-contained.

## Resource Map

| Path | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `references/HARNESS.md` | Complete methodology and quality rules |
| `references/commands/cli-anything.md` | Build-mode specification |
| `references/commands/refine.md` | Refine-mode specification |
| `references/commands/test.md` | Test-mode specification |
| `references/commands/validate.md` | Validation checklist |
| `references/commands/list.md` | Installed/generated harness discovery |
| `references/guides/` | On-demand implementation guidance |
| `scripts/repl_skin.py` | Copy into generated harnesses as `utils/repl_skin.py` |
| `scripts/preview_bundle.py` | Copy into preview-capable harnesses as `utils/preview_bundle.py` |
| `scripts/skill_generator.py` | Generate canonical and packaged CLI skills |
| `scripts/templates/SKILL.md.template` | Skill generation template used by `skill_generator.py` |
| `references/docs/PREVIEW_PROTOCOL.md` | Shared preview bundle protocol |

When reading vendored documents, apply these path remappings instead of resolving
plugin paths against the current working directory:

| Document reference | Installed skill path |
|--------------------|----------------------|
| `guides/...` | `references/guides/...` |
| `cli-anything-plugin/repl_skin.py` | `scripts/repl_skin.py` |
| `cli-anything-plugin/preview_bundle.py` | `scripts/preview_bundle.py` |
| `cli-anything-plugin/skill_generator.py` | `scripts/skill_generator.py` |
| `templates/SKILL.md.template` | `scripts/templates/SKILL.md.template` |
| `docs/PREVIEW_PROTOCOL.md` | `references/docs/PREVIEW_PROTOCOL.md` |

## Inputs

Accept either:

- A local source path such as `./gimp` or `/path/to/software`
- A GitHub repository URL

Derive the software name from the local directory name after cloning if needed.

## Modes

### Build

Read `references/commands/cli-anything.md`. Build a complete harness through source
analysis, architecture design, implementation, test planning, test implementation,
test documentation, CLI-specific `SKILL.md` generation, and local installation.

### Refine

Read `references/commands/refine.md`. Inventory current commands and tests, compare
them against the target software, then incrementally add high-impact capabilities
without removing existing commands unless the user requests a breaking change.

### Test

Read `references/commands/test.md`. Run the harness tests against the real backend,
verify installed-command subprocess coverage, and update `TEST.md` only with passing
results.

### Validate

Read `references/commands/validate.md`. Validate the harness against the complete
directory, implementation, test, documentation, packaging, and code-quality checklist.

### List

Read `references/commands/list.md`. Discover installed and generated CLI-Anything tools
and support human-readable or JSON output as requested.

## Condensed Fallback Rules

Use these only when the full methodology cannot be retrieved.

### Harness Structure

Produce:

```text
<software>/
└── agent-harness/
    ├── <SOFTWARE>.md
    ├── setup.py
    └── cli_anything/
        └── <software>/
            ├── README.md
            ├── __init__.py
            ├── __main__.py
            ├── <software>_cli.py
            ├── core/
            ├── utils/
            └── tests/
```

### Required Behavior

- Prefer the real software backend over reimplementation.
- Provide one-shot Click subcommands and default REPL mode.
- Support `--json` machine-readable output.
- Add session state with undo/redo where the target supports it.
- Auto-save one-shot session mutations and support `--dry-run`.
- Use locked session-file writes to avoid concurrent JSON corruption.
- Copy and use the unified `ReplSkin`.
- Add truthful preview commands for software with meaningful visual or inspection state.
- Generate both canonical and packaged CLI-specific `SKILL.md` files.

### Testing

- Write `TEST.md` before test code.
- Keep `test_core.py` for unit coverage.
- Keep `test_full_e2e.py` for real-file workflows and real backend validation.
- Verify rendered/exported output programmatically, not only process exit codes.
- Test the installed `cli-anything-<software>` command via `_resolve_cli()`.
- Run release validation with `CLI_ANYTHING_FORCE_INSTALLED=1`.

### Packaging

- Use `find_namespace_packages(include=["cli_anything.*"])`.
- Keep `cli_anything/` as a namespace package without a top-level `__init__.py`.
- Expose `cli-anything-<software>` through `console_scripts`.
- Include the packaged CLI-specific `skills/SKILL.md`.

## Output Expectations

When reporting progress or final results, include:

- target software and source path
- files added or changed
- validation commands run
- open risks or backend limitations