# cli-anything-calibre

Controls Calibre libraries, edits e-book metadata, and runs format conversions directly from CLI agents.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 322 installs · ★ 57187
- Author: HKUDS
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything/tree/HEAD/skills/cli-anything-calibre/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/cli-anything-calibre

## What it does

This skill acts as a command-line wrapper around Calibre binaries: `calibredb`, `ebook-convert`, and `ebook-meta`. It offers both an interactive REPL mode and structured JSON output via the `--json` flag. The CLI maintains state across invocations, storing the active library path inside `~/.cli-anything-calibre/session.json`.

A system-level Calibre installation and Python 3.10+ are mandatory prerequisites. If `calibredb` and `ebook-convert` are missing from PATH, every operation fails immediately.

The tool exposes Calibre query syntax for filtering by author, tag, or rating. It converts books across formats such as EPUB, MOBI, PDF, and DOCX. It also includes an `export-chapters` command that splits an EPUB into individual per-chapter PDF files.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add HKUDS/CLI-Anything --skill cli-anything-calibre -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/cli-anything-calibre/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/cli-anything-calibre/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add HKUDS/CLI-Anything --skill cli-anything-calibre -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/cli-anything-calibre/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add HKUDS/CLI-Anything --skill cli-anything-calibre -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/cli-anything-calibre/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install HKUDS/CLI-Anything cli-anything-calibre
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/cli-anything-calibre/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add HKUDS/CLI-Anything --skill cli-anything-calibre -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything --path skills/cli-anything-calibre
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/cli-anything-calibre/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add HKUDS/CLI-Anything --skill cli-anything-calibre -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything/tree/HEAD/skills/cli-anything-calibre/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- convert e-books between formats like EPUB, MOBI, and PDF
- edit metadata, tags, and series order in a Calibre database
- split EPUB chapters into separate PDF files
- query Calibre libraries with complex search filters

## Example prompts
- Search my Calibre library for books by Asimov with rating above 3.
- Convert book 42 from EPUB to MOBI format.
- Export the first five chapters of book 42 as PDFs to ./pdfs.

## Source text · SKILL.md · Apache-2.0

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 8d96d5a4f05c6143.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 8d96d5a4f05c6143
````text
---
name: "cli-anything-calibre"
description: >-
  Command-line interface for Calibre - A stateful CLI harness for e-book library management, metadata editing, and format conversion wrapping the real Calibre tools (calibredb, ebook-convert, ebook-meta)...
---

# cli-anything-calibre

A stateful CLI harness for Calibre e-book management. Wraps the real Calibre tools (`calibredb`, `ebook-convert`, `ebook-meta`) to give AI agents and scripts a clean, structured interface for library operations, metadata editing, and format conversion.

## Installation

This CLI is installed as part of the cli-anything-calibre package:

```bash
pip install git+https://github.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything.git#subdirectory=calibre/agent-harness
```

**Prerequisites:**
- Python 3.10+
- Calibre must be installed on your system (hard dependency)

```bash
# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt-get install calibre

# macOS
brew install --cask calibre

# Verify tools are in PATH
which calibredb
which ebook-convert
which ebook-meta
```


## Usage

### Basic Commands

```bash
# Show help
cli-anything-calibre --help

# Start interactive REPL mode
cli-anything-calibre

# Connect to a Calibre library
cli-anything-calibre library connect ~/Calibre\ Library

# Run with JSON output (for agent consumption)
cli-anything-calibre --json books list
```

### REPL Mode

When invoked without a subcommand, the CLI enters an interactive REPL session:

```bash
cli-anything-calibre
# Enter commands interactively with tab-completion and history
# Use 'help' to see available commands
# Use 'quit' or 'exit' to leave
```


## Command Groups


### Library

Library management commands.

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `connect <path>` | Set active library path |
| `info` | Show library statistics (book count, formats, db size) |
| `check` | Verify library integrity using calibredb check_library |


### Books

Book operations (wrap `calibredb`).

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `list` | List books with filtering and sorting |
| `search <query>` | Search using Calibre query language |
| `add <files>` | Add book files to library |
| `remove <ids>` | Remove books (move to trash or permanent delete) |
| `show <id>` | Show full metadata for a book |
| `export <ids>` | Export books to directory |
| `export-chapters <id>` | Export each chapter as separate PDF (requires EPUB format) |


### Meta

Metadata editing (wrap `calibredb set_metadata`).

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `get <id> [field]` | Get metadata (all or specific field) |
| `set <id> <field> <value>` | Set a metadata field |
| `embed <ids>` | Embed metadata into book files |


### Formats

Format management (wrap `calibredb` + `ebook-convert`).

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `list <id>` | List available formats for a book |
| `add <id> <file>` | Add a format to a book |
| `remove <id> <fmt>` | Remove a format from a book |
| `convert <id> <input_fmt> <output_fmt>` | Convert book format |


### Custom
````
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---
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