cli-anything

name	cli-anything
description	Use when the user wants Codex to build, refine, test, or validate a CLI-Anything harness for a GUI application or source repository. Adapts the 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.

If this skill is being used from inside the CLI-Anything repository, read ../cli-anything-plugin/HARNESS.md before implementation. That file is the full methodology source of truth. If it is not available, follow the condensed rules below.

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

Use when the user wants a new harness.

Produce this structure:

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

Implement a stateful Click CLI with:

• one-shot subcommands
• REPL mode as the default when no subcommand is given
• --json machine-readable output
• session state with undo/redo where the target software supports it

Refine

Use when the harness already exists.

First inventory current commands and tests, then do gap analysis against the target software. Prefer:

• high-impact missing features
• easy wrappers around existing backend APIs or CLIs
• additions that compose well with existing commands

Do not remove existing commands unless the user explicitly asks for a breaking change.

Test

Plan tests before writing them. Keep both:

• test_core.py for unit coverage
• test_full_e2e.py for workflow and backend validation

When possible, test the installed command via subprocess using cli-anything-<software> rather than only module imports.

Validate

Check that the harness:

• uses the cli_anything.<software> namespace package layout
• has an installable setup.py entry point
• supports JSON output
• has a REPL default path
• documents usage and tests

Backend Rules

Prefer the real software backend over reimplementation. Wrap the actual executable or scripting interface in utils/<software>_backend.py when possible. Use synthetic reimplementation only when the project explicitly requires it or no viable native backend exists.

Packaging Rules

• 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

Workflow

1. Acquire the source tree locally.
2. Analyze architecture, data model, existing CLIs, and GUI-to-API mappings.
3. Design command groups and state model.
4. Implement the harness.
5. Write TEST.md, then tests, then run them.
6. Update README usage docs.
7. Verify local installation with pip install -e .

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