cli-to-js: Turn Any CLI Into a JavaScript API

Skill by ara.so — Daily 2026 Skills collection.

cli-to-js reads a binary's --help output, parses it into a schema, and returns a fully typed Proxy-based API where subcommands are methods and flags are options. Designed for agent workflows where structured APIs are safer than raw shell strings.

Install

npm install cli-to-js

Core Concepts

• convertCliToJs(binary) — runs --help, parses output, returns typed API proxy
• fromHelpText(binary, text) — same but from a static help string
• Every subcommand becomes a method: api.subcommand({ flag: value })
• Positional args use the _ key: api.command({ _: ["file.txt"] })
• camelCase keys auto-convert to kebab-case flags: { dryRun: true } → --dry-run