api2cli

Turn any REST API into a standardized, agent-ready CLI in minutes.

One CLI pattern. Every API. Any AI agent can use it.

The Problem

There are 10,000+ SaaS products with REST APIs. AI agents can only interact with a tiny fraction of them because:

• No CLI exists for most APIs (Typefully, Dub, Mercury, Front, etc.)
• No MCP server for 97% of APIs
• No standardization across the CLIs that do exist
• No agent skills that work across platforms

The Solution

api2cli generates standardized CLIs from any API. Every generated CLI follows the exact same patterns, so an agent that learns one CLI knows them all.

api2cli create <app> → scaffold + build + link → <app>-cli ready to use

Quick Start

# Install
bun install -g api2cli

# Create a CLI for any API
api2cli create typefully \
  --base-url https://api.typefully.com \
  --auth-type bearer

# Build and link to PATH
api2cli bundle typefully
api2cli link typefully

# Or search the registry first
api2cli search typefully

# Use it
typefully-cli auth set "typ_xxx"
typefully-cli drafts list
typefully-cli drafts create --text "Hello world" --platform x

How It Works

1. Create a CLI scaffold

api2cli create <app> [options]

| Flag | Description | Default | |------|-------------|---------| | --base-url <url> | API base URL | https://api.example.com | | --auth-type <type> | bearer, api-key, basic, custom | bearer | | --auth-header <name> | Auth header name | Authorization | | --docs <url> | API docs URL (for agent-driven generation) | - | | --openapi <url> | OpenAPI/Swagger spec URL | - | | --force | Overwrite existing CLI | false |

This creates ~/.cli/<app>-cli/ with:

• HTTP client with retry/backoff
• Auth module (tokens in ~/.config/tokens/)
• Multi-format output (text, JSON, CSV, YAML)
• Example resource file to copy

2. Add resources

Create a file in ~/.cli/<app>-cli/src/resources/ for each API resource:

import { Command } from "commander";
import { client } from "../lib/client.js";
import { output } from "../lib/output.js";
import { handleError } from "../lib/errors.js";

export const draftsResource = new Command("drafts")
  .description("Manage drafts");

draftsResource
  .command("list")
  .description("List all drafts")
  .option("--limit <n>", "Max results", "20")
  .option("--json", "Output as JSON")
  .action(async (opts) => {
    try {
      const data = await client.get("/drafts", { limit: opts.limit });
      output(data, { json: opts.json });
    } catch (err) {
      handleError(err, opts.json);
    }
  });

Register it in src/index.ts:

import { draftsResource } from "./resources/drafts.js";
program.addCommand(draftsResource);

3. Build and link

api2cli bundle <app>        # Build the CLI
api2cli link <app>          # Add to PATH (updates .bashrc/.zshrc)

4. Use it

<app>-cli auth set "your-token"
<app>-cli auth test
<app>-cli <resource> list --json

All Commands

CLI Manager (api2cli)

| Command | Description | |---------|-------------| | api2cli create <app> | Generate a new CLI from API docs | | api2cli bundle <app> [--compile] [--all] | Build a CLI from source (--compile for standalone binary) | | api2cli link <app> [--all] | Add a CLI to PATH | | api2cli unlink <app> | Remove from PATH | | api2cli list [--json] | List all installed CLIs | | api2cli tokens [--show] | List all configured tokens (masked) | | api2cli remove <app> [--keep-token] | Remove a CLI entirely | | api2cli doctor | Check system requirements | | api2cli install <source> [--force] | Install from GitHub repo or registry | | api2cli search <query> [--type <type>] [--category <cat>] [--json] | Search the api2cli registry | | api2cli publish <app> [--github <url>] [--category <cat>] | Publish to registry | | api2cli update <app> | Re-sync with API changes (agent-driven) |

Generated CLIs (<app>-cli)

Every generated CLI follows these exact conventions:

# Authentication
<app>-cli auth set <token>     # Save token (chmod 600)
<app>-cli auth show            # Display masked token
<app>-cli auth show --raw      # Display full token
<app>-cli auth test            # Verify token works
<app>-cli auth remove          # Delete token

# Resources (CRUD)
<app>-cli <resource> list      # GET /resource
<app>-cli <resource> get <id>  # GET /resource/:id
<app>-cli <resource> create    # POST /resource
<app>-cli <resource> update <id>  # PATCH /resource/:id
<app>-cli <resource> delete <id>  # DELETE /resource/:id

# Global flags
--json                         # JSON output {ok, data, meta}
--format <text|json|csv|yaml>  # Output format
--verbose                      # Debug logging
--no-color                     # Disable colors
--no-header                    # Omit table headers (for piping)

# Deep help at every level
<app>-cli --help
<app>-cli <resource> --help
<app>-cli <resource> <action> --help

Output Formats

Text (default): Pretty tables for humans

id                    status    created_at
────────────────────  ────────  ──────────
abc123                draft     2026-03-07
def456                published 2026-03-06

JSON (--json): Structured envelope for agents

{
  "ok": true,
  "data": [...],
  "meta": { "total": 42 }
}

CSV (--format csv): For spreadsheets and piping

YAML (--format yaml): For config files

Agent Integration

AgentSkills (Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini CLI, etc.)

The repo includes skills/api2cli/SKILL.md following the AgentSkills open standard. Install it in your agent:

# Claude Code
cp -r skills/api2cli ~/.claude/skills/

# OpenClaw
cp -r skills/api2cli ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/

# Or use skills
npx skills add api2cli

Once installed, just tell your agent:

"Create a CLI for the Typefully API"

The agent reads the skill, discovers the API, generates resources, builds, and links -- all automatically.

Supported Agents

Works with any tool that supports AgentSkills: Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, VS Code, OpenClaw, Goose, OpenHands, Junie, Amp, OpenCode, Letta, Firebender, Mux, Autohand

Project Structure

api2cli/
├── packages/
│   ├── cli/              # api2cli manager (create, bundle, link...)
│   └── template/         # CLI scaffold (gets cloned per API)
├── apps/
│   └── web/              # api2cli.dev marketplace (Next.js + Neon)
├── skills/
│   └── api2cli/          # AgentSkills SKILL.md
├── biome.json            # Linter + formatter
├── tsconfig.base.json    # Shared TypeScript config
└── TODO.md               # Roadmap

Tech Stack

• Runtime: Bun (fast startup, built-in bundler)
• Language: TypeScript (strict mode)
• CLI Framework: Commander.js
• Linter: Biome
• Web: Next.js + Neon (PostgreSQL)
• Standard: AgentSkills

Token Storage

All tokens are stored in ~/.config/tokens/<app>-cli.txt with chmod 600.

api2cli tokens              # List all tokens (masked)
api2cli tokens --show       # Show full tokens

License

MIT