use-cases/agent-friendly-clis.md +47 −111
11# Create a CLI Codex can use | Codex use cases---
2name: Create a CLI Codex can use
3tagline: Give Codex a composable command for an API, log source, export, or team script.
4summary: Ask Codex to create a composable CLI it can run from any folder,
5 combine with repo scripts, use to download files, and remember through a
6 companion skill.
7skills:
8 - token: $cli-creator
9 url: https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated/cli-creator
10 description: Design the command surface, build the CLI, add setup and auth
11 checks, install the command on PATH, and verify it from another folder.
12 - token: $skill-creator
13 url: https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.system/skill-creator
14 description: Create the companion skill that teaches later Codex tasks which CLI
15 commands to run first and which write actions require approval.
16bestFor:
17 - Repeated work where Codex needs to search, read, download from, or safely
18 write to the same service, export, local archive, or repo script.
19 - Agent tools that need paged search, exact reads by ID, predictable JSON,
20 downloaded files, local indexes, or draft-before-write commands.
21starterPrompt:
22 title: Build a CLI and companion skill
23 body: >-
24 Use $cli-creator to create a CLI you can use, and use $skill-creator to
25 create the companion skill in this same thread.
26
27
28 Source to learn from: [docs URL, OpenAPI spec, redacted curl command,
29 existing script path, log folder, CSV or JSON export, SQLite database path,
30 or pasted --help output].
31
32
33 First job the CLI should support: [download failed CI logs from a build URL,
34 search support tickets and read one by ID, query an admin API, read a local
35 database, or run one step from an existing script].
36
37
38 Optional write job: [create a draft comment, upload media, retry a failed
39 job, or read-only for now].
2 40
3Codex use cases
4 41
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6
7
8
9Codex use case
10
11# Create a CLI Codex can use
12
13Give Codex a composable command for an API, log source, export, or team script.
14
15Difficulty **Intermediate**
16
17Time horizon **1h**
18
19Ask Codex to create a composable CLI it can run from any folder, combine with repo scripts, use to download files, and remember through a companion skill.
20
21## Best for
22
23- Repeated work where Codex needs to search, read, download from, or safely write to the same service, export, local archive, or repo script.
24- Agent tools that need paged search, exact reads by ID, predictable JSON, downloaded files, local indexes, or draft-before-write commands.
25
26# Contents
27
28[← All use cases](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases)
29
30Copy page [Export as PDF](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/agent-friendly-clis/?export=pdf)
31
32Ask Codex to create a composable CLI it can run from any folder, combine with repo scripts, use to download files, and remember through a companion skill.
33
34Intermediate
35
361h
37
38Related links
39
40[Codex skills](https://developers.openai.com/codex/skills) [Create custom skills](https://developers.openai.com/codex/skills/create-skill)
41
42## Best for
43
44- Repeated work where Codex needs to search, read, download from, or safely write to the same service, export, local archive, or repo script.
45- Agent tools that need paged search, exact reads by ID, predictable JSON, downloaded files, local indexes, or draft-before-write commands.
46
47## Skills & Plugins
48
49- [Cli Creator](https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated/cli-creator)
50
51 Design the command surface, build the CLI, add setup and auth checks, install the command on PATH, and verify it from another folder.
52- [Skill Creator](https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.system/skill-creator)
53
54 Create the companion skill that teaches later Codex tasks which CLI commands to run first and which write actions require approval.
55
56| Skill | Why use it |
57| ------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
58| [Cli Creator](https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated/cli-creator) | Design the command surface, build the CLI, add setup and auth checks, install the command on PATH, and verify it from another folder. |
59| [Skill Creator](https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.system/skill-creator) | Create the companion skill that teaches later Codex tasks which CLI commands to run first and which write actions require approval. |
60
61## Starter prompt
62
63Use $cli-creator to create a CLI you can use, and use $skill-creator to create the companion skill in this same thread.
64Source to learn from: [docs URL, OpenAPI spec, redacted curl command, existing script path, log folder, CSV or JSON export, SQLite database path, or pasted --help output].
65First job the CLI should support: [download failed CI logs from a build URL, search support tickets and read one by ID, query an admin API, read a local database, or run one step from an existing script].
66Optional write job: [create a draft comment, upload media, retry a failed job, or read-only for now].
67 Command name: [cli-name, or recommend one].42 Command name: [cli-name, or recommend one].
68Before coding, show me the proposed command surface and ask only for missing details that would block the build.
69 43
70[Open in the Codex app](codex://new?prompt=Use+%24cli-creator+to+create+a+CLI+you+can+use%2C+and+use+%24skill-creator+to+create+the+companion+skill+in+this+same+thread.%0A%0ASource+to+learn+from%3A+%5Bdocs+URL%2C+OpenAPI+spec%2C+redacted+curl+command%2C+existing+script+path%2C+log+folder%2C+CSV+or+JSON+export%2C+SQLite+database+path%2C+or+pasted+--help+output%5D.%0A%0AFirst+job+the+CLI+should+support%3A+%5Bdownload+failed+CI+logs+from+a+build+URL%2C+search+support+tickets+and+read+one+by+ID%2C+query+an+admin+API%2C+read+a+local+database%2C+or+run+one+step+from+an+existing+script%5D.%0A%0AOptional+write+job%3A+%5Bcreate+a+draft+comment%2C+upload+media%2C+retry+a+failed+job%2C+or+read-only+for+now%5D.%0A%0ACommand+name%3A+%5Bcli-name%2C+or+recommend+one%5D.%0A%0ABefore+coding%2C+show+me+the+proposed+command+surface+and+ask+only+for+missing+details+that+would+block+the+build. "Open in the Codex app")
71 44
7245Use $cli-creator to create a CLI you can use, and use $skill-creator to create the companion skill in this same thread. Before coding, show me the proposed command surface and ask only for missing
7346Source to learn from: [docs URL, OpenAPI spec, redacted curl command, existing script path, log folder, CSV or JSON export, SQLite database path, or pasted --help output]. details that would block the build.
7447First job the CLI should support: [download failed CI logs from a build URL, search support tickets and read one by ID, query an admin API, read a local database, or run one step from an existing script].relatedLinks:
7548Optional write job: [create a draft comment, upload media, retry a failed job, or read-only for now]. - label: Codex skills
7649 Command name: [cli-name, or recommend one]. url: /codex/skills
7750Before coding, show me the proposed command surface and ask only for missing details that would block the build. - label: Create custom skills
51 url: /codex/skills/create-skill
52---
78 53
79## Introduction54## Introduction
80 55
123 102
124**Test the CLI like a future agent**103**Test the CLI like a future agent**
125 104
126Test [cli-name] the way you would use it in a future task.
127Please show proof that:
128- command -v [cli-name] succeeds from outside the CLI source folder
129- [cli-name] --help explains the main commands
130- the setup/auth check runs
131- one safe discovery, list, or search command works
132- one exact read command works with an ID from the discovery result
133- any large log, export, trace, or payload writes to a file and returns the path
134- live write commands are not run unless I explicitly approved them
135Then read the companion skill and tell me the shortest prompt I should use when I need this CLI again.
136
137If Codex returns a giant JSON blob, ask it to narrow the default response and add a file export for full payloads. If it forgets the approval boundary, ask it to update the companion skill before you use it in another thread.105If Codex returns a giant JSON blob, ask it to narrow the default response and add a file export for full payloads. If it forgets the approval boundary, ask it to update the companion skill before you use it in another thread.
138 106
139## Use the skill later107## Use the skill later
140 108
141When you need the CLI again, invoke the skill instead of pasting the docs again:109When you need the CLI again, invoke the skill instead of pasting the docs again:
142 110
143Use $ci-logs to download the failed logs for this build URL and tell me the first failing step.
144
145Use $support-export to search this week's refund complaints and read the three highest-value tickets.
146
147Use $admin-api to find this user's workspace, read the billing record, and draft a safe account note.
148
149For recurring work, test the skill once in a normal thread, then ask Codex to turn that same invocation into an automation.111For recurring work, test the skill once in a normal thread, then ask Codex to turn that same invocation into an automation.
150
151## Related use cases
152
153[
154
155### Create browser-based games
156
157Use Codex to turn a game brief into first a well-defined plan, and then a real browser-based...
158
159Engineering Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/browser-games)[
160
161### Deploy an app or website
162
163Use Codex with Build Web Apps and Vercel to turn a repo, screenshot, design, or rough app...
164
165Front-end Integrations](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/deploy-app-or-website)[
166
167### Refactor your codebase
168
169Use Codex to remove dead code, untangle large files, collapse duplicated logic, and...
170
171Engineering Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/refactor-your-codebase)