mvanhorn

cli-printing-press: Generate Agent-First Go CLIs for APIs

CLI Printing Press is a Go-based generator that turns API specs, HAR captures, or websites into agent-first CLIs and MCP servers. It adds local SQLite search and sync, domain-specific commands, and verification tools for teams building API workflows for AI agents.

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4.8k
Forks
524
Last commit
today
Contributors
93
Releases, 12 months
100+

Our take

Activeregular commits and releases

Health score

78/100

How it is scored
Activity
91
Community
64
Issues
83
Pull requests
73
  • Releases more often than 93% of the projects we track
  • More contributors than 76% of the projects we track
  • Merges more pull requests than 75% of the projects we track

CLI Printing Press is an actively maintained, ambitious generator for teams that want API-specific CLIs shaped around agent workflows, though its Go and agent-tooling prerequisites make it a specialized choice.

Good fit if

  • You want to generate both a CLI and MCP server, with local SQLite features and domain-specific commands.
  • Your workflow uses Claude Code, or you are willing to try the documented Codex skills path.
  • You can provide an OpenAPI spec, HAR capture, or a website to inspect, and can verify that automated access is permitted.

Look elsewhere if

  • You need a ready-to-use CLI for a particular service rather than a generator. Published outputs are maintained in the separate Printing Press Library.
  • You need a standalone distribution without Go, Node/npm, or an agent that supports the project’s skills workflow.
  • You need autonomous website crawling or a generated CLI that replaces every vendor-specific administrative feature.
All health signals
Last commit2026-10-17 (today)
Commits, last 90 days100+
Releases, last 12 months100+ (latest v4.33.6, 2026-10-17)
Contributors93 (top contributor: 68% of commits)
Issues closed, last 90 days34+ (typically closed in 1 day)
Pull requests merged, last 90 days47 (typically merged in 0 days)
Project age7 months

Checked on 2026-10-18 with the GitHub API.

Overview

CLI Printing Press is a Go-based tool that generates agent-first command-line interfaces and MCP servers for APIs and websites. It uses Cobra for generated CLIs and supports OpenAPI specs, HAR files, and browser-captured traffic, so an API does not need a published spec. Its central aim is to make API work faster and less error-prone for AI agents, with concise output and commands designed around useful workflows rather than endpoint coverage alone.

Generated tools can include local SQLite storage, full-text search, incremental sync, and domain-specific analysis commands. The project is aimed at developers and agent users who want to build or use a capable CLI for a service, including services without official APIs. The README documents Claude Code as the best-tested agent workflow and also provides Codex installation guidance.

Key Features

  • Generate Go CLIs and MCP servers from OpenAPI specs, HAR files, or browser-captured API traffic.
  • Create agent-oriented command output, including automatic JSON when piped, compact fields, and typed exit codes.
  • Add SQLite-backed local data, FTS5 search, incremental sync, and direct SQL access where appropriate.
  • Generate domain-focused workflow and insight commands, such as stale-item checks, health summaries, and bottleneck analysis.
  • Research competing tools and MCP servers, then use an absorb manifest to guide feature coverage.
  • Check generated projects with scorecards, structural dogfooding, behavior proofs, and optional read-only live API tests.
  • Install project skills for Claude Code or Codex to drive the generation workflow.

Use Cases

  • A developer wants an agent-friendly CLI for a documented API and can provide its OpenAPI specification.
  • A team needs to explore a web service with no published API spec and can capture its traffic in a browser or HAR file.
  • An agent user wants to search and analyze service data locally instead of repeatedly making live API calls.
  • A CLI maintainer wants to check paths, authentication, flags, and data flow in a generated or hand-built Go CLI.

What you need

Detected in the repository

  • Go 1.26.9 or newer (from go.mod)
  • Automated checks on GitHub Actions

License in plain words

MITpermissive

  • Commercial use: yes
  • Modify and redistribute: yes
  • You must keep: the copyright and license notice
  • Share your changes: no

A summary, not legal advice: the LICENSE file is what applies.

Getting Started

The installer installs the generator and refreshes its skills. It requires Go 1.26.9 or newer and Node/npm for the skills installer:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mvanhorn/cli-printing-press/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

Then start Claude Code and run /printing-press <app-name>. See the README for Codex setup, manual installation, and workflow details.

Considerations

  • The project is actively maintained, with recent commits and releases and ongoing issue and pull-request activity. Its scope is substantial, so generated output still benefits from hands-on review; the README says structural scores do not replace end-user QA.
  • The generator requires Go 1.26.9 or newer. The curated workflow also depends on an agent that supports open-agent-skills and Node/npm; Claude Code is the most-tested path.
  • Browser-based discovery requires a user to capture traffic or provide a HAR file. Some sites may expose traffic the tool cannot use, and the README warns that technical access does not establish legal permission. Review each service’s terms before use.
  • Live verification is read-only and does not test write paths against a real service. Windows is not supported for the regen-merge subcommand.
  • The repository is MIT-licensed. Generated CLIs may also interact with third-party services, so their terms and any separate requirements should be reviewed.

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