Getting Started

cli4ai is a package manager for AI CLI tools. Install any AI tool with one command and get your AI agent connected to the tools you use in under a minute.

Installation

Install cli4ai globally using npm:

npm install -g cli4ai

Or using bun:

bun install -g cli4ai

Quick Start

1. Install a package

Install any tool from the registry:

# Install globally (available everywhere)
cli4ai add -g slack

# Or install locally (project-specific)
cli4ai add slack

2. Run a command

Execute commands from installed tools:

# List slack channels
cli4ai run slack channels

# Search your inbox
cli4ai run gmail search "from:boss"

# Get GitHub notifications
cli4ai run github notifs

3. Connect to AI agents

Add instructions to your project's CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md file so your AI agent knows about available tools:

# AI Tools Available

This project has cli4ai tools installed. Use them via the terminal:

## Slack
- `cli4ai run slack channels` - List channels
- `cli4ai run slack post "#channel" "message"` - Send a message
- `cli4ai run slack react "#channel" "timestamp" "emoji"` - Add reaction

## Gmail
- `cli4ai run gmail inbox` - Check inbox
- `cli4ai run gmail search "query"` - Search emails
- `cli4ai run gmail send "to@email.com" "subject" "body"` - Send email

## GitHub
- `cli4ai run github notifs` - Check notifications
- `cli4ai run github repos` - List repositories

Run `cli4ai list` to see all installed tools and `cli4ai run <tool> --help` for command details.

Your AI agent will read this file and know exactly how to use your tools via the terminal.

Alternative: MCP Configuration

For deeper integration, generate MCP configuration:

cli4ai mcp-config

This creates config for Claude Desktop, Cursor, and other MCP-compatible tools.

Core Commands

Command Description
cli4ai add <pkg> Install a package locally
cli4ai add -g <pkg> Install a package globally
cli4ai remove <pkg> Uninstall a package
cli4ai list List installed packages
cli4ai run <pkg> <cmd> Execute a tool command
cli4ai routines run <name> Run a multi-step workflow (routine)
cli4ai search <query> Search for packages
cli4ai info <pkg> Show package details
cli4ai mcp-config Generate MCP configuration
cli4ai secrets set <key> Store an encrypted secret

Configuration

cli4ai stores configuration in ~/.cli4ai/:

~/.cli4ai/
├── config.json    # Global settings
├── packages/      # Globally installed packages
├── routines/      # Global routines
├── bin/           # Executable wrappers
└── secrets.json   # Encrypted credentials

Projects can also store routines locally in ./.cli4ai/routines/ (recommended for project-specific workflows).

Managing secrets

Many tools require API keys or tokens. cli4ai provides secure secret storage:

# Store a secret
cli4ai secrets set SLACK_BOT_TOKEN

# List stored secrets
cli4ai secrets list

# Secrets are automatically injected when running tools

Next Steps