Compile CLI

compile-cli

Turn any MCP server or SKILL.md file into a compiled standalone Python Click CLI using LiteCLI. This is the self-replicating multiplier — skills become runnable commands that work without Claude.

Requirements

• Python 3.10+
• pip install litecli-compiler

Pipeline 1: MCP Server to CLI

Register any MCP server as a backend, then auto-generate Click commands from its tool schemas.

Step 1: Register the MCP server

For a stdio MCP (npx-based):

litecli admin add --id filesystem --type stdio --cmd npx --args "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /tmp"

For an HTTP MCP:

litecli admin add --id myserver --type http --url http://localhost:8200/mcp

The --id value becomes the command prefix. Keep it short and lowercase.

Step 2: Discover tools

litecli admin discover

Output shows all registered backends and their available tools:

Backend: filesystem (stdio)
  Tools:
    - read_file       Read a file from the filesystem
    - write_file      Write content to a file
    - list_directory  List files in a directory

Backend: myserver (http)
  Tools:
    - search_docs     Search documentation
    - run_query       Execute a database query

Step 3: Use tools immediately (dynamic mode)

The dynamic.py module auto-converts JSON Schema to Click commands at runtime. Tools are accessible immediately after registration:

litecli filesystem read-file --path /tmp/notes.txt
litecli filesystem list-directory --path /tmp/
litecli myserver search-docs --query "authentication" --limit 10

Tool names use hyphens in CLI form (read_file becomes read-file). Arguments map directly from the JSON Schema properties.

Step 4: Freeze to static CLI

Once you're satisfied with the dynamic commands, snapshot them as static Python:

litecli freeze

This generates compiled/<backend_id>.py for each registered backend — no runtime schema fetching needed, no MCP connection required to run the CLI.

Real-world example: Turning Kuroryuu MCP into a standalone CLI

# Register the Kuroryuu gateway
litecli admin add --id kuro --type http --url http://localhost:8200/mcp

# Verify tools discovered
litecli admin discover

# Use a tool
litecli kuro search --query "task management" --limit 5

# Freeze to static
litecli freeze
# → writes compiled/kuro.py

Pipeline 2: SKILL.md to CLI

Compile a SKILL.md file into a standalone CLI that runs without LiteCLI or an AI.

Default target is TypeScript — compiled skills produce a .ts file with a defineCommand export compatible with the just-bash runtime. Use --target python to get the legacy Python Click CLI instead.

Step 1: Basic compile (TypeScript, default)

litecli compile path/to/SKILL.md
# equivalent:
litecli compile path/to/SKILL.md --target typescript

Generates a .ts file in the same directory as the skill. The compiler reads the skill's steps, extracts API endpoints and parameters, and produces a defineCommand export from just-bash.

Output shape:

import { defineCommand } from "just-bash";
export const skill-name = defineCommand("skill-name", async (args, ctx) => {
  // args — parsed from SKILL.md parameter definitions
  // ctx.env — auth keys from the just-bash auth bridge (not process.env)
  // fetch() — network calls to configured endpoints
  // returns { stdout, stderr, exitCode }
});

Step 1 (alt): Compile to Python Click CLI (legacy)

litecli compile path/to/SKILL.md --target python

Generates a .py file using Click. Use this when the skill targets environments without the just-bash runtime.

just-bash integration

TypeScript-compiled skills run inside the just-bash runtime, which provides:

• Auth bridge — credentials injected via ctx.env; the runtime resolves keys from the LiteSuite auth store (never process.env)
• Sandboxed execution — only just-bash is an allowed external import; no arbitrary Node modules
• IPC — runtime communicates with LiteSuite via the lite__shell MCP tool over the agent bridge

Step 2: Compile with output directory and auto-register

litecli compile path/to/SKILL.md --output-dir ./compiled/ --register
# or explicitly:
litecli compile path/to/SKILL.md --target typescript --output-dir ./compiled/ --register

• --target typescript (default) or --target python selects the output format
• --output-dir puts the generated file in a specific folder
• --register adds the compiled CLI to LiteCLI's backend registry so it appears in litecli compiled list

Step 3: List compiled CLIs

litecli compiled list

Output:

Name              Source                        Status
────────────────  ────────────────────────────  ──────
search-web        skills/search-web/SKILL.md    ok
send-email        skills/send-email/SKILL.md    ok
notion-pages      skills/notion/SKILL.md        ok

Step 4: Run a compiled CLI

litecli compiled run search-web --query "LiteCLI documentation"
litecli compiled run send-email --to user@example.com --subject "Hello" --body "Test"
litecli compiled run notion-pages --action list --database-id abc123

Step 5: Remove a compiled CLI

litecli compiled remove search-web

Deletes the generated file (.ts or .py) and removes it from the registry.

Real-world example: Compiling a Notion skill

# Compile the skill
litecli compile ~/.claude/skills/notion/SKILL.md --output-dir ./compiled/ --register

# List to confirm
litecli compiled list

# Run it
litecli compiled run notion --action create-page --title "Meeting Notes" --parent-id abc123

Pipeline 3: Batch compile from a directory

Compile an entire directory of SKILL.md files in one pass.

python scripts/build.py --skills-dir path/to/skills/

What it does internally:

1. Runs categorize.py — classifies each skill as COMPILE or SKIP
2. Copies skills into the build staging area
3. Compiles each COMPILE skill in sequence
4. Logs results to build/compile_report.json

Skills are marked SKIP when:

• They have no API endpoints (pure reasoning/writing skills)
• They reference too many unrelated external URLs (ambiguous)
• They are marked with compile: false in their YAML frontmatter

Example: Batch compiling a skills directory

python scripts/build.py --skills-dir ~/.claude/skills/

# Or target a specific category subfolder
python scripts/build.py --skills-dir ~/.claude/skills/productivity/

Output:

Categorizing skills...
  COMPILE  notion/SKILL.md
  COMPILE  search-web/SKILL.md
  SKIP     brainstorm/SKILL.md  (no API endpoints)
  SKIP     plan-w-quizmaster/SKILL.md  (no API endpoints)
  COMPILE  send-email/SKILL.md

Compiling 3 skills...
  [ok]  notion → compiled/notion.py
  [ok]  search-web → compiled/search_web.py
  [ok]  send-email → compiled/send_email.py

Report written to build/compile_report.json

Auth

Compiled CLIs handle authentication two ways:

Interactive keyring (first use): The first time you run a compiled CLI that needs credentials, it prompts interactively and stores the key in the system keyring. Subsequent runs use the stored key silently.

$ litecli compiled run notion --action list-pages
Notion token not found. Enter your NOTION_TOKEN: ••••••••••••
Token saved to keyring. Won't ask again.

Environment variables (CI/scripts): Set the relevant env var to skip the prompt entirely:

export NOTION_TOKEN=secret_abc123
export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
export GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_...

litecli compiled run notion --action list-pages

Standard env var names are detected automatically from the skill's API configuration.

Error handling

All compiled CLIs and pipeline errors output structured JSON:

{"error": "Authentication failed", "code": "AUTH_ERROR", "fix": "Set NOTION_TOKEN env var or run with --reset-auth"}
{"error": "Tool not found: read_flie", "code": "TOOL_NOT_FOUND", "fix": "Run 'litecli admin discover' to see available tools"}
{"error": "Connection refused at http://localhost:8200", "code": "BACKEND_UNREACHABLE", "fix": "Check that the MCP server is running"}

"Compilation failed: too complex"

This means the skill has too many unrelated API endpoints or external URLs for the compiler to produce a clean CLI. The fix: keep it as a readable agent skill. Not everything needs to be compiled — skills that require judgment, iteration, or multi-step reasoning are better left as AI skills.

"No tools discovered"

# Check the backend is reachable
litecli admin discover --id myserver --verbose

# Re-register with correct args
litecli admin remove --id myserver
litecli admin add --id myserver --type http --url http://localhost:8200/mcp

Quick reference

# MCP pipeline
litecli admin add --id <name> --type stdio --cmd npx --args <package>
litecli admin add --id <name> --type http --url <url>
litecli admin discover
litecli <name> <tool-name> [options]
litecli freeze

# SKILL.md pipeline (TypeScript default)
litecli compile path/to/SKILL.md                          # → .ts (default)
litecli compile path/to/SKILL.md --target typescript      # explicit TS
litecli compile path/to/SKILL.md --target python          # legacy .py
litecli compile path/to/SKILL.md --output-dir ./compiled/ --register
litecli compiled list
litecli compiled run <name> [args]
litecli compiled remove <name>

# Batch
python scripts/build.py --skills-dir path/to/skills/