Stata CLI

stata-cli

Run Stata code, .do files, view data, retrieve stored results, inspect matrices — all from the command line. Designed for AI agent tool-use via Bash. Includes a daemon mode for sub-second execution and a built-in Stata reference library.

Install

pip install stata-cli

Requires Stata 17+ installed on the machine (provides PyStata).

Critical Gotchas

These are Stata-specific pitfalls that lead to silent bugs. Internalize before writing code.

• Missing values sort to +infinity — if income > 50000 includes missing! Use if income > 50000 & !missing(income)
• = vs == — = is assignment, == is comparison. gen x = 1 if y = 1 is wrong.
• Local macro syntax — backtick + single-quote: `name'. Forgetting the closing ' is the #1 macro bug.
• by requires sort — use bysort id: instead of by id:.
• Factor variables — use i.race for categorical. Bare race treats categories as continuous.
• Always check _merge — tab _merge after every merge.
• e() results overwrite — a new estimation command wipes previous e(). Use estimates store.

For full gotchas and patterns: stata-cli skill

Commands

Run code

stata-cli run "sysuse auto, clear"
stata-cli run "sysuse auto, clear
regress price mpg weight"
echo "display 42" | stata-cli run -

Run a .do file

stata-cli do analysis.do

View data

stata-cli data
stata-cli data --if "price>5000" --rows 50

Retrieve stored results

stata-cli return r         # r() results (after summarize, etc.)
stata-cli return e         # e() results (after regress, etc.)
stata-cli return s         # s() results

Variable metadata

stata-cli vars                # all variables
stata-cli vars price mpg      # specific variables

Read matrices

stata-cli matrix e(b)         # coefficient vector
stata-cli matrix e(V)         # variance-covariance matrix

Value labels

stata-cli labels               # list all value label names
stata-cli labels origin        # show value-label mapping
stata-cli labels --var foreign # show label attached to a variable

Macros

stata-cli macro get "c(current_date)"
stata-cli macro get "e(cmd)"
stata-cli macro set myvar "hello"

Frames

stata-cli frame

Help

stata-cli help regress
stata-cli help summarize

Stata reference library

stata-cli skill                # overview: gotchas, patterns, topic routing table
stata-cli skill --list         # list all 57 topics with descriptions
stata-cli skill regression     # linear regression reference
stata-cli skill did            # difference-in-differences guide
stata-cli skill reghdfe        # reghdfe package guide

Topics cover data management, econometrics, causal inference, graphics, Mata programming, and 20+ community packages. Use stata-cli skill <topic> to read detailed syntax, options, and idiomatic patterns before writing code.

Stop execution

stata-cli stop

Detect Stata path

stata-cli detect

Daemon Mode

stata-cli daemon start     # start background daemon
stata-cli run "display 1"  # fast — auto-routes through daemon
stata-cli daemon status    # check daemon state
stata-cli daemon stop      # shut down
stata-cli daemon restart   # clean restart

Options

JSON Output

{
  "success": true,
  "output": ". display 1+1\n2",
  "error": "",
  "execution_time": 0.04,
  "return_code": 0,
  "extra": {}
}

Exit Codes

Agent Usage Pattern

# Learn how to do DiD before writing code
stata-cli skill did

# Full analysis workflow
stata-cli run "sysuse auto, clear
summarize price mpg
regress price mpg weight
predict yhat
list make price yhat in 1/5"

# Get structured regression results
stata-cli return e

# Get coefficient matrix
stata-cli matrix e(b)

# Inspect variable metadata
stata-cli vars price mpg

# Check value labels
stata-cli labels --var foreign

# Check data after loading
stata-cli data --if "price>10000"

# Lookup command syntax
stata-cli help anova

# Compact mode for less noise
stata-cli --compact run "sysuse auto, clear
describe"