Llama Extract

LlamaExtract Skill

Extract structured JSON from documents using a schema. This skill ships a bundled CLI (scripts/extract.py) that handles upload, extraction, polling, and result writing. Your job is to (a) define the schema as JSON Schema, (b) invoke the CLI, (c) read the result.

When to use this skill

Use this skill whenever a request combines:

• A document (PDF, DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, image, or similar)
• A target schema (Pydantic model, JSON Schema, or a list of fields the user wants extracted)

Concrete triggers: extracting line items from an invoice, pulling fields from a 10-K / Call Report / contract / KYC doc / insurance claim, getting a structured record from a form. The bundled CLI is faster than reading PDF pages directly, especially for: multi-page tables, dense schedules, regulatory filings, scanned PDFs, and any document with a defined output schema.

Step 1 — Write the schema to a JSON file

Encode the target schema as JSON Schema. If the user provides a Pydantic model, convert it:

# Conversion snippet (Pydantic -> JSON Schema file)
import json
from my_models import MyModel
open("./schema.json", "w").write(json.dumps(MyModel.model_json_schema(), indent=2))

If the user provides field names + descriptions in prose, build the JSON Schema directly:

{
  "type": "object",
  "title": "MySchema",
  "description": "<one-sentence description of the document type>",
  "properties": {
    "invoice_number": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Invoice number printed in the header."
    },
    "total_amount": {
      "anyOf": [{"type": "number"}, {"type": "null"}],
      "default": null,
      "description": "Total amount due in USD, raw dollars."
    }
  },
  "required": ["invoice_number"]
}

Schema constraints (enforced by LlamaExtract):

• Root must be type: "object".
• Max nesting depth: 7. Max properties: 5000. Total description chars: 120,000. Raw schema chars: 150,000.
• Field description text is passed to the extraction LLM at runtime — treat each one as a one-sentence instruction. Specify units, location in the document, edge cases:

# Weak — restates the name
revenue: float = Field(description="Revenue.")

# Strong — specifies source, units, edge cases
revenue: float = Field(description=(
    "Total revenue from continuing operations for the fiscal year, in USD raw "
    "dollars (not thousands). Look in the income statement, top section. Do not "
    "include non-operating items."
))

Step 2 — Run the bundled CLI

python "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/extract.py" \
    --input ./input.pdf \
    --schema ./schema.json \
    --output ./output.json \
    --tier agentic \
    --parse-tier agentic \
    --verbose

The CLI:

• Validates LLAMA_CLOUD_API_KEY is set.
• Uploads the input file via client.files.create(purpose="extract").
• Calls client.extract.run(...) with the configured tiers and polling.
• Writes the extracted JSON to --output and exits 0 on success.
• Exits non-zero on any error; the error message is on stderr.

Run python "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/extract.py" --help for the full flag reference.

Step 3 — Read and validate the output

After the CLI exits successfully, the JSON result is at ./output.json. Read it with the Read tool, validate against the schema if needed, and proceed with whatever the user asked for downstream.

Tier selection (defaults are usually right)

Pricing: $1.25 per 1000 credits. Default (agentic + agentic) = 25 credits/page = $0.031/page.

Optional CLI flags

Limits

When NOT to use this skill

• The document is plain text or trivially structured (CSV, JSON, simple Markdown). Use direct file reading.
• The user wants raw text content, not a schema-fitted record. Use a parser (e.g. LiteParse).
• The user has no schema in mind and wants exploratory reading. Read the document first, then propose a schema, then come back to this skill.

Reference: SDK direct call

If the bundled CLI fails or the user needs a configuration knob the CLI doesn't expose, the underlying SDK call pattern is documented at developers.llamaindex.ai/llamaparse/extract/sdk/. The CLI's source is at ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/extract.py — read it for the canonical call pattern.