claude-cmd is an open-source command-line interface and workflow harness for Anthropic's Claude, developed by independent open-source developer kiliczsh. The tool is packaged as a Node.js CLI application designed to interface with Claude directly from local developer terminal environments. In daily use, claude-cmd provides a lightweight terminal command harness that facilitates executing contextual tasks, generating standard commit messages (such as Conventional Commits), and routing commands through Claude. It leverages project-level configuration patterns, including `CLAUDE.md` context files, to provide project instructions and coding conventions directly to the model during execution. Unlike heavier autonomous multi-agent systems, claude-cmd focuses on minimal footprint command execution and predictable scriptability. It functions as a focused utility wrapper to bridge standard shell workflows with Claude's capabilities without demanding complex background daemons or heavy IDE extensions. claude-cmd is distributed as open-source software under an open-source license and is available via npm and GitHub. Users supply their own Anthropic API credentials to cover standard model consumption costs.
Node.js CLI integration — Runs directly from the shell via standard npm package management and Node.js runtimes. - CLAUDE.md context configuration — Supports project-specific instructions and repository guidelines through localized markdown configuration. - Pre-configured command templates — Includes built-in command recipes in a dedicated command directory for standardized tasks like Conventional Commits. - Scriptable workflow orchestration — Enables developers to pipe commands and orchestrate Claude interactions inside custom shell scripts. - Dynamic version management — Synchronizes package versioning dynamically to ensure transparent updates across environments.
Use cases
Use Case: Automated Conventional Commits A developer stages Git changes and invokes claude-cmd to inspect staged diffs and automatically generate compliant Conventional Commit messages directly from the terminal without manual formatting.
Use Case: Repository Task Automation A team sets up a repository with a custom CLAUDE.md configuration file and runs predefined commands through claude-cmd to standardize boilerplate generation and code audits according to repo-level guidelines.
Use Case: Shell Script Orchestration DevOps engineers integrate claude-cmd into terminal build or release scripts to parse log outputs or perform automated diagnostic summaries during local debugging sessions.
Who it is for
claude-cmd is designed for JavaScript/TypeScript and Node.js developers who want a lightweight, direct terminal harness for Claude without the overhead of heavy TUI frameworks or monolithic multi-agent platforms. It is less suitable for teams looking for fully automated, long-running agent loops that require autonomous multi-file editing and automated test-execution loops.
Install guide
Installation Install the package globally using npm: bash npm install -g claude-cmd Alternatively, run directly with npx: bash npx claude-cmd
First Run Configure your Anthropic API key in your environment: bash export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-api-key-here" Ensure your project contains a CLAUDE.md file in the root directory if you wish to provide project-specific rules.
Example Session Run claude-cmd to execute a specific task or generate a commit message: bash claude-cmd "Review the staged git diff and generate a conventional commit message"
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