OfficeCLI
A CLI that lets an agent create and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint: a single binary, no Office install, no extra libraries
Low risk
We rate an entry low when it mostly gives the agent instructions and reference material.
Why this level
- Works locally on document files, does not call external services
Install
Manual install
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/main/install.sh | bashOn Windows: irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/main/install.ps1 | iex
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
OfficeCLI gives an agent terminal commands to create, read and edit docx, xlsx and pptx files: adding slides, text, formulas, charts and images, and checking formatting and structure. A built-in rendering engine turns a document into HTML or PNG so the agent can visually inspect the result and fix mismatches. Running officecli install copies the binary into PATH and installs the matching skill into every agent it detects on the machine.
Who it is for. For anyone who wants ready presentations, reports and spreadsheets from an agent without manual work in Office.
Good fit when
- You want an agent to build a presentation, a Word report or an Excel sheet from a description
- You need to programmatically check or fix formatting in an existing Office document
- Office is not installed, but you need to work with docx, xlsx, pptx
Not a fit when
- You need VBA macros or features specific to real Microsoft Office
- The document has password protection or DRM that the CLI does not support
Example request
Build a 5-slide deck.pptx from our quarterly report and show me the HTML previewLimitations
The tool does not fully replace Office: it covers the core elements of docx, xlsx and pptx, not the entire feature set of the real suite. It needs no keys or accounts and runs locally with a single binary.
How to disable. Remove the officecli binary from PATH and delete the officecli skill folder from your agent's skills directory.
Security check
- Works locally on document files, does not call external services
README in short
The README presents OfficeCLI as an office suite for AI agents: free, open source, a single binary, no Office installation needed. Running officecli install puts the binary on PATH and adds the officecli skill to every detected agent, including Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf and GitHub Copilot. It also documents a live preview mode via a local server and a render-to-HTML/PNG layer for visual verification. Extra bundled skills like morph-ppt add animated presentation styles. Apache-2.0 licensed.
SKILL.md
--- name: officecli description: Create, analyze, proofread, and modify Office documents (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx) using the officecli CLI tool. Use when the user wants to create, inspect, check formatting, find issues, add charts, or modify Office documents. --- # officecli AI-friendly CLI for .docx, .xlsx, .pptx. Single binary, no dependencies, no Office installation needed. ## Install If `officecli` is not installed: ```bash # macOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://d.officecli.ai/install.sh | bash # Windows (PowerShell) irm https://d.officecli.ai/install.ps1 | iex ``` Verify with `officecli --version`. If still not found after install, open a new terminal. --- ## Strategy **L1 (read) → L2 (DOM edit) → L3 (raw XML)**. Always prefer higher layers. Add `--json` for structured output.
FAQ
Do I need Microsoft Office installed?
No, OfficeCLI is a standalone single-file binary that reads and writes docx, xlsx and pptx on its own.
How does the agent check the result?
The officecli view command renders the document to HTML or PNG, which the agent inspects against the task.
Related
Microsoft's utility and MCP server that turn PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML and other files into Markdown for models
Anthropic skills
Skills
Anthropic's official skill examples: docx, pdf, pptx and xlsx documents, design, MCP builder and the Agent Skills spec
A skill that builds editable PPTX decks from PDF, DOCX, URLs and Markdown with native shapes, charts and animations
A skill that draws editorial diagrams as standalone HTML and SVG files: architecture, flowcharts, ER, funnels and about forty more types