--- title: "Put a CLI on npm | Agent Ready Checklist" description: "How to put a CLI on npm for your product. Publish a CLI agents can run in a shell, with --json output, and name it in docs so agents find it." canonical: https://agentreadychecklist.com/guides/put-a-cli-on-npm site: "Agent Ready Checklist" last_updated: 2026-11-05 date: 2026-11-04 section: "Guides" --- # Put a CLI on npm | Agent Ready Checklist > How to put a CLI on npm for your product. Publish a CLI agents can run in a shell, with --json output, and name it in docs so agents find it. Source: https://agentreadychecklist.com/guides/put-a-cli-on-npm Site: Agent Ready Checklist Last reviewed: 2026-11-05 Agent endpoints: https://agentreadychecklist.com/llms.txt (index), https://agentreadychecklist.com/openapi.json (API), https://agentreadychecklist.com/mcp (MCP server), https://agentreadychecklist.com/ask (search) Access: https://agentreadychecklist.com/auth.md (no key). Pricing: https://agentreadychecklist.com/pricing.md (free). # How to put a CLI on npm for your product Publish a CLI agents can run in a shell, with --json output, and name it in docs so agents find it. It covers 2 requirements: AR-ACT-06, AR-ACT-10. AR-ACT-10 (MUST, v2.0) is met by an MCP server or a CLI; the spec says a CLI serves agents working in a shell. ## Before you start You need a command that does one real job for your product, such as listing records or creating one, and a way to print its result as JSON. ## Steps 1. **[AR-ACT-06: SDKs and a CLI.](https://agentreadychecklist.com/checklist/ar-act-06/)** Publish SDKs and a CLI, on npm and PyPI, and show install and first call in the docs. ```bash curl -fsSL https://agentreadychecklist.com/kit/verify.sh | bash -s -- https://example.com --only=mcp-or-cli ``` Watch for: CLI only as a binary download with no package manager entry. 2. **[AR-ACT-10: An MCP server or a CLI.](https://agentreadychecklist.com/checklist/ar-act-10/)** A product agents are expected to act on exposes at least one interface an agent can act through: an MCP server (AR-ACT-03) or a CLI (AR-ACT-06). ```bash curl -fsSL https://agentreadychecklist.com/kit/verify.sh | bash -s -- https://example.com --only=mcp-or-cli ``` Watch for: Shipping a stub MCP server with one echo tool. 3. **Check that the registry resolves it.** The kit reads the registry for the package name you give it and passes if a version comes back. ```bash curl -fsSL https://agentreadychecklist.com/kit/verify.sh | bash -s -- https://example.com --only=mcp-or-cli --cli=your-package ``` ## How you know it is done You are done when the package resolves on the npm registry, the docs show the install and the first call, and the kit mcp-or-cli check prints PASS when you pass the package name. ## The facts behind it - AR-ACT-10 (MUST, v2.0) is met by an MCP server or a CLI; the spec says a CLI serves agents working in a shell.primary source, 2026-10-21: [github.com/agentready-org/standard/blob/main/spec/spec.md](https://github.com/agentready-org/standard/blob/main/spec/spec.md), read 2026-11-04 - The spec asks for install and first call in the docs and SDKs on npm and PyPI.primary source: [github.com/agentready-org/standard/blob/main/spec/spec.md](https://github.com/agentready-org/standard/blob/main/spec/spec.md), read 2026-11-04 - is-agentic publishes npx is-agentic with a --json flag; version 1.0.0 went to npm on 2026-08-20.primary source, 2026-08-20: [registry.npmjs.org/is-agentic](https://registry.npmjs.org/is-agentic), read 2026-11-04 - Ora publishes its CLI as the npm package ax; version 0.10.0 was published 2026-10-13.vendor claim, 2026-10-13: [registry.npmjs.org/ax](https://registry.npmjs.org/ax), read 2026-11-04 - The spec warns against shipping an empty surface to meet the requirement.primary source: [github.com/agentready-org/standard/blob/main/spec/spec.md](https://github.com/agentready-org/standard/blob/main/spec/spec.md), read 2026-11-04 ## Sources - [github.com/agentready-org/standard/blob/main/spec/spec.md](https://github.com/agentready-org/standard/blob/main/spec/spec.md)read 2026-11-04 - [registry.npmjs.org/is-agentic](https://registry.npmjs.org/is-agentic)read 2026-11-04 - [registry.npmjs.org/ax](https://registry.npmjs.org/ax)read 2026-11-04 Edition Data 2026-11-04 Reviewed 2026-11-05 Spec AgentReady v2.0, 273d2d7 Crawl 13,071 rows, 2026-11-04 Ora 132 checks, contract 1.38.0, 2026-11-05 Verify with Ora The scanner this site recommends for the whole checklist. 132 checks, a score out of 100, no account. `npx ax@0.10 audit --min-score ` [Why Ora, and its limits](https://agentreadychecklist.com/verify-with-ora/) Method - [How rows, commands and rates are made](https://agentreadychecklist.com/method/) - [How an Ora check is matched to a row](https://agentreadychecklist.com/checklist/ora-checks/) - [Pass rates by rank band](https://agentreadychecklist.com/data/by-rank/) Sources and read dates sit at the foot of the page. Last reviewed 2026-11-05. AgentReady v2.0, read 2026-11-04.