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Getting Started

SmartTools lets you build custom AI-powered CLI commands using simple YAML configuration. Create tools that work with any AI provider and compose them like Unix pipes.

What is SmartTools?

SmartTools is a lightweight personal tool builder that lets you:

  • Create custom CLI commands that call AI providers
  • Chain prompts with Python code for complex workflows
  • Use tools like Unix pipes - read from stdin, write to stdout
  • Share and discover tools through the registry

Quick Start

Get up and running in under a minute:

# Install SmartTools
pip install smarttools

# Create your first tool (choose your style)
smarttools ui       # Visual builder with menus
smarttools create   # CLI wizard

# Or install a tool from the registry
smarttools registry install official/summarize

# Use it!
cat article.txt | summarize

Two Ways to Build

smarttools ui launches a visual builder with menus and forms. smarttools create uses a command-line wizard. Both create the same YAML config files.

How It Works

Each tool is a YAML file that defines:

  1. Arguments - Custom flags your tool accepts
  2. Steps - Prompts to send to AI or Python code to run
  3. Output - How to format the final result

Here's a simple example:

name: summarize
version: "1.0.0"
description: Summarize text using AI

arguments:
  - flag: --max-length
    variable: max_length
    default: "200"
    description: Maximum summary length in words

steps:
  - type: prompt
    provider: claude
    prompt: |
      Summarize the following text in {max_length} words or less:

      {input}
    output_var: summary

output: "{summary}"

Next Steps

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