CLI-Anything OpenRefine
FreeEfficiently clean and transform data via CLI.
Free · Opens the source repo
What CLI-Anything OpenRefine does
CLI-Anything OpenRefine provides a command-line interface for OpenRefine, allowing users to automate the process of data cleaning and transformation. This skill is particularly useful for developers and data analysts who need to handle messy datasets, apply reusable operation histories, and export cleaned data in formats like CSV or TSV. By leveraging the power of OpenRefine through a native CLI, users can streamline their workflows and integrate data cleaning tasks into automated processes.
The skill supports a variety of commands that facilitate the importation of messy data, inspection of rows, and execution of transformations. Users can easily manage their session state with undo and redo capabilities, ensuring that they can revert changes or reapply them as needed. The command structure is designed to be intuitive, with options to specify JSON for one-shot commands and session management for isolated task states.
For those familiar with OpenRefine, this skill enhances the existing functionality by providing a way to execute commands programmatically. It allows for the direct application of existing operation histories in JSON format, making it easy to replicate data cleaning processes across different datasets. The REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop) feature further supports interactive use, enabling users to run commands in a more exploratory manner.
This skill is ideal for data professionals looking to incorporate OpenRefine into their automated workflows or for those who prefer command-line tools for data manipulation. It bridges the gap between manual data cleaning processes and automated data workflows, making it a valuable addition to any data-centric project.
When to use it
Use this skill when you need to clean, transform, or export messy data as part of an automated workflow.
When not to use it
This skill may not be suitable for users who prefer a graphical user interface or those who are not familiar with command-line operations.
What you can build with it
Automating Data Imports
Use the skill to automate the import of messy CSV files and initiate cleaning processes without manual input.
Session Management for Data Cleaning
Manage your data cleaning sessions by utilizing the undo and redo features to maintain control over changes.
Batch Processing of Datasets
Apply the same cleaning operations to multiple datasets by leveraging reusable operation histories in JSON format.
How to install CLI-Anything OpenRefine
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add hkuds/cli-anything/skills --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs
Inside SKILL.md
Written by hkudsCLI-Anything OpenRefine
Use this skill when a task needs OpenRefine data cleaning, transformation, reusable operation histories, or CSV/TSV export from an automated agent workflow.
Prerequisites
Install the harness:
cd openrefine/agent-harness
python -m pip install -e .
Start OpenRefine before backend commands:
openrefine -i 127.0.0.1 -p 3333
Set a custom server with OPENREFINE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:3333 or pass --base-url.
Command Rules For Agents
- Prefer
--jsonon every one-shot command. - Use
--session <path>for isolated task state. - Import or open a project before row, apply, export, undo, or redo commands.
- Existing OpenRefine operation-history JSON can be passed directly to
data apply. - Generated files are normal OpenRefine operation JSON and exported CSV/TSV data.
Common Commands
cli-anything-openrefine --json server ping
cli-anything-openrefine --json project list
cli-anything-openrefine --json --session run/session.json project import messy.csv --name cleanup
cli-anything-openrefine --json --session run/session.json data rows --limit 10
cli-anything-openrefine --json ops text-transform run/trim.json --column Name --expression 'value.trim()'
cli-anything-openrefine --json --session run/session.json data apply run/trim.json
cli-anything-openrefine --json --session run/session.json data export run/clean.csv --format csv
cli-anything-openrefine --json --session run/session.json session undo
cli-anything-openrefine --json --session run/session.json session redo
REPL
Run cli-anything-openrefine with no subcommand to enter the REPL.
For automated user journeys, pipe newline-separated REPL commands through stdin. Redirected streams automatically use an ASCII-only input/output path while interactive terminals retain the Unicode banner, prompt history, and styling:
printf 'help\nexit\n' | cli-anything-openrefine
Unicode payloads are rendered as reversible ASCII backslash escapes when the REPL is redirected, preventing legacy Windows output encodings from turning a successful command into a failed journey.
Piped workflows return a nonzero exit status at exit or EOF if any command
failed, allowing CI to detect an unsuccessful user journey.
Error Handling
When --json is set, command failures write a JSON object to stderr with ok: false.
Frequently asked questions about CLI-Anything OpenRefine
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