Use Aspose CLI with AI Agents

Use Aspose CLI with AI Agents

An agent that can run terminal commands can use aspose-cli cells directly. Bundled Skills teach it the editing, verification, and delivery workflow. The CLI also provides its own stdio MCP server for MCP clients.

Install Aspose CLI and check aspose-cli doctor before connecting an agent.

Install the agent Skills

From the project directory, install the shared workflow and the Cells workflow:

aspose-cli skill install aspose-cli-platform --host codex
aspose-cli skill install aspose-cli-cells --host codex

Use --host claude-code or --host opencode for those hosts. Add --user to install for your user account instead of the current project. The installer may already have installed Skills for detected hosts; aspose-cli skill list lists the bundled Skills available to install.

The shared Skill covers command discovery, local files, licensing, and verification. The Cells Skill covers workbook data, formulas, formatting, charts, and spreadsheet-specific checks.

Example request:

Use Aspose CLI to turn sales.csv into an Excel sales report. Add formula totals, format the headers and amounts, add a product chart, and export a PDF. Check the totals and preview every sheet before delivering the files.

Agents can discover the installed contract without guessing parameters:

aspose-cli capabilities cells
aspose-cli schema v2/cells/ops
aspose-cli docs cells/editing

Connect the CLI through MCP

For a client using the mcpServers configuration format:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "aspose-cli": {
      "command": "aspose-cli",
      "args": ["mcp", "serve"]
    }
  }
}

The client must be able to find the executable. If its environment does not include the updated PATH, use the full path to aspose-cli.exe. Restart the client after changing its configuration. Other hosts may use a different configuration format, but the command remains aspose-cli mcp serve.

The CLI MCP server exposes capabilities and execute. Let the client discover their input schemas. These are different from the seven spreadsheet tools exposed by Aspose.Cells MCP for Node.js.

Integration Use it when
CLI commands and Skills The agent can run terminal commands and should follow the bundled spreadsheet workflow.
Aspose CLI MCP The client uses MCP and should access the CLI’s product commands.
Node.js Cells MCP The client should use dedicated workbook tools such as inspect_workbook and apply_workbook_plan.

An agent using CLI commands does not also need an MCP server for the same task.

Preview a workbook locally

aspose-cli preview open report.ready.xlsx

The command opens the default browser and returns a local browser URL. For automation, add --no-open --output-format json to obtain the URL without launching a browser. The service listens on 127.0.0.1; open it on the machine running the CLI. The initial URL can be redeemed once within five minutes; use aspose-cli preview status --output-format json to obtain a fresh URL if needed.

The default workbook view shows a selectable grid and follows changes to the same file, including in-place edits. If rendering a new revision fails, it keeps the last successfully rendered revision visible; check preview errors before treating the view as current.

For a rendered-sheet view:

aspose-cli preview open report.ready.xlsx --view sheets

To open the local workspace or close all preview sessions:

aspose-cli app open --welcome
aspose-cli preview stop

Preview helps a person inspect the document; the agent should still read changed ranges, review rendered sheets, and check formula results. See the complete report example.

Excel Operations with Aspose CLI