twitter-cli
by public-clistwitter-cli is a terminal-first Twitter/X skill for reading timelines, bookmarks, search results, profiles, and tweet details, with posting and other write actions when authenticated. Use it for Social Media research, account monitoring, and lightweight publishing from the command line.
This skill scores 84/100, which makes it a solid directory listing for users who want a real Twitter/X CLI with agent-friendly outputs. The repository shows substantial workflow coverage, explicit authentication guidance, and structured schemas, so users can decide to install it with good confidence, though they should note the auth and platform-dependence caveats.
- Broad, concrete Twitter/X workflow coverage: reading timelines, bookmarks, search, user lookups, and write actions are explicitly documented in SKILL.md and README.md.
- Agent-triggerable and operationally guided: the skill has a strong trigger statement, step-by-step auth checks, and command-oriented instructions for when to run it.
- Structured machine-readable output is documented: SCHEMA.md defines a consistent YAML/JSON envelope, which reduces guesswork for downstream agents.
- Authentication is a real adoption constraint: write actions require full browser cookies, and the skill warns that env vars alone may trigger 226 automation errors.
- The repository lacks an install command in SKILL.md and support/reference files are sparse, so setup and edge cases may still require reading the broader project docs.
Overview of twitter-cli skill
What twitter-cli skill does
twitter-cli is a terminal-first Twitter/X skill for reading timelines, bookmarks, search results, profiles, and tweet details, with support for posting and other write actions when authenticated. It is best for users who want a CLI workflow instead of the web app, especially for Social Media research, account monitoring, and lightweight publishing.
Who should use it
Use the twitter-cli skill if the user wants to inspect Twitter/X data from the command line, automate routine reads, or generate structured output for downstream processing. It is a strong fit when the goal is fast retrieval and terminal output, not a full social media dashboard.
Why this skill is different
The biggest adoption question is authentication. twitter-cli can work without API keys, but write operations depend on valid browser cookies and can fail if only partial env vars are provided. That makes twitter-cli install decisions mostly about whether the user can authenticate cleanly and whether they need read-only or read-write access.
How to Use twitter-cli skill
Install twitter-cli
Install the twitter-cli skill with:
npx skills add public-clis/twitter-cli --skill twitter-cli
After install, the practical twitter-cli install decision is whether Python 3.10+, uv, or pipx is available in the target environment. The repo’s own setup expects a Python CLI install, not a browser extension or hosted service.
Start with authentication
Before any real twitter-cli usage, check status first. The repo’s workflow is explicit: confirm credentials exist, then proceed.
Typical first check:
twitter status --yaml
If status shows unauthenticated, guide the user through browser cookie extraction or another supported auth path before trying posts, replies, or likes. This matters because twitter-cli write actions are where weak auth most often blocks adoption.
Translate a task into a good prompt
A good twitter-cli guide prompt should specify:
- the target action: read, search, post, reply, quote, like, retweet, follow, or lookup
- the target object: username, tweet ID, keyword, list, or timeline type
- the output format: terminal view,
--yaml, or--json - any constraints: date range, search tab, full text, or whether to exclude retweets
Example request shape:
“Use twitter-cli to search for open source LLM in Latest, return --yaml, and summarize the top 5 results with authors and URLs.”
Read these files first
For fast repo reading, prioritize:
SKILL.mdfor the command and auth rulesREADME.mdfor feature scope and examplesSCHEMA.mdfor structured output shapeAGENTS.mdfor development and test contexttwitter_cli/cli.pyandtwitter_cli/auth.pyfor command entry and login behavior
twitter-cli skill FAQ
Is twitter-cli only for Twitter/X reads?
No. The twitter-cli skill supports both reading and writing, but write actions are more sensitive to auth quality and may require browser cookies rather than env vars alone.
Do I need API keys?
Usually no API keys are required for the basic twitter-cli workflow. The repo is designed around browser-cookie-based authentication and CLI-driven access, which is useful for users who want quick Social Media operations without a developer app setup.
When should I not use twitter-cli?
Skip twitter-cli if the user needs high-volume automation, guaranteed API stability, or a non-terminal workflow. It is also a poor fit if the account cannot authenticate in a supported browser or if the task depends on unattended write access.
Is it beginner-friendly?
Yes, if the task is simple and the user can log in to X in a supported browser. The main beginner trap is assuming commands will work before credentials are confirmed; the skill is easier when you verify auth first.
How to Improve twitter-cli skill
Give the smallest complete target
The best twitter-cli outputs come from precise inputs: who, what, and how many. “Find recent posts about AI agents from @example” is better than “search Twitter,” because it lets the skill choose the right command path and reduce noise.
Specify output constraints up front
If you want better twitter-cli usage, say whether you need full tweet text, structured output, or a concise terminal summary. For example, --yaml is better when you plan to parse results, while rich table output is better for interactive review.
Share auth and environment limits
Mention whether the session is logged in, whether browser cookies are available, and whether the user can open a supported browser. Those limits change the recommended twitter-cli install and execution path more than the tweet content itself.
Iterate from result quality, not command shape
If the first run misses what you need, improve the prompt with search terms, author filters, time window, or output format instead of rewriting the whole request. For twitter-cli skill, the biggest gains usually come from narrowing scope and clarifying the desired data shape.