Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Inkscape Vector Editing CLI agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The cli-anything-inkscape skill teaches an AI agent to drive a command-line interface for Inkscape, a free vector graphics editor. This guide explains what the skill lets the agent do, how to install it, how to ask for work in plain language, and what to check for safety. By the end you will know how to set it up and what kinds of vector tasks it handles well.
Inkscape Vector Editing CLIHKUDS/CLI-Anything · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Install Python and Inkscape. Make sure Python 3.10 or newer and Inkscape are installed on your computer.
- 2Install the CLI package. Run pip install cli-anything-inkscape in your terminal.
- 3Add the skill. Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills in the Claude apps.
- 4Make a request. Ask the agent in plain language for the vector result you want, naming your project file.
- 5Check the output. Confirm the exported PNG, SVG or PDF exists, and use undo or history if a change is wrong.
What the Inkscape CLI skill makes the agent do
Without a skill, an AI agent can only describe how to edit an image. With this skill, the agent can run the cli-anything-inkscape command-line tool on your project files and make the changes itself. The tool works on vector objects in SVG (XML) documents and stores its state in a JSON project file.
The command groups cover documents, shapes, text, styles, transforms, layers, path boolean operations, gradients, export, and session history. The agent can create a document, add rectangles, circles, text and gradients, move and rotate objects, combine paths, and export to PNG, SVG or PDF.
- Create and inspect documents and canvas size
- Add shapes (rect, circle, ellipse, line, polygon, path, star) and text
- Set fills, strokes, opacity and gradients
- Move, rotate, scale and skew objects
- Combine paths with union, intersection, difference and exclusion
- Export to PNG, SVG or PDF
Install the skill and its prerequisites
You need Python 3.10 or newer and Inkscape installed on your computer before the skill can work. The CLI itself is installed with pip from the cli-anything-inkscape package.
To add the skill, download the ZIP file from this page and unzip it into one of these locations: ~/.claude/skills/ for all your projects, or .claude/skills/ inside a specific project folder. You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.
- Python 3.10 or newer
- Inkscape installed on the system
- The pip package cli-anything-inkscape
- The skill folder unzipped into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/, or uploaded under Settings → Capabilities → Skills
pip install cli-anything-inkscapeAsk the agent for vector work in plain language
Once the skill is installed, describe the result you want rather than the commands. The agent will choose the right CLI calls. Name the project file you want it to use and say whether you want a PNG, SVG or PDF at the end.
The skill is designed for step-by-step work on a project file, so requests that build or adjust artwork over several steps fit well. Requests about photos or pixel-level retouching do not, because the commands target vector objects.
- Create a new project called myproject.json and add a blue rounded rectangle
- Add a title with wrapped text in a 1180 pixel wide box and export a PNG
- Undo the last change and show me the history
- Export the project to output.pdf
Example commands the agent can run
These are the kinds of commands the agent uses. You can also run them yourself. Use --help to see the options for each group. Add --json before a command when the output is for an agent to read.
Wrapped text boxes are the recommended way to handle long copy. The box-width option wraps text into multiple lines, and box-height makes long copy fail safely instead of running off the canvas.
- Start an interactive session with the REPL, which supports tab-completion, history, undo and redo
- Use the project flag with --overwrite on export to replace an existing file
- Set a wrapped text box width and line height after creating the text
cli-anything-inkscape --project myproject.json export pdf output.pdf --overwriteSafety, undo and tips for reliable results
The agent runs the CLI on your project files, so only use this skill on files you are comfortable having processed by a local tool. The listing shows that the skill runs scripts and does not use the network. Keep backups of important originals, and use absolute paths as the skill's own guidance recommends.
The CLI keeps up to 50 levels of undo and redo history. Output can be requested in JSON, and the guidance asks agents to check return codes and parse stderr for errors. Verify that exported files exist after each export.
- Use absolute paths for file operations
- Check the return code: 0 means success, non-zero means an error
- Read stderr when a command fails
- Use wrapped text boxes for headlines and variable-length copy
- Keep a copy of valuable source files before letting the agent edit them
What people use it for
- Building a simple title card or graphic with shapes and wrapped text
- Adjusting fills, strokes and opacity across an SVG project step by step
- Producing repeatable PNG or PDF renders from a stored project file
- Keeping an undoable, scriptable record of vector edits
Frequently asked questions
Is the Inkscape CLI agent skill free to use?
The skill is listed under the Apache-2.0 licence, and Inkscape itself is described as a free vector graphics editor. You still need Python 3.10 or newer and Inkscape installed on your system.
What do I need to install cli-anything-inkscape?
You need Python 3.10 or newer, Inkscape installed on the system, and the pip package cli-anything-inkscape. The skill folder must then be placed in a skills directory or uploaded in the Claude apps.
Where do I put the skill folder after downloading the ZIP?
Unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ to make it available across projects, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder to limit it to that project. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload it under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.
Can the agent edit photos with this skill?
No. The skill is for vector and SVG work, and its commands target vector objects. Photo retouching and pixel-based editing are outside its scope.
Does the skill send my files over the internet?
The listing says the skill does not use the network, but it does run scripts. The agent executes the CLI on your project files, so avoid using it on sensitive or client files you do not want processed locally.
What should I do if an export or command fails?
Check the return code, where 0 means success and anything else is an error. Read stderr for the error message, use absolute paths, and confirm the output file exists. The CLI's undo and history commands can revert a bad change.
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Our verdict
This skill suits designers and developers who want an AI agent to build or adjust SVG artwork and export PNG, SVG or PDF files with a clear, undoable edit history. It is a poor fit for photo retouching, for machines that cannot install Python 3.10+ and Inkscape, or for sensitive files you do not want a local tool to process.
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