5 Python CLI Tools That’ll Make Your Life So Much Easier

Your terminal is more powerful than you think.

5 Python CLI Tools That’ll Make Your Life So Much Easier

Python is best known for being beginner-friendly and versatile. But what often gets overlooked is its powerful ecosystem of command-line tools that can supercharge your workflow, whether you’re a developer, data geek, sysadmin, or just someone who spends a lot of time in the terminal.

In this article, I’ve curated a list of 5 insanely useful Python CLI tools that’ll help you automate tasks, boost productivity, and maybe even have a little fun along the way. Let’s dive in.

1. httpie — A Human-Friendly curl Alternative

If you frequently interact with APIs, httpie is a game-changer. It turns raw curl commands into clean, readable HTTP requests with syntax highlighting and formatted JSON responses.

Docs : https://httpie.io/docs/cli/macos

Installation

pip install httpie

Example

http GET https://api.github.com/users/octocat

This Supports JSON natively, Intuitive syntax and Built-in color output.

2. glances — Real-Time System Monitoring

Need to keep tabs on your system’s performance? glances gives you an at-a-glance view of CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network usage—all in real time.

Docs : https://github.com/nicolargo/glances

Installation

pip install glances

Example

Just type glance in your terminal, that gives you an at-a-glance view of CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network usage — all in real time.

glances

This is Cross-platform, Web-based interface available and Can be run in server-client mode for remote monitoring.

3. rich-cli — Beautify Anything in the Terminal

Whether it’s JSON, Markdown, or tracebacks, rich-cli displays them with colors, formatting, and even charts.

Docs : https://github.com/Textualize/rich-cli

Installation

pip install rich-cli

Example

To syntax highlight a file enter rich followed by a path. Many file formats are supported.

rich loop.py

Makes terminal output actually pleasant to read.

4. howdoi — Stack Overflow in Your Terminal

Ever Googled “python list comprehension syntax” for the 100th time? howdoi fetches answers from Stack Overflow right in your terminal.

Docs : https://github.com/gleitz/howdoi

Installation

pip install howdoi

Example

$ howdoi print stack trace python 
> import traceback 
> 
> try: 
>     1/0 
> except: 
>     print '>>> traceback <<<' 
>     traceback.print_exc() 
>     print '>>> end of traceback <<<' 
> traceback.print_exc() 
 
$ howdoi convert mp4 to animated gif 
> video=/path/to/video.avi 
> outdir=/path/to/output.gif 
> mplayer "$video" \ 
>         -ao null \ 
>         -ss "00:01:00" \  # starting point 
>         -endpos 10 \ # duration in second 
>         -vo gif89a:fps=13:output=$outdir \ 
>         -vf scale=240:180 
 
$ howdoi create tar archive 
> tar -cf backup.tar --exclude "www/subf3" www

Get coding help instantly without leaving your terminal.

5. csvkit — Power Tools for CSV Files

If Excel isn’t your thing, csvkit brings spreadsheet-level power to the command line.

Docs : https://csvkit.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

Installation

pip install csvkit

Example

Convert Excel to CSV:

in2csv data.xls > data.csv

Convert JSON to CSV:

in2csv data.json > data.csv

Print column names:

csvcut -n data.csv

Query with SQL:

csvsql --query "select name from data where age > 30" data.csv > new.csv

Query, explore, and clean CSV files with elegance.

Final Thoughts

The command line doesn’t have to be cold or intimidating. With the right tools, it becomes a creative space—a playground for productivity.

Whether you're debugging APIs, managing your projects, or just trying to copy-paste a little faster, Python’s CLI ecosystem has something to offer.

So fire up your terminal, install a few of these, and see how many daily annoyances you can automate away. Your future self will thank you.

💬 Got a favorite Python CLI tool I missed? Drop it in the comments—I’m always hunting for new toys.

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