ChatGPT

Control the ChatGPT macOS Desktop App directly from the terminal. OpenCLI supports two automation approaches for ChatGPT.

Approach 1: AppleScript (Default, No Setup)

The current built-in commands use native AppleScript automation — no extra launch flags needed.

Prerequisites

Install the official ChatGPT Desktop App from OpenAI.
Grant Accessibility permissions to your terminal app in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.

Commands

opencli chatgpt status: Check if the ChatGPT app is currently running.
opencli chatgpt new: Activate ChatGPT and press Cmd+N to start a new conversation.
opencli chatgpt send "message": Copy your message to clipboard, activate ChatGPT, paste, and submit.
opencli chatgpt read: Read the last visible message from the focused ChatGPT window via the Accessibility tree.
opencli chatgpt ask "message": Send a prompt and wait for the visible reply in one shot.

Approach 2: CDP (Advanced, Electron Debug Mode)

ChatGPT Desktop is also an Electron app and can be launched with a remote debugging port:

/Applications/ChatGPT.app/Contents/MacOS/ChatGPT \
  --remote-debugging-port=9224

export OPENCLI_CDP_ENDPOINT="http://127.0.0.1:9224"

The CDP approach is primarily for advanced automation and future desktop-only commands. The built-in command set above still works in the default AppleScript path unless you explicitly route through OPENCLI_CDP_ENDPOINT.

How It Works

AppleScript mode: Uses osascript to control ChatGPT, pbcopy/pbpaste to paste prompts, and the macOS Accessibility tree to read visible chat messages.
CDP mode: Connects via Chrome DevTools Protocol to the Electron renderer process.

Limitations

macOS only (AppleScript dependency)
AppleScript mode requires Accessibility permissions
read returns the last visible message in the focused ChatGPT window — scroll first if the message you want is not visible

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