Peekaboo

Peekaboo is a full macOS UI automation CLI: capture/inspect screens, target UI elements, drive input, and manage apps/windows/menus. Commands share a snapshot cache and support --json/-j for scripting. Run peekaboo or peekaboo <cmd> --help for flags; peekaboo --version prints build metadata. Tip: run via polter peekaboo to ensure fresh builds.

Features (all CLI capabilities, excluding agent/MCP)

Core

bridge: inspect Peekaboo Bridge host connectivity
capture: live capture or video ingest + frame extraction
clean: prune snapshot cache and temp files
config: init/show/edit/validate, providers, models, credentials
image: capture screenshots (screen/window/menu bar regions)
learn: print the full agent guide + tool catalog
list: apps, windows, screens, menubar, permissions
permissions: check Screen Recording/Accessibility status
run: execute .peekaboo.json scripts
sleep: pause execution for a duration
tools: list available tools with filtering/display options

Interaction

click: target by ID/query/coords with smart waits
drag: drag & drop across elements/coords/Dock
hotkey: modifier combos like cmd,shift,t
move: cursor positioning with optional smoothing
paste: set clipboard -> paste -> restore
press: special-key sequences with repeats
scroll: directional scrolling (targeted + smooth)
swipe: gesture-style drags between targets
type: text + control keys (--clear, delays)

System

app: launch/quit/relaunch/hide/unhide/switch/list apps
clipboard: read/write clipboard (text/images/files)
dialog: click/input/file/dismiss/list system dialogs
dock: launch/right-click/hide/show/list Dock items
menu: click/list application menus + menu extras
menubar: list/click status bar items
open: enhanced open with app targeting + JSON payloads
space: list/switch/move-window (Spaces)
visualizer: exercise Peekaboo visual feedback animations
window: close/minimize/maximize/move/resize/focus/list

Vision

see: annotated UI maps, snapshot IDs, optional analysis

Global runtime flags

--json/-j, --verbose/-v, --log-level <level>
--no-remote, --bridge-socket <path>

Quickstart (happy path)

peekaboo permissions
peekaboo list apps --json
peekaboo see --annotate --path /tmp/peekaboo-see.png
peekaboo click --on B1
peekaboo type "Hello" --return

Common targeting parameters (most interaction commands)

App/window: --app, --pid, --window-title, --window-id, --window-index
Snapshot targeting: --snapshot (ID from see; defaults to latest)
Element/coords: --on/--id (element ID), --coords x,y
Focus control: --no-auto-focus, --space-switch, --bring-to-current-space, --focus-timeout-seconds, --focus-retry-count

Common capture parameters

Output: --path, --format png|jpg, --retina
Targeting: --mode screen|window|frontmost, --screen-index, --window-title, --window-id
Analysis: --analyze "prompt", --annotate
Capture engine: --capture-engine auto|classic|cg|modern|sckit

Common motion/typing parameters

Timing: --duration (drag/swipe), --steps, --delay (type/scroll/press)
Human-ish movement: --profile human|linear, --wpm (typing)
Scroll: --direction up|down|left|right, --amount <ticks>, --smooth

Examples

See -> click -> type (most reliable flow)

peekaboo see --app Safari --window-title "Login" --annotate --path /tmp/see.png
peekaboo click --on B3 --app Safari
peekaboo type "[email protected]" --app Safari
peekaboo press tab --count 1 --app Safari
peekaboo type "supersecret" --app Safari --return

Target by window id

peekaboo list windows --app "Visual Studio Code" --json
peekaboo click --window-id 12345 --coords 120,160
peekaboo type "Hello from Peekaboo" --window-id 12345

Capture screenshots + analyze

peekaboo image --mode screen --screen-index 0 --retina --path /tmp/screen.png
peekaboo image --app Safari --window-title "Dashboard" --analyze "Summarize KPIs"
peekaboo see --mode screen --screen-index 0 --analyze "Summarize the dashboard"

Live capture (motion-aware)

peekaboo capture live --mode region --region 100,100,800,600 --duration 30 \
  --active-fps 8 --idle-fps 2 --highlight-changes --path /tmp/capture

App + window management

peekaboo app launch "Safari" --open https://example.com
peekaboo window focus --app Safari --window-title "Example"
peekaboo window set-bounds --app Safari --x 50 --y 50 --width 1200 --height 800
peekaboo app quit --app Safari

Menus, menubar, dock

peekaboo menu click --app Safari --item "New Window"
peekaboo menu click --app TextEdit --path "Format > Font > Show Fonts"
peekaboo menu click-extra --title "WiFi"
peekaboo dock launch Safari
peekaboo menubar list --json

Mouse + gesture input

peekaboo move 500,300 --smooth
peekaboo drag --from B1 --to T2
peekaboo swipe --from-coords 100,500 --to-coords 100,200 --duration 800
peekaboo scroll --direction down --amount 6 --smooth

Keyboard input

peekaboo hotkey --keys "cmd,shift,t"
peekaboo press escape
peekaboo type "Line 1\nLine 2" --delay 10

Notes

Requires Screen Recording + Accessibility permissions.
Use peekaboo see --annotate to identify targets before clicking.

peekaboo

Preview