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.jsonscripts - •
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 likecmd,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: enhancedopenwith 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)
bash
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 fromsee; 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)
bash
peekaboo see --app Safari --window-title "Login" --annotate --path /tmp/see.png peekaboo click --on B3 --app Safari peekaboo type "user@example.com" --app Safari peekaboo press tab --count 1 --app Safari peekaboo type "supersecret" --app Safari --return
Target by window id
bash
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
bash
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)
bash
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
bash
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
bash
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
bash
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
bash
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 --annotateto identify targets before clicking.