xnip-cli0.6.4

xnip

Precise text edits for coding agents, available as a CLI and stdio MCP server. Install the xnip-cli npm package to get the xnip command, JavaScript host adapters and client-profile generator. Standalone binaries and installers are also available in the installation guide.

Install

Requires Node 22.14+. Supported platforms are Linux, macOS and Windows, each x64 or ARM64. Keep optional dependencies enabled so npm can select the native executable for your system. No Rust compiler is required.

npm install --global xnip-cli@latest
xnip --version
xnip doctor

If xnip is missing after installation, inspect npm prefix --global. npm puts global commands in <prefix>/bin on macOS/Linux and <prefix> on Windows. Add that command directory to the launching shell or client's PATH using the platform-specific checks. The full command path can verify the installed package before updating PATH.

For a project-local installation:

npm install xnip-cli
npx --no-install xnip --version

For one invocation, select the package explicitly with npx --package xnip-cli xnip --version. Installing the package does not enable plugins or change your agent's configuration.

Edit a file

Preview and then apply a replacement for a unique block you already know:

xnip edit config.toml --old "port = 8080" --text "port = 3000" --dry-run
xnip edit config.toml --old "port = 8080" --text "port = 3000"

A missing or ambiguous old block fails without writing. Exact edits preserve untouched bytes, line endings and the final newline. See the operation guide for insertions, batches, file creation, checks and recovery.

Connect an MCP client

Add xnip to your client's stdio MCP configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xnip": {
      "command": "xnip",
      "args": ["mcp", "--cwd", "/absolute/project", "--receipts", "text"]
    }
  }
}

The client must be able to find the installed command. Replace the project path with the intended absolute directory. --cwd anchors relative tool paths for both GUI and CLI launchers. Text receipts keep editing results concise. Five everyday tools are advertised by default.

On Windows, some clients cannot directly spawn npm's xnip.cmd shim. Use Node with the installed launcher instead:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xnip": {
      "command": "C:/Program Files/nodejs/node.exe",
      "args": [
        "C:/absolute/path/to/node_modules/xnip-cli/bin/xnip.cjs",
        "mcp",
        "--cwd",
        "C:/absolute/project",
        "--receipts",
        "text"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Replace both paths with your installation paths; npm root --global shows the global node_modules directory. No launcher text is written to MCP stdout. Programmatic clients can load xnip-cli/native: resolveNativeExecutable() returns an absolute verified executable path, and childEnvironment() prepares its environment with native self-update disabled.

See the MCP reference for tool arguments, previews and result modes. The support matrix lists current SDK toolsets and 14 official-client configuration profiles.

Client MCP profiles

The package includes the integration catalog and standard-library profile generator. With Python 3.11+ and a project-local npm installation, first print the verified executable path:

node -e "process.stdout.write(require('xnip-cli/native').resolveNativeExecutable())"

Pass that path and the intended project to the generator:

python3 node_modules/xnip-cli/integrations/host-profiles/xnip_profiles.py generate \
  --executable /absolute/verified/xnip --project /absolute/project \
  --output xnip-client-profiles

The fresh output directory contains fourteen client-specific configurations. Review and apply the chosen artifact using the profile guide. Client permissions, approval and removal follow the application's lifecycle.

DSH and Pi

Activate the integration explicitly through your host's package manager.

DeepSeek Harness:

dsh plugin --profile my-profile add xnip-cli

Replace my-profile with your DSH profile name. The plugin uses DSH's official MCP bridge. See the DSH guide for host requirements and project configuration.

Pi:

pi install npm:xnip-cli
# Or load it for one invocation:
pi -e npm:xnip-cli

See the Pi guide. Goose connects through stdio MCP. Existing host file tools remain available.

Native host and SDK adapters

Select native entries explicitly when loading a Pi extension or constructing an SDK session. The JavaScript adapters resolve the installed xnip executable; the native setup and test matrix use Node 24.

xnip-cli 0.6.4 bundles the DSH native adapter. The DSH lifecycle guide covers installation, verification, restoration and cleanup through the installed command.

Entry	Host seam and verified version
xnip native install --profile ... --dsh ...	DSH rc.2 / rc.5 Linux host journey, using the package's bundled adapter
xnip-cli/pi-native	Pi 1.3.0 same-name tools through its extension loader
xnip-cli/gemini-native	Gemini core 0.27.2 local Config filesystem service and per-tool scope
xnip-cli/cline-native	Cline SDK/core 0.2.0 public apply_patch tool executor
xnip-cli/opencode	OpenCode plugin tools: xnip_edit, xnip_write, xnip_apply, xnip_read
Local xnip-openhands Python package	OpenHands SDK/tools 1.60.1 file_editor factory; Python 3.12+

Each guide covers session construction, host tool execution and restoration. The DSH provider guide describes installation, verification, removal and cleanup through the installed xnip command. Existing MCP registrations retain their original setup paths above.

The support matrix also covers aider IO, DeepAgents backends, LangGraph tools and official PydanticAI/OpenAI Agents/AutoGen/smolagents/Google ADK/CrewAI MCP toolsets. Python integrations use their own locked virtual environments and local packages.

Update or uninstall

npm install --global xnip-cli@latest
npm uninstall --global xnip-cli

To pin a version, replace <version> in npm install --global 'xnip-cli@<version>'. For a project-local installation, run the corresponding command without --global.

npm owns the installed version; native self-update is disabled. Restart MCP sessions after updating so they use the new executable. Existing sessions retain the version they started with.

If an older installation shadows this command, inspect type -a xnip on Unix or Get-Command xnip -All on Windows. Missing optional platform packages cause an explicit error; reinstall with optional dependencies enabled.

The launcher runs a verified executable from a versioned cache. Set XNIP_NPM_CACHE_DIR to choose its directory. Cached versions are not removed automatically; stop their processes before removing obsolete entries.

References

• CLI reference
• MCP reference
• Editing guide
• Installation options
• Source builds and local package validation