Peekaboo 1

Capture and automate macOS UI with the Peekaboo CLI.

Security Scan

The skill's requirements and instructions align with a macOS UI automation CLI — it needs the peekaboo binary and macOS screen/input permissions — but there are a few non-critical caution points (third‑party Homebrew tap, remote/bridge capability, and natural ability to capture sensitive screen/clipboard data).

Purpose & Capability

Name/description, required binary (peekaboo), and declared install (Homebrew formula steipete/tap/peekaboo) match the claimed macOS UI automation purpose. No unrelated env vars, binaries, or config paths are requested.

Instruction Scope

SKILL.md instructs only use of the peekaboo CLI (captures, clicking, typing, clipboard access, permissions checks). These actions are appropriate for a UI automation tool, but several capabilities (screen capture, clipboard read/write, system dialog interaction) inherently allow access to sensitive user data — this is expected for the tool's purpose but worth highlighting. The 'bridge' command suggests optional network/host connectivity; SKILL.md does not document where bridge connects or whether captures are sent off‑host.

Install Mechanism

Install uses a Homebrew formula from a third‑party tap (steipete/tap). Homebrew installs are common and reasonable, but third‑party taps are higher risk than core/homebrew/core packages because they host arbitrary binaries. No raw URL downloads or extract steps are present.

Credentials

No environment variables or credentials are required by the skill metadata. SKILL.md references 'config' for providers/models/credentials (optional runtime config), which could request credentials later, but nothing in the package requires broad secrets up front.

Persistence & Privilege

Skill is not always-on and does not request system-wide configuration changes. Autonomous model invocation is allowed (platform default) but the skill does not request elevated persistent privileges or modify other skills' configs.

Assessment

This skill appears to be what it says: a macOS UI automation CLI that must be installed as a binary and requires Screen Recording and Accessibility permissions (these let it capture your screen and control input). Before installing: 1) Verify the Homebrew tap (steipete/tap) and inspect the upstream project or source code/release artifacts if possible; 2) Understand that any screenshots, clipboard contents, or dialogs it reads can contain sensitive data — only run it with apps/windows you trust or in a controlled environment; 3) Investigate the 'bridge' feature (network connectivity) if you plan to use it — confirm where data would be sent and whether credentials are required; 4) Prefer official/homebrew/core packages when available and check the project's homepage/repo for reputation and signed releases. If you need higher assurance, ask the publisher for source or a reproducible build and review it before installing.

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 "[e-mail]" --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.