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The ByteKit CLI provides powerful tools for inspecting APIs and generating TypeScript types directly from your terminal.

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Installation

Install ByteKit globally to use the CLI: 
npm install -g bytekit
Or use it directly with npx: 
npx bytekit --help

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Available Commands

The CLI supports three main modes of operation:

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1. Simple API Fetching

Fetch and display API responses without any type generation: 
bytekit https://api.example.com/users
Output: 
📡 Fetching GET https://api.example.com/users...
[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "name": "John Doe",
    "email": "john@example.com"
  }
]

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2. Type Generation

Generate TypeScript types from a single API endpoint: 
bytekit --type https://api.example.com/users
See Type Generation for detailed usage.

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3. Swagger/OpenAPI Integration

Generate all TypeScript DTOs from a Swagger specification: 
bytekit --swagger https://api.example.com/swagger.json
See Swagger Integration for detailed usage.

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Command-Line Options

OptionDescriptionDefault
--typeGenerate TypeScript types from API responseSaves to src/types/{endpoint}.ts
--swaggerGenerate all TypeScript DTOs from Swagger/OpenAPI specSaves to src/types/api-docs.ts
--method=<METHOD>HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH)GET
--body=<json>JSON body for the requestNone
--header=<key:val>Custom HTTP header (can be used multiple times)None
--headers=<key:val>Alias for --headerNone
--help, -hDisplay help information-

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Help Output

Run bytekit --help to see all available options: 
bytekit CLI - API Inspection & Type Generation

Usage:
  bytekit [options] <url>

Options:
  --type                Generate TypeScript types from a single API response.
                        Saves to src/types/{endpoint}.ts
  --swagger             Generate all TypeScript DTOs from a Swagger/OpenAPI spec.
                        Saves to src/types/api-docs.ts
  --method=<METHOD>     HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH). Default: GET.
  --body=<body>         JSON body for the request.
  --header=<key:val>    Custom HTTP header (can be used multiple times).
  --headers=<key:val>   Alias for --header.

Examples:
  bytekit https://api.example.com/users
  bytekit --type https://api.example.com/users
  bytekit --swagger https://api.example.com/swagger.json
  bytekit --type --method=POST --body='{"name":"test"}' https://api.example.com/users

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Common Use Cases

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Inspecting an API Endpoint

Quickly test an API endpoint without writing any code: 
bytekit https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1

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Generating Types for a REST API

Fetch user data and generate TypeScript interfaces: 
bytekit --type https://api.example.com/users/123
This creates src/types/users.ts with inferred types.

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Working with POST Requests

Generate types from a POST endpoint with a request body: 
bytekit --type --method=POST --body='{"username":"test"}' https://api.example.com/login

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Adding Custom Headers

Include authentication or custom headers: 
bytekit --type --header="Authorization: Bearer token123" https://api.example.com/protected

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Multiple Headers

Add multiple headers to your request: 
bytekit --type \
  --header="Authorization: Bearer token123" \
  --header="X-API-Key: abc123" \
  https://api.example.com/data

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Error Handling

The CLI provides clear error messages for common issues: Missing URL: 
bytekit --type
# Error: Missing URL
HTTP Errors: 
bytekit https://api.example.com/invalid
# Error: HTTP 404: Not Found
Network Errors: 
bytekit https://invalid-domain.example
# Error: fetch failed

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Output Directory

Generated type files are automatically saved to:
  • Type Generation: src/types/{endpoint}.ts
  • Swagger Generation: src/types/api-docs.ts
The CLI creates the src/types/ directory if it doesn’t exist.

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Next Steps

Type Generation

Learn how to generate TypeScript types from API endpoints

Swagger Integration

Generate types from OpenAPI/Swagger specifications