I have a command line tool that I use regularly and I want to build a graphical interface for it on macOS. The main thing I need is a way for users to enter different command line arguments through text fields or dropdowns instead of typing them in Terminal.
I’m looking for tutorials or guides that show how to make this kind of GUI wrapper application. I don’t mind using Xcode but I’m also open to other development tools if they work better for this.
Basically I want to create an app where someone can fill out a form with the parameters they want, then my app runs the command line program with those arguments in the background. Has anyone done something similar or know where I can find good resources about this?
platypus is probably your easiest bet here - its a free mac app that literally does exactly what your describing. just drag your command line tool into it, set up the gui fields you want, and it generates a proper mac app for you. no coding required and works great for simple wrappers.
I built something similar for a batch processing tool last year using Swift and Xcode. The approach I took was creating a basic form interface with NSTextField and NSPopUpButton elements, then using NSTask (now Process) to execute the command line program with the collected arguments. The key was properly escaping user input and handling output streams. For simpler projects, you might also consider Automator with a custom shell script action, which requires no coding but offers less customization. Another route worth exploring is Electron if you prefer web technologies - it lets you build native-looking Mac apps using HTML and JavaScript while still executing system commands through Node.js.
sounds like an interesting project! im wondering how you envision the layout of the GUI. any specific elements you think would make it user-friendly? also, what’s the command line tool you’re working with? curious about its functionality!