Ibrohim Abdivokhidov

Posted on Oct 22

How to build CLI AI Agent with OpenAI Responses API + Zapier MCP

#webdev #ai #programming #javascript

CLI Agent (OpenAI Responses + Zapier MCP)

A terminal chat UI that uses the OpenAI Responses API with Zapier MCP tools. Shows an ASCII banner on launch and provides a simple, chat-like experience with commands for help, powers, examples, clearing the screen, and exit.

Watch on YouTube:

Features

Chat-style CLI with wrapped output and optional colors
Zapier MCP integration (tool_choice: required) to perform actions across:
- Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Google Drive, Google Forms, Gmail, Telegram, WhatsApp
ASCII banner on launch (optional)

Screenshots (Live Demo)

todo-list

terminal-chat-1

terminal-chat-2

terminal-chat-3

google-calendar

gmail-google-meet

gmail-invitation

telegram-chat

google-docs

zapier-dashboard-1

zapier-dashboard-2

google-sheets-responses

Step-by-step tutorial

1) Check prerequisites

Python 3.9+ installed
Two API keys available: OPENAI_API_KEY and ZAPIER_MCP_API_KEY

2) (Optional) Create and activate a virtual environment

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate

3) Install dependencies

pip install openai python-dotenv art colorama

4) Configure environment variables

Option A (macOS/Linux):

export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
export ZAPIER_MCP_API_KEY=...

Option B (.env file in project root; auto-loaded if python-dotenv is installed):

OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
ZAPIER_MCP_API_KEY=...

5) Ensure your Zapier MCP account has access to the apps you plan to use

At minimum, connect Gmail and Google Calendar for the meeting demo
Optionally connect Google Docs, Sheets, Drive, Forms, Telegram, WhatsApp

6) Run the CLI

python main.py

When prompted, optionally enter your display name
Useful commands: /help, /powers, /examples, /clear, /exit

7) Try a quick workflow

Schedule a meeting and email the attendee:

Schedule a Google Meet on 20 Oct 2025, 10:00–11:00 with John Doe.
My email abdibrokhim@gmail.com, his email theelofiguy@gmail.com.
Send him a short, casual invite email about this coffee chat.

Create a project brief in Docs:

Create a Google Doc titled “Project Zap” with sections: Overview, Goals, Timeline, Risks.
Share with ops@acme.com.

Start a budget in Sheets:

Create a budget Google Sheet with columns: Item, Cost, Owner. Add three sample rows.

8) Tips

The CLI uses tool_choice="required" so the model will actually call Zapier MCP tools
If art or colorama aren’t installed, the app falls back to plain output
You can paste transcripts/notes after a meeting and ask: “Summarize and save to Google Docs”

9) Troubleshooting

See the Troubleshooting section below for common issues

Requirements

Python 3.9+
Packages:
- Required: openai
- Optional: python-dotenv (load .env), art (ASCII banner), colorama (colors)

Install:

pip install openai python-dotenv art colorama

Environment variables

export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
export ZAPIER_MCP_API_KEY=...

If you prefer, create a .env file with these keys; the app will attempt to load it if python-dotenv is installed.

Run

python main.py

On start you can optionally enter your display name. Use commands during chat:

/help – show help
/powers – list available integrations and abilities
/examples – sample prompts
/clear – clear the screen
/exit – quit

Example prompt

Schedule a meeting and send an invite:

Schedule a Google Meet on 20 Oct 2025, 10:00–11:00 with John Doe.
My email abdibrokhim@gmail.com, his email theelofiguy@gmail.com.
Send him a short, casual invite email about this coffee chat.

Notes

The CLI uses tool_choice="required" so the model will call Zapier MCP tools to complete tasks.
If art or colorama aren’t installed, the app gracefully falls back to plain output.

Troubleshooting

"OPENAI_API_KEY is not set" – export it as shown above.
"ZAPIER_MCP_API_KEY is not set" – export your Zapier MCP API key.
If no ASCII banner appears, install art, or ignore (optional).

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