aict - Unix coreutils with XML/JSON output for AI agents

Show HN: Aict – Unix coreutils that output XML/JSON, built for AI agents

aict is a powerful CLI tool that reimagines 33 essential Unix coreutils to output structured XML or JSON data, specifically designed for AI agents. Unlike traditional tools that return human-readable plaintext requiring complex parsing, aict provides labeled fields, absolute paths, and automatic language detection directly in the output. This eliminates ambiguity and reduces the number of tool calls needed for tasks like file inspection and search. Built in Go and featuring an integrated MCP server, aict integrates seamlessly with platforms like Claude Code, enabling AI assistants to interact with the filesystem more efficiently and accurately.

"AI agents run ls, grep, and cat and get back human-readable plaintext. Then they spend tokens parsing column positions, guessing field widths, and handling inconsistent formats. This is fragile and wasteful."