# How to Use Bash with Kimi-CLI: Execute Shell Commands via CLI and Interactive Mode > Learn to use Bash with Kimi-CLI. Execute shell commands directly or in interactive mode. Empower your workflow with Kimi-CLI's Bash integration. - Repository: [Moonshot AI/kimi-cli](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-07-26 --- **Kimi-CLI provides a built-in Bash tool that lets you execute arbitrary shell commands either directly from the terminal via `kimi bash ""` or within an interactive session using the `/bash` slash command.** MoonshotAI's `kimi-cli` repository ships with a native **Bash tool** integrated into its shell toolset. This feature allows you to run system commands safely through a subprocess wrapper, capturing output and exit codes while supporting asynchronous execution and optional approval workflows. ## Running Bash Commands from the Command Line You can execute one-off shell commands without entering interactive mode by using the `kimi bash` subcommand. ### Basic CLI Syntax Pass your command as a quoted string argument: ```bash # List files in the current directory kimi bash "ls -la" # Check git branch status kimi bash "git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD" # Run a complex pipe command kimi bash "ps aux | grep python" ``` The CLI entry point is defined in [`src/kimi_cli/cli/__init__.py`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/src/kimi_cli/cli/__init__.py), which maps the `bash` subcommand to the tool execution logic. The command string is sent to the **Bash tool** implementation in [`src/kimi_cli/tools/shell/bash.md`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/src/kimi_cli/tools/shell/bash.md), which spawns a subprocess using Python's `subprocess` module and returns formatted output. ## Using Bash in Interactive Mode When running `kimi` in interactive mode, you can access the Bash tool through slash commands. ### The /bash Slash Command Inside the interactive shell UI (`src/kimi_cli/ui/shell/`), type `/bash` followed by your command: ```text >>> /bash uname -a Linux myhost 5.15.0-76-generic #82-Ubuntu SMP x86_64 GNU/Linux >>> /bash echo "Hello from Kimi!" Hello from Kimi! ``` The UI parses the slash command and forwards it to the toolset loader in [`src/kimi_cli/soul/toolset.py`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/src/kimi_cli/soul/toolset.py), which invokes the Bash tool and streams the result back to the terminal while preserving line breaks and exit codes. ## Programmatic Usage and Implementation The Bash tool is implemented as a Python class that you can import for custom技能 (skills) or automation scripts. ### Direct Tool Invocation ```python from kimi_cli.tools.shell.bash import BashTool async def run_system_command(): tool = BashTool() result = await tool.run(command="date") print(result.stdout) # Output: Tue Jul 26 14:33:10 UTC 2026 print(result.exit_code) # Output: 0 ``` The tool returns a `KimiToolResult` object containing `stdout`, `stderr`, and the exit status. This implementation resides in the shell tool directory and follows the same pattern as other shell-related tools like `sh` and `powershell`. ## Safety and Runtime Features The Bash tool includes several protective mechanisms and runtime integrations: - **Safety checks**: The tool validates that commands are non-empty strings and sanitizes potentially unsafe characters before execution. - **Asynchronous execution**: Commands run inside Kimi's `asyncio`-driven event loop, keeping the CLI responsive during long-running operations. - **Approval workflows**: If enabled in the session configuration, the Bash tool can require user approval before launching subprocesses. - **Error handling**: Non-zero exit statuses are formatted as tool-level failures and surfaced in the UI or logs. - **Session logging**: All command input and output are recorded in the session log directory (`session/`) for reproducible debugging. ## Summary - Execute bash commands directly using `kimi bash ""` from the terminal. - Use `/bash ` inside interactive mode for quick shell access. - The Bash tool source is located at [`src/kimi_cli/tools/shell/bash.md`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/src/kimi_cli/tools/shell/bash.md) and loaded by [`src/kimi_cli/soul/toolset.py`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/src/kimi_cli/soul/toolset.py). - It uses Python's `subprocess` module with safety validations and returns structured `KimiToolResult` objects. - Supports async execution, approval workflows, and comprehensive session logging. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How do I run a bash command directly from the terminal using kimi-cli? Use the `kimi bash` subcommand followed by your command in quotes: `kimi bash "echo Hello World"`. This bypasses interactive mode and returns the output immediately. ### What is the difference between `kimi bash` and the `/bash` slash command? `kimi bash` is a CLI flag used from your system terminal to execute one-off commands, while `/bash` is a slash command used within an interactive Kimi session (after typing `kimi` to enter the chat interface). Both invoke the same underlying tool but through different entry points. ### Where is the Bash tool implementation located in the kimi-cli source code? The Bash tool is defined in [`src/kimi_cli/tools/shell/bash.md`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/src/kimi_cli/tools/shell/bash.md) and registered by the toolset loader in [`src/kimi_cli/soul/toolset.py`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/src/kimi_cli/soul/toolset.py). The CLI mapping is handled in [`src/kimi_cli/cli/__init__.py`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/src/kimi_cli/cli/__init__.py), and the interactive UI parsing happens in `src/kimi_cli/ui/shell/`. ### Does the Bash tool support command approval workflows? Yes. When enabled in the session configuration, the Bash tool can be gated by a user-approval step before the subprocess launches. This safety feature prevents accidental execution of dangerous commands and is part of the broader Shell tool family security model.