parse-columns-cli

parse-columns-cli is a command‑line utility that reads tabular text, such as the output of typical Unix commands, and converts each column into a JSON representation. The tool accepts input either as a direct argument or via a pipeline, allowing seamless integration with existing shell workflows. By producing JSON, the output can be further processed with generic command‑line JSON manipulators like jq or underscore-cli.

The program is installed globally through npm and provides a simple interface: invoking `parse-columns` with a string or piping data into it yields the parsed JSON. Example usage shows how the output of `lsof -i` can be transformed and then queried with underscore-cli to extract specific fields. This makes it useful for developers who need to script or automate analysis of column‑based command output without writing custom parsers.

parse-columns-cli builds on the parse-columns library, exposing its functionality as a CLI while keeping the core implementation stable and ready for production use. It is categorized as a developer‑tool and is marked as stable, indicating reliability for routine scripting tasks.