Bright Data CLI is a command-line tool that provides terminal access to web scraping, search, and data extraction capabilities powered by the Bright Data API.
The tool solves the problem of extracting structured data from the web without writing code. It handles common obstacles like CAPTCHAs, JavaScript rendering, and anti-bot protections through its scrape command. Beyond basic scraping, it offers search functionality across Google, Bing, and Yandex with structured JSON output, AI-powered web discovery to find and rank results by intent, and access to pre-built scrapers for over forty platforms including Amazon, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Users can also create custom scrapers from natural-language descriptions, control a real browser for complex interactions, and manage proxy zones and account budgets.
The tool suits developers and data professionals who need web data extraction without building infrastructure. It works well for one-off scraping tasks, search integration, and structured data extraction from major platforms. The project requires Node.js version 20 or higher and installs as an npm package with both a full command name and a shorthand alias. Authentication uses an API key obtained from the Bright Data account settings.
The project maintains active development with regular updates to command functionality and new features. The codebase is written in TypeScript, providing type safety for users integrating the tool into larger workflows. Documentation is comprehensive, covering installation, authentication, all available commands, configuration options, environment variables, and output modes for piping data between tools.
