Word Document Reader and Writer
HKUDS/DeepTutor
Reads, creates and edits Word .docx files with python-docx, and drops to raw OOXML for tracked changes, comments and byte-exact edits.
Extract text from DOCX files using shell commands when python-docx is unavailable
Install DOCX Shell Parse
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill docx-shell-parse -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace docx-shell-parse --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse .claude/skills/docx-shell-parse && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "docx-shell-parse" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse into .claude/skills/docx-shell-parse/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "docx-shell-parse", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parseType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill docx-shell-parse -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace docx-shell-parse --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse .agents/skills/docx-shell-parse && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "docx-shell-parse" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse into .agents/skills/docx-shell-parse/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "docx-shell-parse", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill docx-shell-parse -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace docx-shell-parse --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse .cursor/skills/docx-shell-parse && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "docx-shell-parse" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse into .cursor/skills/docx-shell-parse/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "docx-shell-parse", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git --path benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill docx-shell-parse -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace docx-shell-parse --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse .gemini/skills/docx-shell-parse && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "docx-shell-parse" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse into .gemini/skills/docx-shell-parse/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "docx-shell-parse", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace docx-shell-parseInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill docx-shell-parse -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse .github/skills/docx-shell-parse && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "docx-shell-parse" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse into .github/skills/docx-shell-parse/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "docx-shell-parse", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill docx-shell-parse -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace docx-shell-parse --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse .opencode/skills/docx-shell-parse && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "docx-shell-parse" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse into .opencode/skills/docx-shell-parse/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "docx-shell-parse", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
docx-shell-parse- GitHub stars
- 7.7k
- Token cost
- ~633 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 189 words
- Files
- 2
- Skills in repo
- 199
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Extract text from DOCX files using shell commands when python-docx is unavailable
- Works in 5 steps: Verify the DOCX file exists → Extract raw XML content → Strip XML tags from content → …
- Tasks that involve Word documents
- SKILL.md covers When to Use, Core Technique, Step-by-Step Instructions and Complete Shell Function, plus 3 more sections
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
DOCX Shell Parse is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace. Extract text from DOCX files using shell commands when python-docx is unavailable
Its SKILL.md is about 630 tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 1 other file.
It sits in Documents & Office, covering Word documents. It works with Microsoft Word and python-docx. The repository describes itself as: "OpenSpace: The Skill Management Layer for AI Agents" -- https://open-space.cloud/. The licence is MIT.
When your agent uses it
- Tasks that involve Word documents
Example prompts
- “/docx-shell-parse”
Requirements
- Python 3
Workflow steps
5 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 3827781. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are bash).
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
DOCX Shell Parse loads about 633 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 25 tokens; SKILL.md has 189 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from HKUDS/OpenSpace at commit 3827781, republished under its MIT licence (© HKUDS). 189 words, ~633 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/docx-shell-parse/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.- name
- docx-shell-parse
- description
- Extract text from DOCX files using shell commands when python-docx is unavailable
DOCX Shell Parsing Workaround
When you need to read content from Microsoft Word (.docx) files but python-docx or similar libraries are unavailable, use this shell-based approach to extract text reliably.
When to Use
- Python environment lacks
python-docxor similar libraries - You need quick text extraction without installing dependencies
- Working in constrained environments (containers, minimal images, etc.)
Core Technique
DOCX files are ZIP archives containing XML files. Extract and parse the main document XML:
unzip -p filename.docx word/document.xml | sed -e 's/<[^>]*>//g'Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Verify the DOCX file exists
ls -la document.docx2. Extract raw XML content
Use unzip -p to pipe the document.xml content directly to stdout:
unzip -p document.docx word/document.xml3. Strip XML tags from content
Pipe through sed to remove all XML tags:
unzip -p document.docx word/document.xml | sed -e 's/<[^>]*>//g'4. Clean up whitespace (optional)
For cleaner output, remove excessive whitespace and newlines:
unzip -p document.docx word/document.xml | \
sed -e 's/<[^>]*>//g' | \
sed -e 's/^[[:space:]]*//' -e 's/[[:space:]]*$//' | \
sed -e '/^$/d'5. Save extracted text to file
unzip -p document.docx word/document.xml | \
sed -e 's/<[^>]*>//g' > output.txtComplete Shell Function
Add this reusable function to your scripts:
parse_docx() {
local file="$1"
if [ ! -f "$file" ]; then
echo "Error: File not found: $file" >&2
return 1
fi
unzip -p "$file" word/document.xml 2>/dev/null | \
sed -e 's/<[^>]*>//g' | \
sed -e 's/^[[:space:]]*//' -e 's/[[:space:]]*$//' | \
sed -e '/^$/d'
}
# Usage: parse_docx document.docxLimitations
- Does not preserve formatting, images, or tables structure
- May include some residual XML entity references
- Works best for simple text extraction needs
- DOCX must be a valid Office Open XML format
Verification
Confirm extraction worked by checking output:
parse_docx document.docx | head -20Alternative: Extract to Temporary Directory
For more complex parsing needs:
tmpdir=$(mktemp -d)
unzip document.docx -d "$tmpdir"
cat "$tmpdir/word/document.xml" | sed -e 's/<[^>]*>//g'
rm -rf "$tmpdir"© HKUDS, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
SKILL.md and 1 other file in benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse of HKUDS/OpenSpace.
- SKILL.md
- .skill_id
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3827781
Compare with similar skills
DOCX Shell Parse next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOCX Shell Parse this skillHKUDS/OpenSpace | 7.7k | — | ~633 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Word Document Reader and WriterHKUDS/DeepTutor | 41k | — | ~2.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| BiSheng DOCX Builderdataelement/bisheng | 12k | — | ~2.6k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| DOCX ToolkitXiaomiMiMo/MiMo-Code | 14k | — | ~2.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Word DOCX ToolkitTokenRhythm/opensquilla | 7.1k | — | ~1.7k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Word DOCX ToolkitNousResearch/hermes-agent | 252k | — | ~2.6k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
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Related
Works with
Categories
Questions about DOCX Shell Parse
What does DOCX Shell Parse do?
Extract text from DOCX files using shell commands when python-docx is unavailable. DOCX Shell Parse is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace.
When should I use DOCX Shell Parse?
DOCX Shell Parse fits situations like: tasks that involve Word documents.
How do I install DOCX Shell Parse in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill docx-shell-parse -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .claude/skills/docx-shell-parse in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install DOCX Shell Parse in Codex?
Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill docx-shell-parse -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/docx-shell-parse in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .agents/skills/docx-shell-parse in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use DOCX Shell Parse in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill docx-shell-parse -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/docx-shell-parse, .gemini/skills/docx-shell-parse, .github/skills/docx-shell-parse and .opencode/skills/docx-shell-parse in your project.
What does DOCX Shell Parse need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: DOCX Shell Parse is instructions for the agent only. Our summary lists: Python 3.
Does DOCX Shell Parse access the network?
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is DOCX Shell Parse safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does DOCX Shell Parse use?
DOCX Shell Parse is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does DOCX Shell Parse use?
About 633 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 2.5k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to DOCX Shell Parse?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with DOCX Shell Parse: Word Document Reader and Writer (HKUDS/DeepTutor, 41k stars), BiSheng DOCX Builder (dataelement/bisheng, 12k stars), DOCX Toolkit (XiaomiMiMo/MiMo-Code, 14k stars) and Word DOCX Toolkit (TokenRhythm/opensquilla, 7.1k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains DOCX Shell Parse?
HKUDS (a GitHub organization) maintains it in HKUDS/OpenSpace, which has 7,743 GitHub stars. The repository holds 199 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 12, 2026.
Source: HKUDS/OpenSpace on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.