Agent skill · Testing & QA

te-cli

Expert guidance for the cross-platform Tabular Editor CLI (the `te` binary, currently in preview) that manages Power BI / Analysis Services semantic models from the terminal on macOS, Linux, and Windows. Use when the user mentions the `te` CLI or "Tabular Editor CLI" (not the "2"), or runs a `te <command>` to scaffold, inspect, edit, validate, run BPA on, query, deploy, refresh, test, or migrate a semantic model. Not for the legacy Windows-only `TabularEditor.exe` (TE2).

data-goblingithub.com/data-goblinGitHub ↗
claude-codecopilotGPL-3.0
Install
npx skills add data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development --skill te-cli --agent claude-code

Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.

Facts
Files in the skill folder: 16
SKILL.md size: 18 KB
Bundled scripts: none
Path: plugins/tabular-editor/skills/te-cli/SKILL.md
Open the folder on GitHub →
Where it comes from
Stars: 833
Language: C#

Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.

Review
written from the skill's own SKILL.md · Aug 5, 2026

What it does

The skill provides expert guidance for using the cross-platform Tabular Editor CLI (the te binary) to manage Power BI / Analysis Services semantic models from the terminal. It covers when to use the CLI, how to start and authenticate, and how to perform common operations such as scaffolding, inspecting, editing, validating, running BPA, querying, deploying, refreshing, testing, and migrating models. It emphasizes using --output-format json for programmatic interactions and warns that this is not the TE2 Windows executable. It outlines the conditions under which to apply the tool (e.g., when users mention the te CLI or run te <command>), and it enumerates many concrete workflows and commands to perform with the CLI.

How it works

The guidance instructs users to:

  • Run initial checks with te --version and te auth status, and prompt login if not authenticated.
  • Execute te --help and te <command> --help to learn current flags.
  • Treat shell sessions as per-shell-state for te connect; pass -m and -s/-d on every command or set TE_SESSION.
  • Use te for model-related mutations (e.g., te set, te add, te remove, te replace, te format, te script, te macro run) with in-memory staging unless --save is used to persist.
  • Manage BPA and validation with te bpa run and te validate, and handle DAX formatting with te format --save.
  • Rely on te commands that require deployed models (e.g., te query, te vertipaq) to specify -s/-d or an active connection; otherwise an error occurs.
  • Always pass --output-format json when driving programmatically to avoid parsing issues.
  • Follow the recommended quickstart and common operations to summarize, search, query, modify, and bulk-edit models.

When to use it

Use this skill when the user mentions the te CLI, the new Tabular Editor CLI, or runs a te <command> in a terminal, and when the user aims to scaffold, inspect, edit, validate, deploy, refresh, query, test, or migrate a semantic model from the terminal on macOS, Linux, or Windows. It also covers scenarios like converting TMDL/BIM/PBIP, setting up DAX regression tests, and CI/CD pipelines for validation and deployment of semantic models. It distinguishes TE3/te from the legacy TE2 Windows executable.

What it can touch

The skill notes effective use with te across local models and deployed models via -m/-s/-d flags. It does not list other tools beyond the te commands and the guidance around output formats; specific allowed-touch surfaces are implied to be the model files and the deployed endpoints accessed via te.

Caveats

  • Explicitly mentions: Not the TE2 Windows-only executable. If TE2 syntax is used, route via compat layer or invoke TabularEditor.exe directly.
  • Preview limitations: Preview builds stop functioning after 2026-09-30. No license required during preview.
  • Mutations are staged in memory by default and require --save to persist, unless interactive mode is configured.
  • BPA gating and default prompts can affect CI workflows; use --force where appropriate and mute interactive prompts in CI.
  • Secrets should not be placed on the command line; use secure methods for authentication.
From the SKILL.md

# Tabular Editor CLI (`te`) To get the `te` CLI yourself (as the agent), see [references/get-te-cli.md](references/get-te-cli.md). The `te` CLI is a single self-contained binary that loads, edits, validates, deploys, refreshes, and tests semantic models against TMDL/BIM files, Power BI Desktop, and cloud workspaces (Power BI, Fabric, Azure AS, SSAS). It is built on the same TOMWrapper that powers Tabular Editor 3, so model edits behave like the desktop app. **Always pass `--output-format json`** when driving `te` programmatically. The default text/table output uses tables and ANSI styling that mangle in agent transcripts; JSON is parseable and avoids rendering issues. **Limited public preview.** Preview builds stop functioning after 2026-09-30. No license is required during preview. Issues and feedback: https://github.com/TabularEditor/CLI **Not the TE2 CLI.** This is a different product from the legacy Windows-only `TabularEditor.exe` (TE2). If the user invokes TE2 flag syntax (`-D`, `-S`, `-A`, `-B`, `-TMDL`, `-O`, `-C`, `-V`, `-G`), route it through the compat layer or invoke `TabularEditor.exe` directly. See `references/te2-migration.md`. ## When to use this skill - The user me

What's inside
Steps it walks through
  1. When to use this skill
  2. When NOT to use this skill
  3. Critical general rules
  4. Verb naming (canonical long-form + Unix aliases)
  5. Staging model (--save / --stage / --revert)
  6. Quickstart
  7. Common operations
  8. Global options
  9. Semantic modeling checklist
  10. Command index
  11. The authoring loop
  12. Using te with other Power BI CLIs
  13. Bundled scripts
  14. References
Ships with 15 files
  • references/command-reference.md
  • references/config-cicd-env.md
  • references/fabric-cli-tandem.md
  • references/get-te-cli.md
  • references/gotchas.md
  • references/pbir-cli-tandem.md
  • references/semantic-modeling-practices.md
  • references/te2-migration.md
  • references/testing.md
  • references/workflows.md
  • scripts/README.md
  • scripts/edit-ai-instructions-interactive.csx
  • scripts/edit-ai-schema-interactive.csx
  • scripts/manage-ai-metadata-interactive.csx
  • scripts/manage-ai-metadata.csx
Commands it runs
te --version && te auth status          # 0. check install + auth
te auth login                           # 1. authenticate (browser); cached
te init ./my-model                      # 2. scaffold (PowerBI mode, TMDL, compat 1702)
te load ./model                         # 3. load + summary; then `te list`, `te list Sales`
te find "Revenue" --in names -m ./model # 4. search (names | expressions | descriptions | all)
te get Sales/Revenue -q expression -m ./model      # 5. read a measure's DAX
te bpa run --fail-on error --ci github -m ./model   # 6. BPA gate
te format --save -m ./model             # 7. format all DAX
te query "EVALUATE TOPN(5, 'Sales')" -s ws -d model    # 8. query (positional or -q)
te save -o ./out --serialization tmdl -m ./model    # 9. save / convert (tmdl|bim|pbip|database.json)
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About this skill
What does the te-cli skill do?

Expert guidance for the cross-platform Tabular Editor CLI (the `te` binary, currently in preview) that manages Power BI / Analysis Services semantic models from the terminal on macOS, Linux, and Windows. Use when the user mentions the `te` CLI or "Tabular Editor CLI" (not the "2"), or runs a `te <command>` to scaffold, inspect, edit, validate, run BPA on, query, deploy, refresh, test, or migrate a semantic model. Not for the legacy Windows-only `TabularEditor.exe` (TE2).

How do I install it?

Run `npx skills add data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development --skill te-cli --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.

Where does this skill come from?

From data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development, a repository with 833 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.

Is a popular skill a good skill?

Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.

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