SWG bar CLI Guide

SWG bar includes a native command-line interface (swgbar) bundled inside /Applications/SWGBar.app. It exposes the same real-time monitoring and inspection capabilities as the macOS menu bar app, allowing you to audit TLS certificates, evaluate HTTPS interception, and manage domain-level SWG bypass directly from Terminal or automated scripts.

Set up the CLI

After installing SWG bar, the binary is located inside the application bundle. You can invoke it directly, define an alias in your shell configuration (~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc), or create a symbolic link in your PATH:

# Option 1: Run directly from the application bundle
/Applications/SWGBar.app/Contents/MacOS/swgbar --help

# Option 2: Add an alias to your shell profile (~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc)
alias swgbar="/Applications/SWGBar.app/Contents/MacOS/swgbar"

# Option 3: Create a symbolic link in /usr/local/bin (recommended for system-wide access)
sudo ln -s /Applications/SWGBar.app/Contents/MacOS/swgbar /usr/local/bin/swgbar

# Verify the CLI installation
swgbar version

Append --json to any command to receive structured JSON output, ideal for piping into jq or integrating into custom automation workflows.

Inspect overview metrics, domains, and certificates

Retrieve the live inspection telemetry and certificate evidence collected by SWG bar:

# View overall HTTPS inspection rate, status breakdown, and top intercepting certificates
swgbar overview

# List observed domains with optional filtering and pagination
swgbar domains list
swgbar domains list --status confirmed --page 1 --page-size 20
swgbar domains list --search <keyword> --bypass active

# View detailed TLS connection and certificate evidence for a specific domain
swgbar domains detail <domain>

# List observed certificate clusters and inspect individual certificate details
swgbar certificates list
swgbar certificates list --status suspected
swgbar certificates detail "<certificate-name>"

Probe domains and manage SWG bypass

Trigger real-time TLS evaluations for any target hostname or control domain-level SWG bypass rules on demand:

# Probe a domain on demand to check certificate trust and TLS inspection
swgbar probe <domain>

# Check current SWG bypass status and active domain rules
swgbar bypass status

# Enable, toggle, disable, or clear SWG bypass for a domain
swgbar bypass enable <domain>
swgbar bypass toggle <domain>
swgbar bypass disable <domain>
swgbar bypass clear

Browser companion and application preferences

Verify browser extension connectivity, pause or resume background monitoring, and configure app preferences:

# Check Chrome extension companion connectivity
swgbar plugins status
swgbar plugins check

# Pause or resume background network monitoring
swgbar monitoring status
swgbar monitoring pause
swgbar monitoring resume

# Manage license activation, check for updates, and adjust display preferences
swgbar license status
swgbar updates check
swgbar language get
swgbar language set <en|zh-Hans|zh-Hant|ja|ko>
swgbar appearance get
swgbar appearance set <system|light|dark>

Common commands

Command	Description
swgbar overview	Display overall HTTPS inspection percentage, classification counts, and top intercepting certificates
swgbar domains list	List observed domains with optional --search, --status, --bypass, --page, and --page-size filters
swgbar domains detail <domain>	Show connection metadata, certificate chain evidence, and bypass status for a domain
swgbar certificates list	List certificate clusters with optional --search and --status filters
swgbar certificates detail "<certificate-name>"	Display issuer information, validity period, SHA-256 fingerprint, and associated domains
swgbar bypass <status|enable|disable|toggle|clear>	Query or manage domain-level SWG bypass rules
swgbar probe <domain>	Perform an on-demand TLS probe and certificate evaluation for a domain
swgbar plugins <status|check>	Verify connectivity with the browser extension companion
swgbar monitoring <status|pause|resume>	Check, pause, or resume background network monitoring
swgbar license <status|activate|deactivate>	View license activation status or manage license keys
swgbar updates check	Check for available software updates
swgbar language <get|set>	View or set display language (en, zh-Hans, zh-Hant, ja, ko)
swgbar appearance <get|set>	View or set appearance theme (system, light, dark)

To integrate SWG bar with AI desktop clients, see the MCP guide. To learn how certificate evidence is evaluated, read how SWG bar works.