It's not that you can't use a CLI, it's that you shouldn't have to. CodeKit makes npm faster and easier than the command line.
A whole walkthrough in 5 minutes. Or read the full documentation.
CodeKit isn't just for npm. It makes every part of building for the web easier. Use as much or as little as you like:
...and much more. See everything CodeKit does
Nobody likes paying for software. But I'm not Adobe, so CodeKit is actually a fair deal:
No subscriptions. When you buy a license, the version of CodeKit you install keeps working forever.
Your license includes 13 months of free updates. After that, you can renew your license for more updates or keep using the version you have.
Since old versions of CodeKit keep working forever, you can wait to renew until I release an update that has new features you want.
This system makes sure I keep improving CodeKit so you'll actually want to renew your license. And your support lets me work on CodeKit full time. It's a win-win.