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# Commander.js | |
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The complete solution for [node.js](http://nodejs.org) command-line interfaces, inspired by Ruby's [commander](https://github.com/commander-rb/commander). | |
[API documentation](http://tj.github.com/commander.js/) | |
## Installation | |
$ npm install commander | |
## Option parsing | |
Options with commander are defined with the `.option()` method, also serving as documentation for the options. The example below parses args and options from `process.argv`, leaving remaining args as the `program.args` array which were not consumed by options. | |
```js | |
#!/usr/bin/env node | |
/** | |
* Module dependencies. | |
*/ | |
var program = require('commander'); | |
program | |
.version('0.1.0') | |
.option('-p, --peppers', 'Add peppers') | |
.option('-P, --pineapple', 'Add pineapple') | |
.option('-b, --bbq-sauce', 'Add bbq sauce') | |
.option('-c, --cheese [type]', 'Add the specified type of cheese [marble]', 'marble') | |
.parse(process.argv); | |
console.log('you ordered a pizza with:'); | |
if (program.peppers) console.log(' - peppers'); | |
if (program.pineapple) console.log(' - pineapple'); | |
if (program.bbqSauce) console.log(' - bbq'); | |
console.log(' - %s cheese', program.cheese); | |
``` | |
Short flags may be passed as a single arg, for example `-abc` is equivalent to `-a -b -c`. Multi-word options such as "--template-engine" are camel-cased, becoming `program.templateEngine` etc. | |
Note that multi-word options starting with `--no` prefix negate the boolean value of the following word. For example, `--no-sauce` sets the value of `program.sauce` to false. | |
```js | |
#!/usr/bin/env node | |
/** | |
* Module dependencies. | |
*/ | |
var program = require('commander'); | |
program | |
.option('--no-sauce', 'Remove sauce') | |
.parse(process.argv); | |
console.log('you ordered a pizza'); | |
if (program.sauce) console.log(' with sauce'); | |
else console.log(' without sauce'); | |
``` | |
To get string arguments from options you will need to use angle brackets <> for required inputs or square brackets [] for optional inputs. | |
e.g. ```.option('-m --myarg [myVar]', 'my super cool description')``` | |
Then to access the input if it was passed in. | |
e.g. ```var myInput = program.myarg``` | |
**NOTE**: If you pass a argument without using brackets the example above will return true and not the value passed in. | |
## Version option | |
Calling the `version` implicitly adds the `-V` and `--version` options to the command. | |
When either of these options is present, the command prints the version number and exits. | |
$ ./examples/pizza -V | |
0.0.1 | |
If you want your program to respond to the `-v` option instead of the `-V` option, simply pass custom flags to the `version` method using the same syntax as the `option` method. | |
```js | |
program | |
.version('0.0.1', '-v, --version') | |
``` | |
The version flags can be named anything, but the long option is required. | |
## Command-specific options | |
You can attach options to a command. | |
```js | |
#!/usr/bin/env node | |
var program = require('commander'); | |
program | |
.command('rm <dir>') | |
.option('-r, --recursive', 'Remove recursively') | |
.action(function (dir, cmd) { | |
console.log('remove ' + dir + (cmd.recursive ? ' recursively' : '')) | |
}) | |
program.parse(process.argv) | |
``` | |
A command's options are validated when the command is used. Any unknown options will be reported as an error. However, if an action-based command does not define an action, then the options are not validated. | |
## Coercion | |
```js | |
function range(val) { | |
return val.split('..').map(Number); | |
} | |
function list(val) { | |
return val.split(','); | |
} | |
function collect(val, memo) { | |
memo.push(val); | |
return memo; | |
} | |
function increaseVerbosity(v, total) { | |
return total + 1; | |
} | |
program | |
.version('0.1.0') | |
.usage('[options] <file ...>') | |
.option('-i, --integer <n>', 'An integer argument', parseInt) | |
.option('-f, --float <n>', 'A float argument', parseFloat) | |
.option('-r, --range <a>..<b>', 'A range', range) | |
.option('-l, --list <items>', 'A list', list) | |
.option('-o, --optional [value]', 'An optional value') | |
.option('-c, --collect [value]', 'A repeatable value', collect, []) | |
.option('-v, --verbose', 'A value that can be increased', increaseVerbosity, 0) | |
.parse(process.argv); | |
console.log(' int: %j', program.integer); | |
console.log(' float: %j', program.float); | |
console.log(' optional: %j', program.optional); | |
program.range = program.range || []; | |
console.log(' range: %j..%j', program.range[0], program.range[1]); | |
console.log(' list: %j', program.list); | |
console.log(' collect: %j', program.collect); | |
console.log(' verbosity: %j', program.verbose); | |
console.log(' args: %j', program.args); | |
``` | |
## Regular Expression | |
```js | |
program | |
.version('0.1.0') | |
.option('-s --size <size>', 'Pizza size', /^(large|medium|small)$/i, 'medium') | |
.option('-d --drink [drink]', 'Drink', /^(coke|pepsi|izze)$/i) | |
.parse(process.argv); | |
console.log(' size: %j', program.size); | |
console.log(' drink: %j', program.drink); | |
``` | |
## Variadic arguments | |
The last argument of a command can be variadic, and only the last argument. To make an argument variadic you have to | |
append `...` to the argument name. Here is an example: | |
```js | |
#!/usr/bin/env node | |
/** | |
* Module dependencies. | |
*/ | |
var program = require('commander'); | |
program | |
.version('0.1.0') | |
.command('rmdir <dir> [otherDirs...]') | |
.action(function (dir, otherDirs) { | |
console.log('rmdir %s', dir); | |
if (otherDirs) { | |
otherDirs.forEach(function (oDir) { | |
console.log('rmdir %s', oDir); | |
}); | |
} | |
}); | |
program.parse(process.argv); | |
``` | |
An `Array` is used for the value of a variadic argument. This applies to `program.args` as well as the argument passed | |
to your action as demonstrated above. | |
## Specify the argument syntax | |
```js | |
#!/usr/bin/env node | |
var program = require('commander'); | |
program | |
.version('0.1.0') | |
.arguments('<cmd> [env]') | |
.action(function (cmd, env) { | |
cmdValue = cmd; | |
envValue = env; | |
}); | |
program.parse(process.argv); | |
if (typeof cmdValue === 'undefined') { | |
console.error('no command given!'); | |
process.exit(1); | |
} | |
console.log('command:', cmdValue); | |
console.log('environment:', envValue || "no environment given"); | |
``` | |
Angled brackets (e.g. `<cmd>`) indicate required input. Square brackets (e.g. `[env]`) indicate optional input. | |
## Git-style sub-commands | |
```js | |
// file: ./examples/pm | |
var program = require('commander'); | |
program | |
.version('0.1.0') | |
.command('install [name]', 'install one or more packages') | |
.command('search [query]', 'search with optional query') | |
.command('list', 'list packages installed', {isDefault: true}) | |
.parse(process.argv); | |
``` | |
When `.command()` is invoked with a description argument, no `.action(callback)` should be called to handle sub-commands, otherwise there will be an error. This tells commander that you're going to use separate executables for sub-commands, much like `git(1)` and other popular tools. | |
The commander will try to search the executables in the directory of the entry script (like `./examples/pm`) with the name `program-command`, like `pm-install`, `pm-search`. | |
Options can be passed with the call to `.command()`. Specifying `true` for `opts.noHelp` will remove the subcommand from the generated help output. Specifying `true` for `opts.isDefault` will run the subcommand if no other subcommand is specified. | |
If the program is designed to be installed globally, make sure the executables have proper modes, like `755`. | |
### `--harmony` | |
You can enable `--harmony` option in two ways: | |
* Use `#! /usr/bin/env node --harmony` in the sub-commands scripts. Note some os version don’t support this pattern. | |
* Use the `--harmony` option when call the command, like `node --harmony examples/pm publish`. The `--harmony` option will be preserved when spawning sub-command process. | |
## Automated --help | |
The help information is auto-generated based on the information commander already knows about your program, so the following `--help` info is for free: | |
``` | |
$ ./examples/pizza --help | |
Usage: pizza [options] | |
An application for pizzas ordering | |
Options: | |
-h, --help output usage information | |
-V, --version output the version number | |
-p, --peppers Add peppers | |
-P, --pineapple Add pineapple | |
-b, --bbq Add bbq sauce | |
-c, --cheese <type> Add the specified type of cheese [marble] | |
-C, --no-cheese You do not want any cheese | |
``` | |
## Custom help | |
You can display arbitrary `-h, --help` information | |
by listening for "--help". Commander will automatically | |
exit once you are done so that the remainder of your program | |
does not execute causing undesired behaviors, for example | |
in the following executable "stuff" will not output when | |
`--help` is used. | |
```js | |
#!/usr/bin/env node | |
/** | |
* Module dependencies. | |
*/ | |
var program = require('commander'); | |
program | |
.version('0.1.0') | |
.option('-f, --foo', 'enable some foo') | |
.option('-b, --bar', 'enable some bar') | |
.option('-B, --baz', 'enable some baz'); | |
// must be before .parse() since | |
// node's emit() is immediate | |
program.on('--help', function(){ | |
console.log('') | |
console.log('Examples:'); | |
console.log(' $ custom-help --help'); | |
console.log(' $ custom-help -h'); | |
}); | |
program.parse(process.argv); | |
console.log('stuff'); | |
``` | |
Yields the following help output when `node script-name.js -h` or `node script-name.js --help` are run: | |
``` | |
Usage: custom-help [options] | |
Options: | |
-h, --help output usage information | |
-V, --version output the version number | |
-f, --foo enable some foo | |
-b, --bar enable some bar | |
-B, --baz enable some baz | |
Examples: | |
$ custom-help --help | |
$ custom-help -h | |
``` | |
## .outputHelp(cb) | |
Output help information without exiting. | |
Optional callback cb allows post-processing of help text before it is displayed. | |
If you want to display help by default (e.g. if no command was provided), you can use something like: | |
```js | |
var program = require('commander'); | |
var colors = require('colors'); | |
program | |
.version('0.1.0') | |
.command('getstream [url]', 'get stream URL') | |
.parse(process.argv); | |
if (!process.argv.slice(2).length) { | |
program.outputHelp(make_red); | |
} | |
function make_red(txt) { | |
return colors.red(txt); //display the help text in red on the console | |
} | |
``` | |
## .help(cb) | |
Output help information and exit immediately. | |
Optional callback cb allows post-processing of help text before it is displayed. | |
## Custom event listeners | |
You can execute custom actions by listening to command and option events. | |
```js | |
program.on('option:verbose', function () { | |
process.env.VERBOSE = this.verbose; | |
}); | |
// error on unknown commands | |
program.on('command:*', function () { | |
console.error('Invalid command: %s\nSee --help for a list of available commands.', program.args.join(' ')); | |
process.exit(1); | |
}); | |
``` | |
## Examples | |
```js | |
var program = require('commander'); | |
program | |
.version('0.1.0') | |
.option('-C, --chdir <path>', 'change the working directory') | |
.option('-c, --config <path>', 'set config path. defaults to ./deploy.conf') | |
.option('-T, --no-tests', 'ignore test hook'); | |
program | |
.command('setup [env]') | |
.description('run setup commands for all envs') | |
.option("-s, --setup_mode [mode]", "Which setup mode to use") | |
.action(function(env, options){ | |
var mode = options.setup_mode || "normal"; | |
env = env || 'all'; | |
console.log('setup for %s env(s) with %s mode', env, mode); | |
}); | |
program | |
.command('exec <cmd>') | |
.alias('ex') | |
.description('execute the given remote cmd') | |
.option("-e, --exec_mode <mode>", "Which exec mode to use") | |
.action(function(cmd, options){ | |
console.log('exec "%s" using %s mode', cmd, options.exec_mode); | |
}).on('--help', function() { | |
console.log(''); | |
console.log('Examples:'); | |
console.log(''); | |
console.log(' $ deploy exec sequential'); | |
console.log(' $ deploy exec async'); | |
}); | |
program | |
.command('*') | |
.action(function(env){ | |
console.log('deploying "%s"', env); | |
}); | |
program.parse(process.argv); | |
``` | |
More Demos can be found in the [examples](https://github.com/tj/commander.js/tree/master/examples) directory. | |
## License | |
[MIT](https://github.com/tj/commander.js/blob/master/LICENSE) | |