https://github.com/aneeshdurg/argparsh
better argument parsing in the shell
https://github.com/aneeshdurg/argparsh
argpa bash cli
Last synced: 5 months ago
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better argument parsing in the shell
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/aneeshdurg/argparsh
- Owner: aneeshdurg
- License: mit
- Created: 2024-11-05T17:12:34.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-03-05T13:38:31.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-11-27T16:20:07.422Z (7 months ago)
- Topics: argpa, bash, cli
- Language: Rust
- Homepage:
- Size: 91.8 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# argparsh
Ever wanted to parse arguments in bash but felt frustrated by giant case blocks
and unfriendly syntax? Ever tried `getopts` but ended up curled on the floor
sobbing? Have you ever spent sleepless nights hoping that bash argument parsing
could be as simple as python's
[argparse](https://docs.python.org/3/library/argparse.html)? Maybe `argparsh` is
for you.
`argparsh` aims to provide an easy way to construct an argument parsing program
from any shell. Unlike most other shell CLI parsing utilities, `argparsh`
supports advanced features such as subcommands and even provides multiple output
formats to allow maximum flexibility. `argparsh` uses python's `argparse` library
for parsing, providing a familiar and well-documented interface.
## Usage
```console
aneesh@earth:~/argparsh$ cat >> argparsh.sh
# Create a parser that accepts a string and an optional int value
parser=$({
# Initialize the parser with the name of the script and a description
argparsh new $0 -d "Example parser"
# Add a positional argument - note that args after -- are options to add_arg
# and not aliases for the argument
argparsh add_arg --helptext "My string argument" strarg
# Add a keyword argument that can either be -i or --intarg
argparsh add_arg \
--helptext "My int argument" \
--type int \
--default 10 \
-- -i --intarg
})
# Parse the input arguments with the parser above
eval $(argparsh parse $parser -- "$@")
# Access parsed arguments by name
echo "String argument was" $strarg
echo "Integer argument was" $intarg
aneesh@earth:~/argparsh$ bash argparsh.sh -h
usage: argparsh.sh [-h] [-i INTARG] strarg
Example parser
positional arguments:
strarg My string argument
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-i INTARG, --intarg INTARG
My int argument
aneesh@earth:~/argparsh$ bash argparsh.sh -i na Hello
usage: argparsh.sh [-h] [-i INTARG] strarg
argparsh.sh: error: argument -i/--intarg: invalid int value: 'na'
aneesh@earth:~/argparsh$ bash argparsh.sh -i 10 Hello
String argument was Hello
Integer argument was 10
```
See `examples/example.sh` for a complete example, and examples of alternate
output formats (e.g. parsing CLI arguments into an associative array). The
`examples` directory has a few other examples that show different ways to use
`argparsh` in general.
More detailed help/documentation is available by running `argparsh --help`
## Installation
```sh
cargo install argparsh
```
Or, to build from source:
```sh
git clone https://github.com/aneeshdurg/argparsh.git
cd argparsh
cargo install --path .
```
## Similar Works
argparsh differs from previous attempts at improving shell argument parsing by
being shell agnostic (although only bash is tested, it is relatively easy to add
support for more shells, contributions are welcome), supporting
subcommands/subparsers, and allowing detailed + customizable help text to be
configured.
+ [getopts](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/getopts.1p.html)
- the OG argument handling utility. A bit clunky to use.
+ [argparse.sh](https://github.com/yaacov/argparse-sh)
- similar approach, but not completely shell agnostic, and lacking in more
advanced features, like subcommands.
+ [fish argparse](https://fishshell.com/docs/current/cmds/argparse.html)
- Fish specific, but a nice utility. Not easy to use outside of fish and no
subcommand support.