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https://github.com/danhper/ex_cli
User friendly CLI apps for Elixir
https://github.com/danhper/ex_cli
cli commandparser elixir
Last synced: about 1 month ago
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User friendly CLI apps for Elixir
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/danhper/ex_cli
- Owner: danhper
- License: mit
- Created: 2016-05-05T21:30:09.000Z (over 8 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2019-04-27T23:52:17.000Z (almost 6 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-04-14T11:08:00.538Z (10 months ago)
- Topics: cli, commandparser, elixir
- Language: Elixir
- Homepage: https://hex.pm/packages/ex_cli
- Size: 74.2 KB
- Stars: 213
- Watchers: 6
- Forks: 15
- Open Issues: 3
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# ExCLI
[](https://travis-ci.org/danhper/ex_cli)
[](https://coveralls.io/github/danhper/ex_cli?branch=master)
[](https://hex.pm/packages/ex_cli)
User friendly CLI apps for Elixir.
## Screencast
Here is a small screencast of what a generated CLI app looks like.
![screencast][2]
## Installation
Add `ex_cli` to your list of dependencies in `mix.exs`:
```elixir
def deps do
[{:ex_cli, "~> 0.1.0"}]
end
```
## Usage
The basic usage is to use `ExCLI.DSL` to define your CLI, and `ExCLI.run` to run it.
Here is a sample application:
```elixir
defmodule MyApp.SampleCLI do
use ExCLI.DSL
name "mycli"
description "My CLI"
long_description ~s"""
This is my long description
"""
option :verbose, count: true, aliases: [:v]
command :hello do
aliases [:hi]
description "Greets the user"
long_description """
Gives a nice a warm greeting to whoever would listen
"""
argument :name
option :from, help: "the sender of hello"
run context do
if context.verbose > 0 do
IO.puts("Running hello command")
end
if from = context[:from] do
IO.write("#{from} says: ")
end
IO.puts("Hello #{context.name}!")
end
end
end
ExCLI.run!(MyApp.SampleCLI)
```
Which can be used in the following way.
```
sample_cli hello -vv world --from me
```
or using the command's alias:
```
sample_cli hi -vv world --from me
```
The application usage will be shown if the parsing fails. The above example would show:
```
usage: mycli [--verbose] []
Commands
hello Greets the user
```
## `escript` and `mix` integration
You can very easily generate a mix task or an escript using `ExCLI`
### `escript`
Pass `escript: true` to the `use ExCLI.DSL` and set the module as `escript` `:main_module`:
```elixir
# lib/my_escript_cli.ex
defmodule MyEscriptCLI do
use ExCLI.DSL, escript: true
end
# mix.exs
defmodule MyApp.Mixfile do
def project do
[app: :my_app,
escript: [main_module: MyEscriptCLI]]
end
end
```
### `mix` integration
Pass `mix_task: TASK_NAME` to the `use ExCLI.DSL`.
```elixir
# lib/my_cli_task.ex
defmodule MyCLITask do
use ExCLI.DSL, mix_task: :great_task
end
```
You can then run
```
mix great_task
```
and get nicely formatted help with
```
mix help great_task
```
## Documentation
Check out the [documentation][1] for more information.
## Roadmap
* [x] Command parser
The command parser is now working and should be enough for a good number of tasks.
* [x] Integration with `escript` and `mix`
`ExCLI.DSL` can generate a module compatible with `escript.build` as well as a `mix` task.
* [x] Usage generation
A nicely formatted usage is generated from the DSL.
* [ ] Help command
Then the goal will be to add a `help` command which can be used as `app help command` to show help about `command`.
* [ ] Command parser improvements
When the usage and help parts are done, there are a few improvements that will be nice to have in the command parser:
* [x] the ability to set a default command
* [ ] the ability to easily delegate a command to another module
* [x] command aliases
* [ ] Man page generation
When all this is done, the last part will to generate documentation in man page and markdown formats, which will probably be done as a mix task.
## Contributing
Contributions are very welcome, feel free to open an issue or a PR.
I am also looking for a better name, ideas are welcome!
[1]: https://hexdocs.pm/ex_cli/api-reference.html
[2]: https://cloud.githubusercontent.com/assets/1436271/15265160/fddba4ea-19b8-11e6-9f48-1ac3be7e839c.gif