Cliffy is a simple, powerful utility for making interactive command line interfaces. Cliffy can be considered an alternative to vorpal.
Cliffy is run as a REPL. This allows you to accept multiple commands with one running node process. Cliffy is NOT an argv parser.
Features:
- REPL Style interface
- Simple API
- Can parse negative numbers
- Typed parameters
- Git Style Sub-Commands
- Options
- Auto generated help
- Typescript Support
Gotchas:
- Options are specified with an
@symbol. Not-or--. This is what allows Cliffy to parse negatives. - Requires node v6+
- Does not yet support optional parameters
- Does not yet support rest parameters
Installation:
npm i cliffy # --save if using npm < v5Usage
import { CLI } from "cliffy";
const cli = new CLI();
cli.setDelimiter("run command ->");
cli.command("say", {
description: "Say a word",
options: ["reversed"],
parameters: [{ label: "word", type: "string" }],
action: (params, options, done) => {
if (options.reversed) {
console.log(params.word.split("").reverse().join());
} else {
console.log(params.word)
}
done();
}
});
cli.command("run", {
description: "Run somewhere",
options: [
{ option: "fast", description: "Run fast" },
{ option: "medium", description: "Run medium fast" },
{ option: "slow", description: "Run slow" }
],
parameters: [{ label: "destination" }],
action: (params, options, done) => {
console.log(`I ran to ${params.destination}`);
done();
},
subcommands: {
to: {
description: "Run to a destination",
parameters: [{ label: "destination" }],
action: (params, options, done) => {
console.log(`I ran to ${params.destination}`);
done();
},
}
from: {
description: "Run from a destination",
parameters: [{ label: "destination" }],
action: (params, options, done) => {
console.log(`I ran to ${params.destination}`);
done();
},
}
}
});
cli.show();Result:
$> say hello
hello
$> say @reversed hello
olleh
$> run to nevada
I ran to nevada
$> help
Available commands:
say [options] <word> Say a word
run [options] Run somewhere
$> help run
Run somewhere
Usage:
run [options] <destination>
Options:
@fast Run fast
@medium Run medium fast
@slow Run slow
Sub-Commands:
to [options] <destination> Run to a destination
from [options] <destination> Run from a destinationInterface:
class CLI {
constructor(opts: {
input?: NodeJS.ReadableStream,
output?: NodeJS.WritableStream
} = {})
}Usage:
const cli = new CLI(opts)Register a command
A command takes a name and an opts object.
The command name is what the user will enter to execute the command.
The opts paramter interfaces are defined as follows:
interface Command {
/**
* Required action function. Executed when the user enters the command.
*
* parameters is a key value store. Where the key is the parameter label,
* and the value is the value entered by the user.
*
* options is a key value store. Key being the option, value being true if the user
* specified the option, false otherwise.
*
* done is a function to be called inside the action function when the function is complete.
* As an alternative to calling done, the action may also return a Promise which ends the
* action when resolved.
*
* See the action interface bellow.
*/
action: Action;
/** Optional description for documentation */
description?: string;
/** An array of options available to the user. The user specifies an option with an @ symbol i.e. @force */
options?: ({
option: string;
description?: string;
} | string)[];
/** All the parameters available to the user. See the parameters interface */
parameters?: Parameter[],
/** Sub commands of the command. Follows the same interface as Command */
subcommands?: { [command: string]: Command },
}
interface Action {
(parameters: any, options: any, done: () => void): void | Promise<any>;
}
interface Parameter {
label: string;
/**
* The type to convert the provided value to. Can be a custom converter.
* When boolean is specified the param is considered true unless "False" or
* "false" is passed
*/
type?: "boolean" | "number" | "string" | ((val: string) => any);
description?: string;
}Example Usage:
cli.command("run", {
description: "Run somewhere",
options: [
{ option: "fast", description: "Run fast" },
{ option: "medium", description: "Run medium fast" },
{ option: "slow", description: "Run slow" }
],
parameters: [{ label: "destination" }],
action: (params, options, done) => {
console.log(`I ran to ${params.destination}`);
done();
},
subcommands: {
to: {
description: "Run to a destination",
parameters: [{ label: "destination" }],
action: (params, options, done) => {
console.log(`I ran to ${params.destination}`);
done();
},
}
from: {
description: "Run from a destination",
parameters: [{ label: "destination" }],
action: (params, options, done) => {
console.log(`I ran to ${params.destination}`);
done();
},
}
}
});Register a basic command.
This overload allows you to pass the action function directy. Useful for quick commands where parameters, options, and a description may not be needed.
Example usage:
cli.command("speak", () => sayHello("World"));Register multiple commands at once. Alias for cli.registerCommands
Example usage:
cli.commands({
run: {
action(params, options, done) {
console.log("Running");
done();
}
},
jog: {
action(params, options, done) {
console.log("Jogging");
done();
}
},
walk: {
action(params, options, done) {
console.log("Walking");
done();
}
}
});Register multiple commands at once.
Set the CLI delimiter
Defaults to: "$>"
Set the CLI info.
Info is meant to give an overview of what the CLI does and how to use it. If it is set it is shown directly under the CLI name.
Defaults to: none
Set the name of the CLI (Shown at the top of the help menu)
Defaults to: none
Set the CLI version. Shown beside the CLI name if set.
Defaults to: none
Show the CLI
Hide the cli
Cliffy automatically generates a help menu for each command.
To get an overview of all the commands simply type:
help
To get help with a specific command, type help followed by the command.
help ls
This works with subcommands as well
help git pull
- Clone this repo
- CD into the repo
npm installnpm run build