go-arg

Struct-based argument parsing for Go

Declare command line arguments for your program by defining a struct. ```go var args struct { Foo string Bar bool } arg.MustParse(&args) fmt.Println(args.Foo, args.Bar) ``` ```shell $ ./example --foo=hello --bar hello true ``` ### Installation ```shell go get github.com/alexflint/go-arg ``` ### Required arguments ```go var args struct { ID int `arg:"required"` Timeout time.Duration } arg.MustParse(&args) ``` ```shell $ ./example Usage: example --id ID [--timeout TIMEOUT] error: --id is required ``` ### Positional arguments ```go var args struct { Input string `arg:"positional"` Output []string `arg:"positional"` } arg.MustParse(&args) fmt.Println("Input:", args.Input) fmt.Println("Output:", args.Output) ``` ``` $ ./example src.txt x.out y.out z.out Input: src.txt Output: [x.out y.out z.out] ``` ### Environment variables ```go var args struct { Workers int `arg:"env"` } arg.MustParse(&args) fmt.Println("Workers:", args.Workers) ``` ``` $ WORKERS=4 ./example Workers: 4 ``` ``` $ WORKERS=4 ./example --workers=6 Workers: 6 ``` You can also override the name of the environment variable: ```go var args struct { Workers int `arg:"env:NUM_WORKERS"` } arg.MustParse(&args) fmt.Println("Workers:", args.Workers) ``` ``` $ NUM_WORKERS=4 ./example Workers: 4 ``` You can provide multiple values in environment variables using commas: ```go var args struct { Workers []int `arg:"env"` } arg.MustParse(&args) fmt.Println("Workers:", args.Workers) ``` ``` $ WORKERS='1,99' ./example Workers: [1 99] ``` Command line arguments take precedence over environment variables: ```go var args struct { Workers int `arg:"--count,env:NUM_WORKERS"` } arg.MustParse(&args) fmt.Println("Workers:", args.Workers) ``` ``` $ NUM_WORKERS=6 ./example Workers: 6 $ NUM_WORKERS=6 ./example --count 4 Workers: 4 ``` ### Usage strings ```go var args struct { Input string `arg:"positional"` Output []string `arg:"positional"` Verbose bool `arg:"-v,--verbose" help:"verbosity level"` Dataset string `help:"dataset to use"` Optimize int `arg:"-O" help:"optimization level"` } arg.MustParse(&args) ``` ```shell $ ./example -h Usage: [--verbose] [--dataset DATASET] [--optimize OPTIMIZE] [--help] INPUT [OUTPUT [OUTPUT ...]] Positional arguments: INPUT OUTPUT Options: --verbose, -v verbosity level --dataset DATASET dataset to use --optimize OPTIMIZE, -O OPTIMIZE optimization level --help, -h print this help message ``` ### Default values ```go var args struct { Foo string `default:"abc"` Bar bool } arg.MustParse(&args) ``` Command line arguments take precedence over environment variables, which take precedence over default values. This means that we check whether a certain option was provided on the command line, then if not, we check for an environment variable (only if an `env` tag was provided), then if none is found, we check for a `default` tag containing a default value. ```go var args struct { Test string `arg:"-t,env:TEST" default:"something"` } arg.MustParse(&args) ``` #### Ignoring environment variables and/or default values ```go var args struct { Test string `arg:"-t,env:TEST" default:"something"` } p, err := arg.NewParser(arg.Config{ IgnoreEnv: true, IgnoreDefault: true, }, &args) err = p.Parse(os.Args) ``` ### Arguments with multiple values ```go var args struct { Database string IDs []int64 } arg.MustParse(&args) fmt.Printf("Fetching the following IDs from %s: %q", args.Database, args.IDs) ``` ```shell ./example -database foo -ids 1 2 3 Fetching the following IDs from foo: [1 2 3] ``` ### Arguments that can be specified multiple times, mixed with positionals ```go var args struct { Commands []string `arg:"-c,separate"` Files []string `arg:"-f,separate"` Databases []string `arg:"positional"` } arg.MustParse(&args) ``` ```shell ./example -c cmd1 db1 -f file1 db2 -c cmd2 -f file2 -f file3 db3 -c cmd3 Commands: [cmd1 cmd2 cmd3] Files [file1 file2 file3] Databases [db1 db2 db3] ``` ### Arguments with keys and values ```go var args struct { UserIDs map[string]int } arg.MustParse(&args) fmt.Println(args.UserIDs) ``` ```shell ./example --userids john=123 mary=456 map[john:123 mary:456] ``` ### Version strings ```go type args struct { ... } func (args) Version() string { return "someprogram 4.3.0" } func main() { var args args arg.MustParse(&args) } ``` ```shell $ ./example --version someprogram 4.3.0 ``` > **Note** > If a `--version` flag is defined in `args` or any subcommand, it overrides the built-in versioning. ### Custom validation ```go var args struct { Foo string Bar string } p := arg.MustParse(&args) if args.Foo == "" && args.Bar == "" { p.Fail("you must provide either --foo or --bar") } ``` ```shell ./example Usage: samples [--foo FOO] [--bar BAR] error: you must provide either --foo or --bar ``` ### Overriding option names ```go var args struct { Short string `arg:"-s"` Long string `arg:"--custom-long-option"` ShortAndLong string `arg:"-x,--my-option"` OnlyShort string `arg:"-o,--"` } arg.MustParse(&args) ``` ```shell $ ./example --help Usage: example [-o ONLYSHORT] [--short SHORT] [--custom-long-option CUSTOM-LONG-OPTION] [--my-option MY-OPTION] Options: --short SHORT, -s SHORT --custom-long-option CUSTOM-LONG-OPTION --my-option MY-OPTION, -x MY-OPTION -o ONLYSHORT --help, -h display this help and exit ``` ### Embedded structs The fields of embedded structs are treated just like regular fields: ```go type DatabaseOptions struct { Host string Username string Password string } type LogOptions struct { LogFile string Verbose bool } func main() { var args struct { DatabaseOptions LogOptions } arg.MustParse(&args) } ``` As usual, any field tagged with `arg:"-"` is ignored. ### Supported types The following types may be used as arguments: - built-in integer types: `int, int8, int16, int32, int64, byte, rune` - built-in floating point types: `float32, float64` - strings - booleans - URLs represented as `url.URL` - time durations represented as `time.Duration` - email addresses represented as `mail.Address` - MAC addresses represented as `net.HardwareAddr` - pointers to any of the above - slices of any of the above - maps using any of the above as keys and values - any type that implements `encoding.TextUnmarshaler` ### Custom parsing Implement `encoding.TextUnmarshaler` to define your own parsing logic. ```go // Accepts command line arguments of the form "head.tail" type NameDotName struct { Head, Tail string } func (n *NameDotName) UnmarshalText(b []byte) error { s := string(b) pos := strings.Index(s, ".") if pos == -1 { return fmt.Errorf("missing period in %s", s) } n.Head = s[:pos] n.Tail = s[pos+1:] return nil } func main() { var args struct { Name NameDotName } arg.MustParse(&args) fmt.Printf("%#v\n", args.Name) } ``` ```shell $ ./example --name=foo.bar main.NameDotName{Head:"foo", Tail:"bar"} $ ./example --name=oops Usage: example [--name NAME] error: error processing --name: missing period in "oops" ``` ### Custom parsing with default values Implement `encoding.TextMarshaler` to define your own default value strings: ```go // Accepts command line arguments of the form "head.tail" type NameDotName struct { Head, Tail string } func (n *NameDotName) UnmarshalText(b []byte) error { // same as previous example } // this is only needed if you want to display a default value in the usage string func (n *NameDotName) MarshalText() ([]byte, error) { return []byte(fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", n.Head, n.Tail)), nil } func main() { var args struct { Name NameDotName `default:"file.txt"` } arg.MustParse(&args) fmt.Printf("%#v\n", args.Name) } ``` ```shell $ ./example --help Usage: test [--name NAME] Options: --name NAME [default: file.txt] --help, -h display this help and exit $ ./example main.NameDotName{Head:"file", Tail:"txt"} ``` ### Custom placeholders Use the `placeholder` tag to control which placeholder text is used in the usage text. ```go var args struct { Input string `arg:"positional" placeholder:"SRC"` Output []string `arg:"positional" placeholder:"DST"` Optimize int `arg:"-O" help:"optimization level" placeholder:"LEVEL"` MaxJobs int `arg:"-j" help:"maximum number of simultaneous jobs" placeholder:"N"` } arg.MustParse(&args) ``` ```shell $ ./example -h Usage: example [--optimize LEVEL] [--maxjobs N] SRC [DST [DST ...]] Positional arguments: SRC DST Options: --optimize LEVEL, -O LEVEL optimization level --maxjobs N, -j N maximum number of simultaneous jobs --help, -h display this help and exit ``` ### Description strings A descriptive message can be added at the top of the help text by implementing a `Description` function that returns a string. ```go type args struct { Foo string } func (args) Description() string { return "this program does this and that" } func main() { var args args arg.MustParse(&args) } ``` ```shell $ ./example -h this program does this and that Usage: example [--foo FOO] Options: --foo FOO --help, -h display this help and exit ``` Similarly an epilogue can be added at the end of the help text by implementing the `Epilogue` function. ```go type args struct { Foo string } func (args) Epilogue() string { return "For more information visit github.com/alexflint/go-arg" } func main() { var args args arg.MustParse(&args) } ``` ```shell $ ./example -h Usage: example [--foo FOO] Options: --foo FOO --help, -h display this help and exit For more information visit github.com/alexflint/go-arg ``` ### Subcommands Subcommands are commonly used in tools that wish to group multiple functions into a single program. An example is the `git` tool: ```shell $ git checkout [arguments specific to checking out code] $ git commit [arguments specific to committing] $ git push [arguments specific to pushing] ``` The strings "checkout", "commit", and "push" are different from simple positional arguments because the options available to the user change depending on which subcommand they choose. This can be implemented with `go-arg` as follows: ```go type CheckoutCmd struct { Branch string `arg:"positional"` Track bool `arg:"-t"` } type CommitCmd struct { All bool `arg:"-a"` Message string `arg:"-m"` } type PushCmd struct { Remote string `arg:"positional"` Branch string `arg:"positional"` SetUpstream bool `arg:"-u"` } var args struct { Checkout *CheckoutCmd `arg:"subcommand:checkout"` Commit *CommitCmd `arg:"subcommand:commit"` Push *PushCmd `arg:"subcommand:push"` Quiet bool `arg:"-q"` // this flag is global to all subcommands } arg.MustParse(&args) switch { case args.Checkout != nil: fmt.Printf("checkout requested for branch %s\n", args.Checkout.Branch) case args.Commit != nil: fmt.Printf("commit requested with message \"%s\"\n", args.Commit.Message) case args.Push != nil: fmt.Printf("push requested from %s to %s\n", args.Push.Branch, args.Push.Remote) } ``` Some additional rules apply when working with subcommands: * The `subcommand` tag can only be used with fields that are pointers to structs * Any struct that contains a subcommand must not contain any positionals This package allows to have a program that accepts subcommands, but also does something else when no subcommands are specified. If on the other hand you want the program to terminate when no subcommands are specified, the recommended way is: ```go p := arg.MustParse(&args) if p.Subcommand() == nil { p.Fail("missing subcommand") } ``` ### Custom handling of --help and --version The following reproduces the internal logic of `MustParse` for the simple case where you are not using subcommands or --version. This allows you to respond programatically to --help, and to any errors that come up. ```go var args struct { Something string } p, err := arg.NewParser(arg.Config{}, &args) if err != nil { log.Fatalf("there was an error in the definition of the Go struct: %v", err) } err = p.Parse(os.Args[1:]) switch { case err == arg.ErrHelp: // indicates that user wrote "--help" on command line p.WriteHelp(os.Stdout) os.Exit(0) case err != nil: fmt.Printf("error: %v\n", err) p.WriteUsage(os.Stdout) os.Exit(1) } ``` ```shell $ go run ./example --help Usage: ./example --something SOMETHING Options: --something SOMETHING --help, -h display this help and exit $ ./example --wrong error: unknown argument --wrong Usage: ./example --something SOMETHING $ ./example error: --something is required Usage: ./example --something SOMETHING ``` To also handle --version programatically, use the following: ```go type args struct { Something string } func (args) Version() string { return "1.2.3" } func main() { var args args p, err := arg.NewParser(arg.Config{}, &args) if err != nil { log.Fatalf("there was an error in the definition of the Go struct: %v", err) } err = p.Parse(os.Args[1:]) switch { case err == arg.ErrHelp: // found "--help" on command line p.WriteHelp(os.Stdout) os.Exit(0) case err == arg.ErrVersion: // found "--version" on command line fmt.Println(args.Version()) os.Exit(0) case err != nil: fmt.Printf("error: %v\n", err) p.WriteUsage(os.Stdout) os.Exit(1) } fmt.Printf("got %q\n", args.Something) } ``` ```shell $ ./example --version 1.2.3 $ go run ./example --help 1.2.3 Usage: example --something SOMETHING Options: --something SOMETHING --help, -h display this help and exit $ ./example --wrong 1.2.3 error: unknown argument --wrong Usage: example --something SOMETHING $ ./example error: --something is required Usage: example --something SOMETHING ``` To generate subcommand-specific help messages, use the following most general version (this also works in absence of subcommands but is a bit more complex): ```go type fetchCmd struct { Count int } type args struct { Something string Fetch *fetchCmd `arg:"subcommand"` } func (args) Version() string { return "1.2.3" } func main() { var args args p, err := arg.NewParser(arg.Config{}, &args) if err != nil { log.Fatalf("there was an error in the definition of the Go struct: %v", err) } err = p.Parse(os.Args[1:]) switch { case err == arg.ErrHelp: // found "--help" on command line p.WriteHelpForSubcommand(os.Stdout, p.SubcommandNames()...) os.Exit(0) case err == arg.ErrVersion: // found "--version" on command line fmt.Println(args.Version()) os.Exit(0) case err != nil: fmt.Printf("error: %v\n", err) p.WriteUsageForSubcommand(os.Stdout, p.SubcommandNames()...) os.Exit(1) } }``` ```shell $ ./example --version 1.2.3 $ ./example --help 1.2.3 Usage: example [--something SOMETHING] [] Options: --something SOMETHING --help, -h display this help and exit --version display version and exit Commands: fetch $ ./example fetch --help 1.2.3 Usage: example fetch [--count COUNT] Options: --count COUNT Global options: --something SOMETHING --help, -h display this help and exit --version display version and exit ``` ### API Documentation https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/alexflint/go-arg ### Rationale There are many command line argument parsing libraries for Go, including one in the standard library, so why build another? The `flag` library that ships in the standard library seems awkward to me. Positional arguments must precede options, so `./prog x --foo=1` does what you expect but `./prog --foo=1 x` does not. It also does not allow arguments to have both long (`--foo`) and short (`-f`) forms. Many third-party argument parsing libraries are great for writing sophisticated command line interfaces, but feel to me like overkill for a simple script with a few flags. The idea behind `go-arg` is that Go already has an excellent way to describe data structures using structs, so there is no need to develop additional levels of abstraction. Instead of one API to specify which arguments your program accepts, and then another API to get the values of those arguments, `go-arg` replaces both with a single struct. ### Backward compatibility notes Earlier versions of this library required the help text to be part of the `arg` tag. This is still supported but is now deprecated. Instead, you should use a separate `help` tag, described above, which makes it possible to include commas inside help text.

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