|  | # DEPRECATION NOTICE | 
|  |  | 
|  | I don't want to maintain this module anymore since I just use | 
|  | [minimist](https://npmjs.org/package/minimist), the argument parsing engine, | 
|  | directly instead nowadays. | 
|  |  | 
|  | See [yargs](https://github.com/chevex/yargs) for the modern, pirate-themed | 
|  | successor to optimist. | 
|  |  | 
|  | [](https://github.com/chevex/yargs) | 
|  |  | 
|  | You should also consider [nomnom](https://github.com/harthur/nomnom). | 
|  |  | 
|  | optimist | 
|  | ======== | 
|  |  | 
|  | Optimist is a node.js library for option parsing for people who hate option | 
|  | parsing. More specifically, this module is for people who like all the --bells | 
|  | and -whistlz of program usage but think optstrings are a waste of time. | 
|  |  | 
|  | With optimist, option parsing doesn't have to suck (as much). | 
|  |  | 
|  | [](http://travis-ci.org/substack/node-optimist) | 
|  |  | 
|  | examples | 
|  | ======== | 
|  |  | 
|  | With Optimist, the options are just a hash! No optstrings attached. | 
|  | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | xup.js: | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | #!/usr/bin/env node | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist').argv; | 
|  |  | 
|  | if (argv.rif - 5 * argv.xup > 7.138) { | 
|  | console.log('Buy more riffiwobbles'); | 
|  | } | 
|  | else { | 
|  | console.log('Sell the xupptumblers'); | 
|  | } | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | *** | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./xup.js --rif=55 --xup=9.52 | 
|  | Buy more riffiwobbles | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./xup.js --rif 12 --xup 8.1 | 
|  | Sell the xupptumblers | 
|  |  | 
|  |  | 
|  |  | 
|  | But wait! There's more! You can do short options: | 
|  | ------------------------------------------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | short.js: | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | #!/usr/bin/env node | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist').argv; | 
|  | console.log('(%d,%d)', argv.x, argv.y); | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | *** | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./short.js -x 10 -y 21 | 
|  | (10,21) | 
|  |  | 
|  | And booleans, both long and short (and grouped): | 
|  | ---------------------------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | bool.js: | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | #!/usr/bin/env node | 
|  | var util = require('util'); | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist').argv; | 
|  |  | 
|  | if (argv.s) { | 
|  | util.print(argv.fr ? 'Le chat dit: ' : 'The cat says: '); | 
|  | } | 
|  | console.log( | 
|  | (argv.fr ? 'miaou' : 'meow') + (argv.p ? '.' : '') | 
|  | ); | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | *** | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./bool.js -s | 
|  | The cat says: meow | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./bool.js -sp | 
|  | The cat says: meow. | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./bool.js -sp --fr | 
|  | Le chat dit: miaou. | 
|  |  | 
|  | And non-hypenated options too! Just use `argv._`! | 
|  | ------------------------------------------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | nonopt.js: | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | #!/usr/bin/env node | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist').argv; | 
|  | console.log('(%d,%d)', argv.x, argv.y); | 
|  | console.log(argv._); | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | *** | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./nonopt.js -x 6.82 -y 3.35 moo | 
|  | (6.82,3.35) | 
|  | [ 'moo' ] | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./nonopt.js foo -x 0.54 bar -y 1.12 baz | 
|  | (0.54,1.12) | 
|  | [ 'foo', 'bar', 'baz' ] | 
|  |  | 
|  | Plus, Optimist comes with .usage() and .demand()! | 
|  | ------------------------------------------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | divide.js: | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | #!/usr/bin/env node | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist') | 
|  | .usage('Usage: $0 -x [num] -y [num]') | 
|  | .demand(['x','y']) | 
|  | .argv; | 
|  |  | 
|  | console.log(argv.x / argv.y); | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | *** | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./divide.js -x 55 -y 11 | 
|  | 5 | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ node ./divide.js -x 4.91 -z 2.51 | 
|  | Usage: node ./divide.js -x [num] -y [num] | 
|  |  | 
|  | Options: | 
|  | -x  [required] | 
|  | -y  [required] | 
|  |  | 
|  | Missing required arguments: y | 
|  |  | 
|  | EVEN MORE HOLY COW | 
|  | ------------------ | 
|  |  | 
|  | default_singles.js: | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | #!/usr/bin/env node | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist') | 
|  | .default('x', 10) | 
|  | .default('y', 10) | 
|  | .argv | 
|  | ; | 
|  | console.log(argv.x + argv.y); | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | *** | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./default_singles.js -x 5 | 
|  | 15 | 
|  |  | 
|  | default_hash.js: | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | #!/usr/bin/env node | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist') | 
|  | .default({ x : 10, y : 10 }) | 
|  | .argv | 
|  | ; | 
|  | console.log(argv.x + argv.y); | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | *** | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./default_hash.js -y 7 | 
|  | 17 | 
|  |  | 
|  | And if you really want to get all descriptive about it... | 
|  | --------------------------------------------------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | boolean_single.js | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | #!/usr/bin/env node | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist') | 
|  | .boolean('v') | 
|  | .argv | 
|  | ; | 
|  | console.dir(argv); | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | *** | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./boolean_single.js -v foo bar baz | 
|  | true | 
|  | [ 'bar', 'baz', 'foo' ] | 
|  |  | 
|  | boolean_double.js | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | #!/usr/bin/env node | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist') | 
|  | .boolean(['x','y','z']) | 
|  | .argv | 
|  | ; | 
|  | console.dir([ argv.x, argv.y, argv.z ]); | 
|  | console.dir(argv._); | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | *** | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ ./boolean_double.js -x -z one two three | 
|  | [ true, false, true ] | 
|  | [ 'one', 'two', 'three' ] | 
|  |  | 
|  | Optimist is here to help... | 
|  | --------------------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | You can describe parameters for help messages and set aliases. Optimist figures | 
|  | out how to format a handy help string automatically. | 
|  |  | 
|  | line_count.js | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | #!/usr/bin/env node | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist') | 
|  | .usage('Count the lines in a file.\nUsage: $0') | 
|  | .demand('f') | 
|  | .alias('f', 'file') | 
|  | .describe('f', 'Load a file') | 
|  | .argv | 
|  | ; | 
|  |  | 
|  | var fs = require('fs'); | 
|  | var s = fs.createReadStream(argv.file); | 
|  |  | 
|  | var lines = 0; | 
|  | s.on('data', function (buf) { | 
|  | lines += buf.toString().match(/\n/g).length; | 
|  | }); | 
|  |  | 
|  | s.on('end', function () { | 
|  | console.log(lines); | 
|  | }); | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | *** | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ node line_count.js | 
|  | Count the lines in a file. | 
|  | Usage: node ./line_count.js | 
|  |  | 
|  | Options: | 
|  | -f, --file  Load a file  [required] | 
|  |  | 
|  | Missing required arguments: f | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ node line_count.js --file line_count.js | 
|  | 20 | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ node line_count.js -f line_count.js | 
|  | 20 | 
|  |  | 
|  | methods | 
|  | ======= | 
|  |  | 
|  | By itself, | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | require('optimist').argv | 
|  | ````` | 
|  |  | 
|  | will use `process.argv` array to construct the `argv` object. | 
|  |  | 
|  | You can pass in the `process.argv` yourself: | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | require('optimist')([ '-x', '1', '-y', '2' ]).argv | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | or use .parse() to do the same thing: | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | require('optimist').parse([ '-x', '1', '-y', '2' ]) | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | The rest of these methods below come in just before the terminating `.argv`. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .alias(key, alias) | 
|  | ------------------ | 
|  |  | 
|  | Set key names as equivalent such that updates to a key will propagate to aliases | 
|  | and vice-versa. | 
|  |  | 
|  | Optionally `.alias()` can take an object that maps keys to aliases. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .default(key, value) | 
|  | -------------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Set `argv[key]` to `value` if no option was specified on `process.argv`. | 
|  |  | 
|  | Optionally `.default()` can take an object that maps keys to default values. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .demand(key) | 
|  | ------------ | 
|  |  | 
|  | If `key` is a string, show the usage information and exit if `key` wasn't | 
|  | specified in `process.argv`. | 
|  |  | 
|  | If `key` is a number, demand at least as many non-option arguments, which show | 
|  | up in `argv._`. | 
|  |  | 
|  | If `key` is an Array, demand each element. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .describe(key, desc) | 
|  | -------------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Describe a `key` for the generated usage information. | 
|  |  | 
|  | Optionally `.describe()` can take an object that maps keys to descriptions. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .options(key, opt) | 
|  | ------------------ | 
|  |  | 
|  | Instead of chaining together `.alias().demand().default()`, you can specify | 
|  | keys in `opt` for each of the chainable methods. | 
|  |  | 
|  | For example: | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist') | 
|  | .options('f', { | 
|  | alias : 'file', | 
|  | default : '/etc/passwd', | 
|  | }) | 
|  | .argv | 
|  | ; | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | is the same as | 
|  |  | 
|  | ````javascript | 
|  | var argv = require('optimist') | 
|  | .alias('f', 'file') | 
|  | .default('f', '/etc/passwd') | 
|  | .argv | 
|  | ; | 
|  | ```` | 
|  |  | 
|  | Optionally `.options()` can take an object that maps keys to `opt` parameters. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .usage(message) | 
|  | --------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Set a usage message to show which commands to use. Inside `message`, the string | 
|  | `$0` will get interpolated to the current script name or node command for the | 
|  | present script similar to how `$0` works in bash or perl. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .check(fn) | 
|  | ---------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Check that certain conditions are met in the provided arguments. | 
|  |  | 
|  | If `fn` throws or returns `false`, show the thrown error, usage information, and | 
|  | exit. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .boolean(key) | 
|  | ------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Interpret `key` as a boolean. If a non-flag option follows `key` in | 
|  | `process.argv`, that string won't get set as the value of `key`. | 
|  |  | 
|  | If `key` never shows up as a flag in `process.arguments`, `argv[key]` will be | 
|  | `false`. | 
|  |  | 
|  | If `key` is an Array, interpret all the elements as booleans. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .string(key) | 
|  | ------------ | 
|  |  | 
|  | Tell the parser logic not to interpret `key` as a number or boolean. | 
|  | This can be useful if you need to preserve leading zeros in an input. | 
|  |  | 
|  | If `key` is an Array, interpret all the elements as strings. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .wrap(columns) | 
|  | -------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Format usage output to wrap at `columns` many columns. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .help() | 
|  | ------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Return the generated usage string. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .showHelp(fn=console.error) | 
|  | --------------------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Print the usage data using `fn` for printing. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .parse(args) | 
|  | ------------ | 
|  |  | 
|  | Parse `args` instead of `process.argv`. Returns the `argv` object. | 
|  |  | 
|  | .argv | 
|  | ----- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Get the arguments as a plain old object. | 
|  |  | 
|  | Arguments without a corresponding flag show up in the `argv._` array. | 
|  |  | 
|  | The script name or node command is available at `argv.$0` similarly to how `$0` | 
|  | works in bash or perl. | 
|  |  | 
|  | parsing tricks | 
|  | ============== | 
|  |  | 
|  | stop parsing | 
|  | ------------ | 
|  |  | 
|  | Use `--` to stop parsing flags and stuff the remainder into `argv._`. | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ node examples/reflect.js -a 1 -b 2 -- -c 3 -d 4 | 
|  | { _: [ '-c', '3', '-d', '4' ], | 
|  | '$0': 'node ./examples/reflect.js', | 
|  | a: 1, | 
|  | b: 2 } | 
|  |  | 
|  | negate fields | 
|  | ------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | If you want to explicity set a field to false instead of just leaving it | 
|  | undefined or to override a default you can do `--no-key`. | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ node examples/reflect.js -a --no-b | 
|  | { _: [], | 
|  | '$0': 'node ./examples/reflect.js', | 
|  | a: true, | 
|  | b: false } | 
|  |  | 
|  | numbers | 
|  | ------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Every argument that looks like a number (`!isNaN(Number(arg))`) is converted to | 
|  | one. This way you can just `net.createConnection(argv.port)` and you can add | 
|  | numbers out of `argv` with `+` without having that mean concatenation, | 
|  | which is super frustrating. | 
|  |  | 
|  | duplicates | 
|  | ---------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | If you specify a flag multiple times it will get turned into an array containing | 
|  | all the values in order. | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ node examples/reflect.js -x 5 -x 8 -x 0 | 
|  | { _: [], | 
|  | '$0': 'node ./examples/reflect.js', | 
|  | x: [ 5, 8, 0 ] } | 
|  |  | 
|  | dot notation | 
|  | ------------ | 
|  |  | 
|  | When you use dots (`.`s) in argument names, an implicit object path is assumed. | 
|  | This lets you organize arguments into nested objects. | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ node examples/reflect.js --foo.bar.baz=33 --foo.quux=5 | 
|  | { _: [], | 
|  | '$0': 'node ./examples/reflect.js', | 
|  | foo: { bar: { baz: 33 }, quux: 5 } } | 
|  |  | 
|  | short numbers | 
|  | ------------- | 
|  |  | 
|  | Short numeric `head -n5` style argument work too: | 
|  |  | 
|  | $ node reflect.js -n123 -m456 | 
|  | { '3': true, | 
|  | '6': true, | 
|  | _: [], | 
|  | '$0': 'node ./reflect.js', | 
|  | n: 123, | 
|  | m: 456 } | 
|  |  | 
|  | installation | 
|  | ============ | 
|  |  | 
|  | With [npm](http://github.com/isaacs/npm), just do: | 
|  | npm install optimist | 
|  |  | 
|  | or clone this project on github: | 
|  |  | 
|  | git clone http://github.com/substack/node-optimist.git | 
|  |  | 
|  | To run the tests with [expresso](http://github.com/visionmedia/expresso), | 
|  | just do: | 
|  |  | 
|  | expresso | 
|  |  | 
|  | inspired By | 
|  | =========== | 
|  |  | 
|  | This module is loosely inspired by Perl's | 
|  | [Getopt::Casual](http://search.cpan.org/~photo/Getopt-Casual-0.13.1/Casual.pm). |