opts

OPTS

Installation

Simply download and include src/opts.js to your Node.js project and import it with the require function. See included files for an example.

If you use NPM, you can install it from the registry under the name opts

npm install opts

Usage and Docs

let opts = require('opts');
opts.parse(options, arguments, help);

opts.parse(options, arguments, help)

options is an array of option objects. Each option in the array can have the following fields. None are required, but you should at least provide a short or long name.

Options

let options = [
  { short       : 'l',
    long        : 'list',
    description : 'Show a list',
    value       : false, // default false
    required    : true, // default false
    callback    : function (value) { ... },
  }, // ... followed by more options
];

Options vs Arguments

Options are flag arguments. Arguments are everything else. For example, in

ls -l file

the option(s) are -l and the argument(s) are file. The arguments can be after, before, or among the options.

Arguments

Arguments require less configuration. This is an optional argument to opts.parse.

let arguments = 
  { name     : 'script',
    required : true, // default false
    callback : function (value) { ... },
  };

Help Generator

Finally, you can add an automatically generated help message by passing a last parameter of true. This is also an optional argument to opts.parse.

opts.parse(options, true);
// or if you want more control, you can do:
/*
  options.push({
    long        : 'help',
    description : 'Show this help message',
    callback    : require('opts').help,
  }
  opts.parse(options);
*/

Examples

Example 1 -- Simple "getting started" example

/**
 * Simple example with one optional parameter, including the help option.
 *
 * Examples:
 *   $ node example1.js
 *   
 *   Example 1
 *   $ node example1.js -v
 *   > v1.0
 *
 *   $ node example1.js --version
 *   > v1.0
 *
 *   $ node example1.js -version
 *   > Unknown option: -version
 *
 *   $ node example1.js --help
 *   > Show version and exit
 *         -v, --version
 *     Show this help message
 *         --help
 */

var opts = require('opts');

var options = [
  { short       : 'v'
  , long        : 'version'
  , description : 'Show version and exit'
  , callback    : function () { console.log('v1.0'); process.exit(1); }
  }
];

opts.parse(options, true);
console.log('Example 1');
process.exit(0);

Example 2 -- Showing more features

/**
 * More complex example.
 *
 * Run:
 *   node example2.js --help
 * and play with the options to see the behavior.
 *
 * This example shows different ways of using the library. It is deliberately 
 * inconsistent. Choose the style that suits you best.
 */

var opts = require('opts')
  , host = 'localhost'; // default host value

var options = [
  { short       : 'v'
  , long        : 'version'
  , description : 'Show version and exit'
  , callback    : function () { console.log('v1.0'); process.exit(1); }
  },
  { short       : 'l'
  , long        : 'list'
  , description : 'List all files'
  },
  { short       : 'f'
  , long        : 'file'
  , description : 'Load a file'
  , value       : true
  , required    : true
  },
  { short       : 'd'
  , long        : 'debug'
  , description : 'Set a debug level'
  , value       : true
  },
  { short       : 'h'
  , long        : 'host'
  , description : 'The hostname to connect to'
  , value       : true
  , callback    : function (value) { host = value; } // override host value
  },
  { short       : 'p'
  , long        : 'port'
  , description : 'The port to connect to'
  , value       : true
  },
];

opts.parse(options, true);

var port  = opts.get('port') || 8000 // default port value
  , debug = opts.get('d') || 'info'  // default debug value
  , file  = opts.get('f')
  , list  = opts.get('list');

var arg1 = opts.args()[0]
  , arg2 = opts.args()[1];


if (list) console.log('List arg was set');
if (file) console.log('File arg was set: ' + file);
console.log('Debug level is: ' + debug);
console.log('Host is: ' + host);
console.log('Port is: ' + port);

if (arg1) console.log('Extra arg 1: ' + arg1);
if (arg2) console.log('Extra arg 2: ' + arg2);

process.exit(0);

Example 3 -- Showing conflict detection

/**
 * Simple example that is broken by design (conflicting options)
 *
 * Examples:
 *   $ node example3.js
 *   > Conflicting flags: -v
 */

var opts = require('opts');

var options = [
  { short       : 'v'
  , description : 'Show version and exit'
  },
  { short       : 'v'
  , description : 'Be verbose'
  },
];

opts.parse(options);
console.log('Example 3');
process.exit(0);

Example 4 -- Shows how to use named arguments and using from within a library

/**
 * Advanced example using namespaces for a library and named arguments
 *
 * Run:
 *   node example4.js --help
 * and play with the options to see the behavior.
 */

var opts = require('opts')
  , host = 'localhost'; // default host value

// Example of using some library in the same app
var libOpts = [
  { short       : 'l'
  , long        : 'list'
  , description : 'Show the library list'
  , callback    : function () { console.log('mylib list!'); },
  },
];
opts.add(libOpts, 'mylib');

var options = [
  { short       : 'l' // deliberately conflicting with 'mylib' option
  , long        : 'list'
  , description : 'List all files'
  },
  { short       : 'd'
  , long        : 'debug'
  , description : 'Set a debug level'
  , value       : true
  },
];

var arguments = [ { name : 'script' , required : true }
                , { name : 'timeout' }
                ];

opts.parse(options, arguments, true);

var debug = opts.get('d') || 'info'  // default debug value
  , list  = opts.get('list');

var script  = opts.arg('script')
  , timeout = opts.arg('timeout') || 30;


if (list) console.log('List arg was set');
console.log('Debug level is: ' + debug);
console.log('Script is: ' + script);
console.log('Timeout is: ' + timeout);

process.exit(0);