SimpleCLI

Super Simple RubyGems-like CLI

SimpleCLI gives you a stupidly simple way to implement command-line interfaces like that of RubyGems with a basic interface like:

gem command [options]

SimpleCLI gives you a way of defining your commands (or actions) so they’ll automatically show up when you run ‘yourapp commands`

SimpleCLI also makes it really easy to add documentation to each of your commands (or actions)

Real Examples

I use SimpleCLI in most of my apps for quick and dirty command-line interfaces.

Here are a few real examples:

• Syntax On

• Domain Finder

• ADF

Example

Here’s a super simple SimpleCLI example:

#! /usr/bin/env ruby

require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../lib/simplecli'

class Hello
  include SimpleCLI

  def usage
    puts "\n  Hello CLI\n\n    Usage:\n      \#{ script_name } command [options]\n\n    Futher help:\n      \#{ script_name } commands         # list all available commands\n      \#{ script_name } help <COMMAND>   # show help for COMMAND\n      \#{ script_name } help             # show this help message\n\n"
  end

  def sayhello_help
    "Usage: \#{ script_name } sayhello [SAY]\n\n  Arguments:\n    SAY:         Something to say (default 'Hello World!')\n\n  Summary:\n    Says hello!\n"
  end
  def sayhello *args
    puts args.empty? ? "Hello World!" : args.join(' ')
  end

end

# POSTAMBLE
if __FILE__ == $0
  Hello.new( ARGV, :default => 'sayhello' ).run
end

Example usage:

$ ./hello-cli

Hello CLI

  Usage:
    hello-cli command [options]

  Futher help:
    hello-cli commands         # list all available commands
    hello-cli help <COMMAND>   # show help for COMMAND
    hello-cli help             # show this help message

$ ./hello-cli commands

hello-cli commands are:

    DEFAULT COMMAND   sayhello

    commands          List all 'hello-cli' commands
    help              Provide help documentation for a command
    sayhello          Says hello!

For help on a particular command, use 'hello-cli help COMMAND'.

$ ./hello-cli help

Usage: hello-cli help COMMAND

  Summary:
    Provide help documentation for a command

$ ./hello-cli help sayhello

Usage: hello-cli sayhello [SAY]

  Arguments:
    SAY:         Something to say (default 'Hello World!')

  Summary:
    Says hello!

$ ./hello-cli sayhello

Hello World!

$ ./hello-cli sayhello Hi There

Hi There

$ ./hello-cli Hi There ‘# this works because sayhello is configured as the default command`

Hi There

TODO

---

• implement command_missing method