Node.js modules you should know about: optimist

http://www.catonmat.net/blog/nodejs-modules-optimist/

by pkrumins • 15 years ago

47 8 15 years ago

shtylman• 15 years ago

The problem I have with optimist it that it provides no default usage statement (last time I checked). One of the big selling points of argument processors is that you can define the args and some descriptions so it will generate the usage statement. This cuts down of re-typing and errors. It also has the benefit of autocomplete tools being able to handle standard formats.

IsaacSchlueter• 15 years ago

There are a few option parsers in node that do automatically generate usage. However, this is actually quite problematic if you have a lot of options.

Check out https://github.com/harthur/nomnom, it may be more to your liking.

peterbraden• 15 years ago

I really like nomnom. It's a super tight way to define options and commands.

vailripper• 15 years ago

Agreed - personally I use https://github.com/visionmedia/commander.js for this reason.

rektide• 15 years ago

[1] demonstrates the use of default.

  var optimist= require('optimist')
    .alias({e:'email', hp:'homepage', a:'auto', '?':'help'})
    .default('auto',true)

I'm not sure whether I like the usage pattern of this code, which uses promises to resolve argv's[2]. I'll investigate having optimist autogenerate a usage statement; that would be convenient both as a dev and as a user.

  [1] https://github.com/rektide/git-ts/blob/master/publish.js#L3
  [2] https://github.com/rektide/git-ts/blob/master/publish.js#L102

biesnecker• 15 years ago

We've been using Optimist in house for a while, and are satisfied with it. Makes launching a bunch of different node processes with slightly different configurations pretty painless.

ajays• 15 years ago

Can it handle multiple invocations of same argument? For example:

./foo.js -x 1 -x 2 -x 3

(should give an array [1, 2, 3] for 'x')

nodesocket• 15 years ago

Substack does it again. Great node developer.

Node.js modules you should know about: optimist

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