yargs vs minimist
Command-Line Argument Parsers Comparison
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What's Command-Line Argument Parsers?

Command-line argument parsers are essential tools in Node.js that facilitate the handling of input parameters for scripts and applications. They allow developers to define and manage options and arguments passed to their applications via the command line, making it easier to create user-friendly command-line interfaces (CLIs). These libraries help streamline the process of parsing, validating, and utilizing command-line arguments, enhancing the overall usability and functionality of CLI applications.

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yargs103,241,44811,190292 kB3202 years agoMIT
minimist64,366,12058854.5 kB122 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: yargs vs minimist

Ease of Use

  • yargs:

    Yargs offers a more comprehensive API that, while slightly more complex, provides a wealth of features for building sophisticated command-line interfaces. It allows for chaining methods to define commands and options, making it user-friendly for larger applications.

  • minimist:

    Minimist is designed for simplicity and ease of use. It allows developers to quickly parse command-line arguments with minimal configuration, making it an excellent choice for small scripts or projects that do not require extensive command-line functionality.

Feature Set

  • yargs:

    Yargs includes a rich set of features such as command handling, argument validation, and automatic help generation. It supports nested commands and provides a way to create complex command-line applications with ease.

  • minimist:

    Minimist provides basic parsing capabilities, allowing for simple flags and values. It does not include advanced features like command handling or built-in help generation, which keeps it lightweight but limits its functionality for larger applications.

Documentation and Community Support

  • yargs:

    Yargs has comprehensive documentation and a strong community backing. It offers detailed examples and guides, making it easier for developers to learn and implement its features effectively.

  • minimist:

    Minimist has straightforward documentation that covers its basic usage. However, due to its simplicity, it lacks extensive community support and resources compared to more complex libraries.

Performance

  • yargs:

    Yargs, while more feature-rich, may introduce slightly more overhead due to its extensive capabilities. However, it is optimized for performance and can handle complex command-line interfaces efficiently.

  • minimist:

    Minimist is lightweight and performs well for small to medium-sized applications. Its simplicity ensures that it does not introduce significant overhead, making it suitable for quick scripts.

Extensibility

  • yargs:

    Yargs is highly extensible, allowing developers to create custom commands and options. It supports middleware and can be easily integrated with other libraries, making it a flexible choice for building complex CLI applications.

  • minimist:

    Minimist is not designed for extensibility; it focuses on providing a simple parsing solution without additional features or plugins.

How to Choose: yargs vs minimist
  • yargs:

    Choose Yargs if you require a more robust solution with advanced features such as command handling, argument validation, and help documentation generation. It is suitable for more complex applications where user experience and detailed command-line interfaces are important.

  • minimist:

    Choose Minimist if you need a lightweight and straightforward solution for parsing command-line arguments without any additional features. It is ideal for simple scripts where you want minimal overhead and just need to access the arguments directly.

Similar Npm Packages to yargs

yargs is a powerful and popular command-line argument parser for Node.js applications. It simplifies the process of handling command-line arguments and options, allowing developers to create user-friendly command-line interfaces (CLIs) with ease. With features like automatic help generation, command chaining, and middleware support, yargs makes it easy to build robust and intuitive CLI applications. However, there are several alternatives available that also provide command-line argument parsing capabilities. Here are a few notable ones:

  • argparse is a widely-used library for parsing command-line arguments in Node.js. It is inspired by Python's argparse module and offers a straightforward API for defining arguments, options, and subcommands. argparse is particularly useful for developers who prefer a more structured approach to argument parsing and need features like type validation and automatic help generation. If you are looking for a reliable and feature-rich library for building command-line interfaces, argparse is a solid choice.
  • commander is another popular library for building command-line interfaces in Node.js. It provides a simple and intuitive API for defining commands, options, and arguments, making it easy to create complex CLI applications. commander is known for its flexibility and ease of use, allowing developers to quickly set up command-line tools with minimal boilerplate code. If you want a library that balances simplicity and functionality, commander is an excellent option.
  • minimist is a lightweight and minimalistic library for parsing command-line arguments. It is designed for simplicity and speed, making it a great choice for small projects or scripts where you need to quickly parse a few command-line options. While minimist does not offer as many features as yargs or other alternatives, its straightforward approach can be advantageous when you need a quick and easy solution for argument parsing.

To see how yargs compares with argparse, commander, and minimist, check out the comparison: Comparing yargs vs argparse vs commander vs minimist.

Similar Npm Packages to minimist

minimist is a popular npm package used for parsing command-line arguments in Node.js applications. It provides a simple and lightweight way to handle arguments passed to scripts, allowing developers to easily access and manipulate command-line inputs. While minimist is a great choice for basic argument parsing, there are several alternatives that offer additional features and capabilities. Here are a few noteworthy alternatives:

  • argparse is a powerful library for building command-line interfaces in Node.js. It provides a rich set of features, including support for subcommands, argument types, and automatic help generation. argparse is particularly useful for more complex command-line applications that require detailed argument validation and user guidance. If your project involves a sophisticated CLI with various options and commands, argparse is an excellent choice.
  • commander is another widely-used library for creating command-line applications in Node.js. It offers a simple and intuitive API for defining commands, options, and arguments. commander is known for its ease of use and flexibility, making it suitable for both small scripts and larger applications. If you are looking for a library that balances simplicity with powerful features, commander is a great option.
  • yargs is a robust library for parsing command-line arguments and building interactive command-line tools. It offers a rich set of features, including support for middleware, command chaining, and automatic help generation. yargs is particularly useful for applications that require a more interactive user experience or complex argument parsing. If your CLI needs to handle a variety of commands and options, yargs provides a comprehensive solution.

To see how minimist compares with argparse, commander, and yargs, check out the comparison: Comparing argparse vs commander vs minimist vs yargs.

README for yargs

Yargs

Yargs be a node.js library fer hearties tryin' ter parse optstrings


ci NPM version js-standard-style Coverage Conventional Commits Slack

Description

Yargs helps you build interactive command line tools, by parsing arguments and generating an elegant user interface.

It gives you:

  • commands and (grouped) options (my-program.js serve --port=5000).
  • a dynamically generated help menu based on your arguments:
mocha [spec..]

Run tests with Mocha

Commands
  mocha inspect [spec..]  Run tests with Mocha                         [default]
  mocha init <path>       create a client-side Mocha setup at <path>

Rules & Behavior
  --allow-uncaught           Allow uncaught errors to propagate        [boolean]
  --async-only, -A           Require all tests to use a callback (async) or
                             return a Promise                          [boolean]
  • bash-completion shortcuts for commands and options.
  • and tons more.

Installation

Stable version:

npm i yargs

Bleeding edge version with the most recent features:

npm i yargs@next

Usage

Simple Example

#!/usr/bin/env node
const yargs = require('yargs/yargs')
const { hideBin } = require('yargs/helpers')
const argv = yargs(hideBin(process.argv)).argv

if (argv.ships > 3 && argv.distance < 53.5) {
  console.log('Plunder more riffiwobbles!')
} else {
  console.log('Retreat from the xupptumblers!')
}

$ ./plunder.js --ships=4 --distance=22
Plunder more riffiwobbles!

$ ./plunder.js --ships 12 --distance 98.7
Retreat from the xupptumblers!

Note: hideBin is a shorthand for process.argv.slice(2). It has the benefit that it takes into account variations in some environments, e.g., Electron.

Complex Example

#!/usr/bin/env node
const yargs = require('yargs/yargs')
const { hideBin } = require('yargs/helpers')

yargs(hideBin(process.argv))
  .command('serve [port]', 'start the server', (yargs) => {
    return yargs
      .positional('port', {
        describe: 'port to bind on',
        default: 5000
      })
  }, (argv) => {
    if (argv.verbose) console.info(`start server on :${argv.port}`)
    serve(argv.port)
  })
  .option('verbose', {
    alias: 'v',
    type: 'boolean',
    description: 'Run with verbose logging'
  })
  .parse()

Run the example above with --help to see the help for the application.

Supported Platforms

TypeScript

yargs has type definitions at @types/yargs.

npm i @types/yargs --save-dev

See usage examples in docs.

Deno

As of v16, yargs supports Deno:

import yargs from 'https://deno.land/x/yargs/deno.ts'
import { Arguments } from 'https://deno.land/x/yargs/deno-types.ts'

yargs(Deno.args)
  .command('download <files...>', 'download a list of files', (yargs: any) => {
    return yargs.positional('files', {
      describe: 'a list of files to do something with'
    })
  }, (argv: Arguments) => {
    console.info(argv)
  })
  .strictCommands()
  .demandCommand(1)
  .parse()

ESM

As of v16,yargs supports ESM imports:

import yargs from 'yargs'
import { hideBin } from 'yargs/helpers'

yargs(hideBin(process.argv))
  .command('curl <url>', 'fetch the contents of the URL', () => {}, (argv) => {
    console.info(argv)
  })
  .demandCommand(1)
  .parse()

Usage in Browser

See examples of using yargs in the browser in docs.

Community

Having problems? want to contribute? join our community slack.

Documentation

Table of Contents

Supported Node.js Versions

Libraries in this ecosystem make a best effort to track Node.js' release schedule. Here's a post on why we think this is important.

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