Super simple CLI controller

npm install cli-controller

Make a proper CLI out of it using the "bin" field in package.json

Examples

Most basic form

To create a cli like this:

node ./index.js hello

write the following index.js.

// index.js
const { Cli } = require('cli-controller')

new Cli().route('hello', () => 'world').serve()

Arguments and flags

node ./index.js make something amazing --please --v=1 --hey=you

// index.js
const { Cli } = require('cli-controller')

new Cli()
  .route('make', ({ args, flags }) => {
    console.log(args) // ['something', 'amazing']
    console.log(flags) // { please: true, v: 1, hey: 'you' }
  })
  // .route('hello', () => 'world') <-- you can chain `.route`
  .serve()

Default callback when no argument is passed (excluding flags)

node ./index.js

// index.js
const { Cli } = require('cli-controller')

new Cli()
  // .route('hello', () => 'world')
  .default(({ flags }) => {
    console.log('default!')
  })
  .serve()

If default it's not specified, a list of available routes will be printed to the console.

Cleaner API with params

Consider the code for the following CLI node ./index.js build my-app

new Cli()
  .route('build', ({ args }) => {
    const [project] = args
  })
  .serve()

It can be expressed much clearer using params:

new Cli()
  .route('build {project}', ({ params }) => {
    console.log(params) // { project: 'my-app' }
  })
  .serve()

If the parameter is not specified, it will raise an exception. You can mark params optional like so:

new Cli()
  .route('build {project?}', ({ params }) => {})
  .serve()

Group routes

Group common routes together to create the following API:

node ./index.js db:migrate
node ./index.js db:dump

new Cli()
  .group('db', group => {
    group.route('migrate', context => {})
    group.route('dump', context => {})
  })
  .serve()

Fallback when route was not found

By default, it will raise an exception optionally providing some alternative routes.

node ./index.js does-not-exist

// index.js
const { Cli } = require('cli-controller')

new Cli()
  .fallback(({ name, args, flags }) => {
    console.log('not found!', name)
  })
  .serve()

Alternative API

You don't need an endless chain if you don't want! This is also possible:

const cli = new Cli()

cli.route('build {project}', (context) => {})

cli.serve()

Document your API

You can add a description to your API so they appear like below when calling the CLI with the -h or --help flag ...

node ./index.js -h
# Command Line Interface for Something Awesome!
#
# make {project} - Make something awesome

... as well as like below for individual routes.

node ./index.js make -h
# make {project} - Make something awesome

const cli = new Cli().description('Command Line Interface for Something Awesome!')

cli.route('build {project}', (context) => {}, { description: 'Make something awesome' })

cli.serve()