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============================
Alternatives to cmd and cmd2
============================
For programs that do not interact with the user in a continuous loop -
programs that simply accept a set of arguments from the command line, return
results, and do not keep the user within the program's environment - all
you need are sys_\ .argv (the command-line arguments) and argparse_
(for parsing UNIX-style options and flags). Though some people may prefer docopt_
or click_ to argparse_.
.. _sys: https://docs.python.org/3/library/sys.html
.. _argparse: https://docs.python.org/3/library/argparse.html
.. _docopt: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/docopt
.. _click: http://click.pocoo.org
The curses_ module produces applications that interact via a plaintext
terminal window, but are not limited to simple text input and output;
they can paint the screen with options that are selected from using the
cursor keys. However, programming a curses_-based application is not as
straightforward as using cmd_.
.. _curses: https://docs.python.org/3/library/curses.html
.. _cmd: https://docs.python.org/3/library/cmd.html
Several Python packages exist for building interactive command-line applications
approximately similar in concept to cmd_ applications. None of them
share ``cmd2``'s close ties to cmd_, but they may be worth investigating
nonetheless. Two of the most mature and full featured are:
* `Python Prompt Toolkit`_
* Click_
.. _`Python Prompt Toolkit`: https://github.com/jonathanslenders/python-prompt-toolkit
`Python Prompt Toolkit`_ is a library for building powerful interactive command lines and terminal applications in
Python. It provides a lot of advanced visual features like syntax highlighting, bottom bars, and the ability to
create fullscreen apps.
Click_ is a Python package for creating beautiful command line interfaces in a composable way with as little code as
necessary. It is more geared towards command line utilities instead of command line interpreters, but it can be used
for either.
Getting a working command-interpreter application based on either `Python Prompt Toolkit`_ or Click_ requires a good
deal more effort and boilerplate code than ``cmd2``. ``cmd2`` focuses on providing an excellent out-of-the-box experience
with as many useful features as possible built in for free with as little work required on the developer's part as
possible. We believe that ``cmd2`` provides developers the easiest way to write a command-line interpreter, while
allowing a good experience for end users. If you are seeking a visually richer end-user experience and don't
mind investing more development time, we would recommend checking out `Python Prompt Toolkit`_.
In the future, we may investigate options for incorporating the usage of `Python Prompt Toolkit`_ and/or Click_ into
``cmd2`` applications.
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