Get Node.js Command Line Arguments with yargs

By  on  

Using command line arguments within Node.js apps is par for the course, especially when you're like me and you use JavaScript to code tasks (instead of bash scripts).  Node.js provides process.argv but that doesn't provide a key: value object like you'd expect:

/*
	$ node myscript.js --key1=value1 --key2=value2
	[ 'node',
	  '/path/to/myscript.js',
	  '--key1=value1',
	  '--key2=value2' ]
*/

Bleh.  If you want to work with a sane API for command line arguments, use yargs:

// Get the yargs resource
var yargs = require('yargs').argv;

// Check for arguments
if(yargs.someKey === expectedValue) {
	// Do whatever
}

/*
	yargs = {
		key1: value1
		key2: value2
	};
*/

yargs provides a key:value object for arguments instead of the native process.argv mess.  No hassle, no fuss, just access to command line arguments with a logical API.  Happy noding!

Recent Features

  • By
    Convert XML to JSON with JavaScript

    If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I've been working on a super top secret mobile application using Appcelerator Titanium.  The experience has been great:  using JavaScript to create easy to write, easy to test, native mobile apps has been fun.  My...

  • By
    Welcome to My New Office

    My first professional web development was at a small print shop where I sat in a windowless cubical all day. I suffered that boxed in environment for almost five years before I was able to find a remote job where I worked from home. The first...

Incredible Demos

  • By
    MooTools Fun with Fx.Shake

    Adding movement to your website is a great way to attract attention to specific elements that you want users to notice. Of course you could use Flash or an animated GIF to achieve the movement effect but graphics can be difficult to maintain. Enter...

  • By
    MooTools 1.2 OpenLinks Plugin

    I often incorporate tools into my customers' websites that allow them to have some control over the content on their website. When doing so, I offer some tips to my clients to help them keep their website in good shape. One of the tips...

Discussion

  1. [pirateAccent]Yaaaarrrrrg!![/pirateAccent]

Wrap your code in <pre class="{language}"></pre> tags, link to a GitHub gist, JSFiddle fiddle, or CodePen pen to embed!