13 February 2025

Introducing cli-utils: A Simple Golang CLI Framework

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cli-utils is a minimalistic and efficient Go package for building command-line interfaces.

Why cli-utils?

Creating CLI applications in Go often requires boilerplate code for handling commands, arguments, and execution logic. cli-utils simplifies this process by providing a structured way to define and execute commands while ensuring smooth argument validation and error handling.

Installation

Install the package using:

go get github.com/lazarcloud/cli-utils

How It Works

Here’s an example of how to use cli-utils in a real project:

An example backup CLI tool.

package main

import (
	"cli_backup/cli"
	"cli_backup/commands"
)

var COMMANDS = cli.Commands{
	commands.HelloCommand,
	commands.CheckCommand,
	commands.BackupCommand,
	commands.DeleteCommand,
	commands.DownloadCommand,
}

func main() {
	err := cli.NewCLI("cli_backup", COMMANDS, nil).Run()
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}
}

A basic hello commands that says hello to any name.

package commands

import (
	"cli_backup/cli"
	"fmt"
)

var HelloCommand = cli.Command{
	Name:        "hello",
	Description: "Prints hello message",
	Args: cli.Args{
		cli.Arg{
			Name:        "name",
			Description: "Name to say hello to",
			Required:    false,
			Default:     "lazar",
		},
	},
	Run: func(args cli.RuntimeArgs, c *cli.CLI) error {
		name := args.Get("name")
		fmt.Printf("Hello, %s!\n", name)
		return nil
	},
}

Final words

With cli-utils, you can create structured and maintainable CLI applications with minimal effort. Whether you're building a simple utility or a complex CLI tool, cli-utils provides the foundation you need to streamline development.

Useful Links

1. cli-utils on GitHub

2. cli-utils on pkg.go.dev