Reza

CLI parser

4 min read

https://github.com/topics/command-line-parser

top programming laguage for cli creating ?

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

When it comes to creating command-line interface (CLI) applications, some programming languages are better suited than others due to their ecosystem, libraries, and ease of use for handling user input, file systems, and executing commands. Here are some of the top programming languages for creating CLIs:

1. Go (Golang)

  • Why: Go is known for its simplicity, speed, and built-in support for concurrency, making it ideal for building fast and efficient CLI applications.
  • Advantages:
    • Excellent support for building cross-platform applications.
    • Libraries like cobra and urfave/cli make building CLI apps straightforward.
    • Compiles into statically linked binaries, so no external dependencies are required.
    • High performance with low memory usage.
  • Popular CLI tools in Go:
    • Kubernetes CLI (kubectl)
    • Docker CLI
    • Terraform

2. Python

  • Why: Python is versatile and easy to use, making it an excellent choice for building CLI tools, especially for quick scripting and automation tasks.
  • Advantages:
    • Rich ecosystem with libraries like argparse, Click, and Typer.
    • Cross-platform support.
    • Dynamic typing makes development faster.
  • Popular CLI tools in Python:
    • AWS CLI
    • Ansible
    • GitHub CLI (gh)

3. Rust

  • Why: Rust is gaining popularity for CLI applications because of its memory safety, speed, and powerful error-handling capabilities. It’s ideal for building performant, secure, and reliable CLIs.
  • Advantages:
    • Compiles to a single binary with no dependencies.
    • Very fast and memory-efficient.
    • Libraries like clap and structopt help create CLIs quickly.
  • Popular CLI tools in Rust:
    • ripgrep (faster alternative to grep)
    • bat (modern cat with syntax highlighting)
    • fd (fast file finder)

4. Node.js (JavaScript/TypeScript)

  • Why: Node.js is perfect for building CLI applications that require asynchronous I/O operations and scalability. It also has a vast npm ecosystem of packages.
  • Advantages:
    • Fast development cycle with hot reloading and widespread community support.
    • Rich ecosystem with libraries like yargs and commander for building CLI apps.
    • Ability to handle real-time applications and networking tasks easily.
  • Popular CLI tools in Node.js:
    • npm (Node package manager)
    • http-server
    • yarn

5. C/C++

  • Why: C and C++ offer unparalleled performance and control over hardware resources, making them suitable for high-performance and low-level system CLI applications.
  • Advantages:
    • Ultimate performance and low-level control.
    • Works well for system-level tools and utilities.
    • Compiles into small and highly optimized binaries.
  • Popular CLI tools in C/C++:
    • curl
    • git (partially written in C)
    • htop

6. Java

  • Why: Java is a mature and robust language with strong tooling for building cross-platform CLI applications. It is widely used for enterprise-level tools.
  • Advantages:
    • Cross-platform support with the JVM.
    • Mature libraries and frameworks for building CLIs, such as JCommander and picocli.
    • Strong support for multi-threading and enterprise-grade applications.
  • Popular CLI tools in Java:
    • Apache Maven
    • Gradle
    • Jenkins CLI

7. Ruby

  • Why: Ruby is known for its concise and elegant syntax, making it a good choice for building simple but effective CLI applications.
  • Advantages:
    • Clean and readable syntax.
    • Excellent support through libraries like thor and optparse.
    • Cross-platform support.
  • Popular CLI tools in Ruby:
    • Homebrew (package manager for macOS)
    • Jekyll CLI (static site generator)
    • Rails CLI (for managing Ruby on Rails apps)

8. Shell Scripting (Bash, Zsh, etc.)

  • Why: Shell scripting is the go-to for lightweight and system-level CLI applications, particularly for automation and task management.
  • Advantages:
    • Native to Unix-like systems.
    • Very fast to develop and execute.
    • Strong integration with the underlying system and tools.
  • Popular CLI tools in Shell:
    • bash and zsh scripts
    • sed, awk, grep utilities
    • cron for scheduling tasks

9. Kotlin

  • Why: Kotlin is a modern, concise, and safe language that works well for building cross-platform CLI applications, especially when targeting JVM environments.
  • Advantages:
    • Can be compiled to JVM bytecode or native code (via Kotlin/Native).
    • Strong interoperability with Java libraries.
    • Libraries like Kotlinx.cli and Clikt make CLI development easy.
  • Popular CLI tools in Kotlin:
    • Kordamp (CLI frameworks)
    • Gradle Kotlin DSL (for scripting)

10. Perl

  • Why: Perl has long been used for scripting and automating tasks, and its regular expression support makes it very powerful for text manipulation in CLI tools.
  • Advantages:
    • Strong text-processing capabilities.
    • Cross-platform.
    • Mature ecosystem with libraries like Getopt::Long.
  • Popular CLI tools in Perl:
    • cpan (Perl’s package manager)
    • perlbrew (manages Perl installations)

Conclusion

  • Best for Performance: Go, Rust, C/C++
  • Best for Rapid Development and Scripting: Python, Node.js, Ruby
  • Best for Enterprise or Cross-Platform Tools: Java, Kotlin
  • Best for System-Level Tools: Shell Scripting (Bash/Zsh)

Each language has its strengths depending on the needs of your CLI application. Go, Python, and Rust are among the most popular for their performance, ease of use, and ecosystem, but if you are working in an enterprise environment or already using Java or Kotlin, those languages also make great choices.

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