[](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/releases) [](https://travis-ci.org/remkop/picocli) [](https://codecov.io/gh/remkop/picocli) [](https://twitter.com/intent/follow?screen_name=remkopopma) [](https://twitter.com/intent/follow?screen_name=picocli) [](https://stackshare.io/picocli) # picocli - a mighty tiny command line interface Picocli aims to be the easiest-to-use way to create rich command line applications that can run on and off the JVM. Considering picocli? Check [what happy users say](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/wiki/Feedback-from-Users) about picocli. Picocli is a modern library and framework, written in Java, that contains both an annotations API and a programmatic API. It features usage help with [ANSI colors and styles](https://picocli.info/#_ansi_colors_and_styles), [TAB autocompletion](https://picocli.info/autocomplete.html) and nested subcommands. In a single file, so you can include it _in source form_. This lets users run picocli-based applications without requiring picocli as an external dependency. Picocli-based applications can be ahead-of-time compiled to a [native image](https://picocli.info/#_graalvm_native_image), with extremely fast startup time and lower memory requirements, which can be distributed as a single executable file. Picocli comes with an [annotation processor](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/releases#4.0.0-annotation-processor) that automatically Graal-enables your jar during compilation. Picocli applications can be very compact with no boilerplate code: your command (or subcommand) can be executed with a [single line of code](#example "(example below)"). Simply implement `Runnable` or `Callable`, or put the business logic of your command in a `@Command`-annotated method.  Picocli makes it easy to follow [Command Line Interface Guidelines](https://clig.dev/#guidelines). How it works: annotate your class and picocli initializes it from the command line arguments, converting the input to strongly typed data. Supports git-like [subcommands](https://picocli.info/#_subcommands) (and nested [sub-subcommands](https://picocli.info/#_nested_sub_subcommands)), any option prefix style, POSIX-style [grouped short options](https://picocli.info/#_short_posix_options), custom [type converters](https://picocli.info/#_custom_type_converters), [password options](http://picocli.info/#_interactive_password_options) and more. Picocli distinguishes between [named options](https://picocli.info/#_options) and [positional parameters](https://picocli.info/#_positional_parameters) and allows _both_ to be [strongly typed](https://picocli.info/#_strongly_typed_everything). [Multi-valued fields](https://picocli.info/#_multiple_values) can specify an exact number of parameters or a [range](https://picocli.info/#_arity) (e.g., `0..*`, `1..2`). Supports [Map options](https://picocli.info/#_maps) like `-Dkey1=val1 -Dkey2=val2`, where both key and value can be strongly typed. Parser [tracing](https://picocli.info/#_tracing) facilitates troubleshooting. Command-line [argument files](https://picocli.info/#AtFiles) (@-files) allow applications to handle very long command lines. Generates polished and easily tailored [usage help](https://picocli.info/#_usage_help) and [version help](https://picocli.info/#_version_help), using [ANSI colors](https://picocli.info/#_ansi_colors_and_styles) where possible. Requires at minimum Java 5, but is designed to facilitate the use of Java 8 lambdas. Tested on all Java versions between 5 and 15-ea (inclusive). Picocli-based command line applications can have [TAB autocompletion](https://picocli.info/autocomplete.html), interactively showing users what options and subcommands are available. When an option has [`completionCandidates`](https://picocli.info/#_completion_candidates_variable) or has an `enum` type, autocompletion can also suggest option values. Picocli can generate completion scripts for bash and zsh, and offers [`picocli-shell-jline2`](picocli-shell-jline2/README.md) and [`picocli-shell-jline3`](picocli-shell-jline3/README.md) modules with JLine `Completer` implementations for building interactive shell applications. Unique features in picocli include support for [negatable options](https://picocli.info/#_negatable_options), advanced [quoted values](https://picocli.info/#_quoted_values), and [argument groups](https://picocli.info/#_argument_groups). Argument groups can be used to create mutually [exclusive](https://picocli.info/#_mutually_exclusive_options) options, mutually [dependent](https://picocli.info/#_mutually_dependent_options) options, option [sections](https://picocli.info/#_option_sections_in_usage_help) in the usage help message and [repeating composite arguments](https://picocli.info/#_repeating_composite_argument_groups) like `([-a= -b= -c=] (-x | -y | -z))...`. For advanced use cases, applications can access the picocli command object model with the [`@Spec` annotation](https://picocli.info/#_spec_annotation), and implement [custom parameter processing](https://picocli.info/#_custom_parameter_processing) for option parameters if the built-in logic is insufficient. Picocli-based applications can easily [integrate](https://picocli.info/#_dependency_injection) with Dependency Injection containers. The [Micronaut](https://micronaut.io/) microservices framework has [built-in support](https://docs.micronaut.io/latest/guide/index.html#commandLineApps) for picocli. Picocli ships with a [`picocli-spring-boot-starter` module](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/tree/master/picocli-spring-boot-starter) that includes a `PicocliSpringFactory` and Spring Boot auto-configuration to use Spring dependency injection in your picocli command line application. The user manual has an [example](https://picocli.info/#_guice_example) of integrating with Guice. ### Releases * [All Releases](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/releases) * Latest: 4.6.1 [Release Notes](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/releases/tag/v4.6.1) * Older: Picocli 4.0 [Release Notes](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/releases/tag/v4.0.0) * Older: Picocli 3.0 [Release Notes](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/releases/tag/v3.0.0) * Older: Picocli 2.0 [Release Notes](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/releases/tag/v2.0.0) ### Documentation * [4.x User manual: https://picocli.info](https://picocli.info) * [4.x Quick Guide](https://picocli.info/quick-guide.html) * [4.x API Javadoc](https://picocli.info/apidocs/) * [Command line autocompletion](https://picocli.info/autocomplete.html) * [Programmatic API](https://picocli.info/picocli-programmatic-api.html) * [FAQ](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/wiki/FAQ) * [GraalVM AOT Compilation to Native Image](https://picocli.info/picocli-on-graalvm.html) ### Older * ~~[3.x User manual](https://picocli.info/man/3.x)~~ * ~~[3.x Quick Guide](https://picocli.info/man/3.x/quick-guide.html)~~ * ~~[3.x API Javadoc](https://picocli.info/man/3.x/apidocs/)~~ * ~~[2.x User manual](https://picocli.info/man/2.x)~~ * ~~[2.x API Javadoc](https://picocli.info/man/2.x/apidocs/)~~ * ~~[1.x User manual](https://picocli.info/man/1.x)~~ ### Articles & Presentations #### English * [VIDEO] [J-Fall Virtual 2020: Julien Lengrand - An introduction to creating CLI applications using picoCLI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc_D4OTKidU&list=PLpQuPreMkT6D36w9d13uGpIPi5nf9I_0c&index=13) (2020-12-07) by [Julien Lengrand-Lambert](https://twitter.com/jlengrand). This was the top rated talk for [@nljug](https://twitter.com/nljug) #jfall virtual 2020! Congrats, Julien! * [Paginate results in a command line application using picoCLI](https://lengrand.fr/paginate-results-in-a-jvm-cli-application-using-picocli/) (2020-11-17) by [Julien Lengrand-Lambert](https://twitter.com/jlengrand). * [CLI applications with GraalVM Native Image](https://medium.com/graalvm/cli-applications-with-graalvm-native-image-d629a40aa0be) (2020-11-13) by [Oleg Šelajev](https://twitter.com/shelajev). * [Picocli subcommands - One program, many purposes](https://aragost.com/blog/java/picocli-subcommands.html) (2020-09-22) by [Jonas Andersen](https://twitter.com/PrimusAlgo). * [How to build a CLI app in Java using jbang and picocli](https://www.twilio.com/blog/cli-app-java-jbang-picocli) (2020-08-13) by [Matthew Gilliard](https://twitter.com/MaximumGilliard). * [VIDEO] [Tuesday Java Lunch & Learn. This week: picocli](https://m.twitch.tv/videos/706906131) (2020-08-11) by MaximumGilliard - twitch.tv. * [Building a GitHub Dependents Scraper with Quarkus and Picocli](https://blog.marcnuri.com/github-dependents-scraper-quarkus-picocli/) (2020-07-31) by [Marc Nuri](https://twitter.com/MarcNuri). * [Building a decent Java CLI](https://atextor.de/2020/07/27/building-a-decent-java-cli.html) (2020-07-27) by [Andreas Textor](https://twitter.com/atextor). * [VIDEO] (Another very well-produced video by Szymon Stepniak) [OAuth 2.0 in a Java command-line app | #micronaut #picocli #oauth2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js5H9UbmmMY) (2020-07-23) by [Szymon Stepniak](https://e.printstacktrace.blog/) ([YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEf8e5YAYnowq-2deW4tpsw)). * [Micronaut, Picocli, and GraalVM](https://e.printstacktrace.blog/building-stackoverflow-cli-with-java-11-micronaut-picocli-and-graalvm/) (2020-07-08) by [Szymon Stepniak](https://e.printstacktrace.blog/). * [VIDEO] (Extremely well-produced and informative, recommended!) [Building command-line app with Java 11, Micronaut, Picocli, and GraalVM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdcg4Drg1hc) (2020-07-01) by [Szymon Stepniak](https://e.printstacktrace.blog/) ([YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEf8e5YAYnowq-2deW4tpsw)). * [AUDIO] [Scala Valentines #2](https://scala.love/scala-valentines-2/) (2020-06-21) Podcast talks about picocli (from 18:11). * [How to create a command line tool using Java?](https://fullstackdeveloper.guru/2020/06/18/how-to-create-a-command-line-tool-using-java/) (2020-06-18) by [Vijay SRJ](https://twitter.com/FullStackDevel6). * [Command-line tools with Quarkus and Picocli](https://quarkify.net/command-line-tools-with-quarkus-and-picocli/) (2020-06-08) by [Dmytro Chaban](https://twitter.com/dmi3coder). * Quarkus guide for [Quarkus command mode with picocli](https://quarkus.io/guides/picocli), thanks to a picocli extension by [Michał Górniewski](https://github.com/mgorniew) included in [Quarkus 1.5](https://quarkus.io/blog/quarkus-1-5-final-released/) (2020-06-03). * [Native images with Micronaut and GraalVM](https://dev.to/stack-labs/native-images-with-micronaut-and-graalvm-4koe) (2020-06-01) by [Λ\: Olivier Revial](https://twitter.com/pommeDouze). * [CLI applications with Micronaut and Picocli](https://dev.to/stack-labs/cli-applications-with-micronaut-and-picocli-4mc8) (2020-06-01) by [Λ\: Olivier Revial](https://twitter.com/pommeDouze). * [Picocli introduction - Modern Java command-line parsing](https://aragost.com/blog/java/picocli-introduction.html) (2020-05-19) by [Jonas Andersen](https://twitter.com/PrimusAlgo). * [Building Native Covid19 Tracker CLI using Java, PicoCLI & GraalVM](https://aboullaite.me/java-covid19-cli-picocli-graalvm/) (2020-05-11) by [Mohammed Aboullaite](https://aboullaite.me/author/mohammed/). * [Quarkus Command mode with Picocli](https://quarkify.net/quarkus-command-mode-with-picocli/) (2020-04-27) by [Dmytro Chaban](https://twitter.com/dmi3coder). * [Creating CLI tools with Scala, Picocli and GraalVM](https://medium.com/@takezoe/creating-cli-tools-with-scala-picocli-and-graalvm-ffde05bbd01d) (2020-03-09) by [Naoki Takezoe](https://twitter.com/takezoen) * [Building native Java CLIs with GraalVM, Picocli, and Gradle](https://medium.com/@mitch.seymour/building-native-java-clis-with-graalvm-picocli-and-gradle-2e8a8388d70d) (2020-03-08) by [Mitch Seymour](https://medium.com/@mitch.seymour) * [Build Great Native CLI Apps in Java with Graalvm and Picocli](https://www.infoq.com/articles/java-native-cli-graalvm-picocli/) (2020-03-07) * [Picocli Structured Objects](https://gist.github.com/hanslovsky/8276da86c53bc6d95bf01447cd5cb2b7#file-00_picocli-structured-objects-md) (2019-09-10) by [Philipp Hanslovsky](https://gist.github.com/hanslovsky) explains how to use picocli's support for repeating argument groups to add or configure structured objects from the command line. * [Create a Java Command Line Program with Picocli|Baeldung](https://www.baeldung.com/java-picocli-create-command-line-program) (2019-05-07) by [François Dupire](https://www.baeldung.com/author/francois-dupire/). * A whirlwind tour of picocli [JAX Magazine "Putting the spotlight on Java tools"](https://jaxenter.com/jax-mag-java-tools-157592.html) (2019-04-08). * [An Introduction to PicoCLI](https://devops.datenkollektiv.de/an-introduction-to-picocli.html) (2019-02-10) by [devop](https://devops.datenkollektiv.de/author/devop.html). * [Corda CLI UX (User Experience) Guide](https://docs.corda.net/head/cli-ux-guidelines.html) (2018 by R3 Limited) gives useful advice. * [Develop a CLI tool using groovy scripts](https://medium.com/@chinthakadinadasa/develop-a-cli-tool-using-groovy-scripts-a7d545eecddd) (2018-10-26) by [Chinthaka Dinadasa](https://medium.com/@chinthakadinadasa). * [Migrating from Commons CLI to picocli](https://picocli.info/migrating-from-commons-cli.html). You won't regret it! :-) (also on: [DZone](https://dzone.com/articles/migrating-from-commons-cli-to-picocli) and [Java Code Geeks](https://www.javacodegeeks.com/2018/11/migrating-commons-cli-picocli.html)). * [Groovy 2.5 CliBuilder Renewal](https://picocli.info/groovy-2.5-clibuilder-renewal.html) (also on [blogs.apache.org](https://blogs.apache.org/logging/entry/groovy-2-5-clibuilder-renewal)). In two parts: [Part 1](https://picocli.info/groovy-2.5-clibuilder-renewal-part1.html) (also on: [DZone](https://dzone.com/articles/groovy-25-clibuilder-renewal), [Java Code Geeks](https://www.javacodegeeks.com/2018/06/groovy-clibuilder-renewal-part-1.html)), [Part 2](https://picocli.info/groovy-2.5-clibuilder-renewal-part2.html) (also on: [DZone](https://dzone.com/articles/groovy-25-clibuilder-renewal-part-2), [Java Code Geeks](https://www.javacodegeeks.com/2018/06/groovy-clibuilder-renewal-part-2.html)). * Micronaut user manual for running microservices [standalone with picocli](https://docs.micronaut.io/snapshot/guide/index.html#commandLineApps). * [Java Command-Line Interfaces (Part 30): Observations](http://marxsoftware.blogspot.jp/2017/11/java-cmd-line-observations.html) by Dustin Marx about picocli 2.0.1 (also on: [DZone](https://dzone.com/articles/java-command-line-interfaces-part-30-finale-observations), [Java Code Geeks](https://www.javacodegeeks.com/2017/11/java-command-line-interfaces-part-30-observations.html)) * [Java Command-Line Interfaces (Part 10): Picocli](http://marxsoftware.blogspot.jp/2017/08/picocli.html) by Dustin Marx about picocli 0.9.7 (also on: [DZone](https://dzone.com/articles/java-command-line-interfaces-part-10-picocli), [Java Code Geeks](https://www.javacodegeeks.com/2017/08/java-command-line-interfaces-part-10-picocli.html)) * [Picocli 2.0: Groovy Scripts on Steroids](https://picocli.info/picocli-2.0-groovy-scripts-on-steroids.html) (also on: [DZone](https://dzone.com/articles/picocli-v2-groovy-scripts-on-steroids), [Java Code Geeks](https://www.javacodegeeks.com/2018/01/picocli-2-0-groovy-scripts-steroids.html)) * [Picocli 2.0: Do More With Less](https://picocli.info/picocli-2.0-do-more-with-less.html) (also on: [DZone](https://dzone.com/articles/whats-new-in-picocli-20), [Java Code Geeks](https://www.javacodegeeks.com/2018/01/picocli-2-0-less.html)) * [Announcing picocli 1.0](https://picocli.info/announcing-picocli-1.0.html) (also on: [DZone](https://dzone.com/articles/announcing-picocli-10)) #### русский * [Интерфейсы командной строки Java: picocli](https://habr.com/ru/company/otus/blog/419401/) (2018-08-06): Russian translation by [MaxRokatansky](https://habr.com/ru/users/MaxRokatansky/) of Dustin Marx' blog post. #### Español * [Quarkus + Picocli: Web scaper para extraer proyectos dependientes en GitHub](https://blog.marcnuri.com/quarkus-picocli-web-scaper-dependientes-github/) (2020-08-15) by [Marc Nuri](https://twitter.com/MarcNuri). * [Quarkus - Introducción: picocli](https://gerardo.dev/aws-quarkus-picocli.html) (2020-06-15) by [Gerardo Arroyo](https://twitter.com/codewarrior506). * [VIDEO] [Picocli - Spring Boot example](https://youtu.be/y9ayfjfrTF4) (2020-05-24) 7-minute quick introduction by Gonzalo H. Mendoza. #### Français * [Application mobile: Créez de superbes applications CLI natives en Java avec Graalvm et Picocli](https://seodigitalmarketing.net/application-mobile-creez-de-superbes-applications-cli-natives-en-java-avec-graalvm-et-picocli/) (2020-05-07) Translation of [Build Great Native CLI Apps in Java with Graalvm and Picocli](https://www.infoq.com/articles/java-native-cli-graalvm-picocli/) by [bouf1450](https://seodigitalmarketing.net/author/bouf1450/). * [VIDEO] [Des applications en ligne de commande avec Picocli et GraalVM (N. Peters)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ENbMwkaFyk) (2019-05-07): 15-minute presentation by Nicolas Peters during Devoxx FR. Presentation slides are [available on GitHub](https://t.co/tXhtpTpAff?amp=1). #### Português * [Desenvolva aplicações CLI nativas em Java com Graalvm e Picocli](https://www.infoq.com/br/articles/java-native-cli-graalvm-picocli/) (2020-08-28): Portuguese translation of [Build Great Native CLI Apps in Java with Graalvm and Picocli](https://www.infoq.com/articles/java-native-cli-graalvm-picocli/), thanks to [Rodrigo Ap G Batista](https://www.infoq.com/br/profile/Rodrigo-Ap-G-Batista/). * [VIDEO] [Quarkus #40: Command Mode com Picocli](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LweGDh-Jxlc) (2020-06-23): 13-minute presentation by [Vinícius Ferraz](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJNOHl-pTTTj4S9yq60Ps9A) (@viniciusfcf). #### 日本語 * [CLI applications with GraalVM Native Image](https://logico-jp.io/2020/11/21/cli-applications-with-graalvm-native-image/) (2020-11-21) translation by [Logico_jp](https://logico-jp.io/who-is-logico/) of Oleg Šelajev's [post](https://medium.com/graalvm/cli-applications-with-graalvm-native-image-d629a40aa0be). * [Picocli + Kotlin + graalvm-native-image plugin でネイティブツールを作る](https://mike-neck.hatenadiary.com/entry/2020/04/24/090000) (2020-04-24) blog post by [mike-neck](https://mike-neck.hatenadiary.com/about) ([引きこもり持田](https://twitter.com/mike_neck) on Twitter). * [Javaのコマンドラインアプリケーション向けのフレームワーク、picocliで遊ぶ](https://kazuhira-r.hatenablog.com/entry/2020/03/07/013626) (2020-03-07) blog post by [かずひら](https://twitter.com/kazuhira_r). * [KuromojiのCLIコマンドとpicocliとGraalVM](https://blog.johtani.info/blog/2020/02/28/kuromoji-cli/) (2020-02-28) blog post by [@johtani](https://twitter.com/johtani). * [GraalVM, PicocliとJavaでときめくネイティブコマンドラインアプリを作ろう](https://remkop.github.io/presentations/20191123/) (2019-11-23) Slides for my presentation at Japan Java User Group's [JJUG CCC 2019 Fall](https://ccc2019fall.java-users.jp/) conference. * [GraalVM と Picocliで Javaのネイティブコマンドラインアプリを作ろう](https://remkop.github.io/presentations/20190906/) (2019-09-06) Slides for my lightning talk presentation at [【東京】JJUG ナイトセミナー: ビール片手にLT大会 9/6（金）](https://jjug.doorkeeper.jp/events/95987) * [Picocli＋Spring Boot でコマンドラインアプリケーションを作成してみる](https://ksby.hatenablog.com/entry/2019/07/20/092721) (2019-07-20) by [かんがるーさんの日記](https://ksby.hatenablog.com/). * [GraalVM の native image を使って Java で爆速 Lambda の夢を見る](https://qiita.com/kencharos/items/69e43965515f368bc4a3) (2019-05-02) by [@kencharos](https://qiita.com/kencharos) #### 中文 * [如何借助 Graalvm 和 Picocli 构建 Java 编写的原生 CLI 应用](https://www.infoq.cn/article/4RRJuxPRE80h7YsHZJtX) (2020-03-26): Chinese translation of [Build Great Native CLI Apps in Java with Graalvm and Picocli](https://www.infoq.com/articles/java-native-cli-graalvm-picocli/), thanks to [张卫滨](https://www.infoq.cn/profile/1067660). * [从Commons CLI迁移到Picocli](https://blog.csdn.net/genghaihua/article/details/88529409) (2019-03-13): Chinese translation of Migrating from Commons CLI to picocli, thanks to [genghaihua](https://me.csdn.net/genghaihua). * [Picocli 2.0: Steroids上的Groovy脚本](https://picocli.info/zh/picocli-2.0-groovy-scripts-on-steroids.html) * [Picocli 2.0: 以少求多](https://picocli.info/zh/picocli-2.0-do-more-with-less.html) ### Mailing List Join the [picocli Google group](https://groups.google.com/d/forum/picocli) if you are interested in discussing anything picocli-related and receiving announcements on new releases. ### Credit [Reallinfo](https://github.com/reallinfo) designed the new picocli logo! Many thanks! ### Commitments | This project follows [semantic versioning](http://semver.org/) and adheres to the **[Zero Bugs Commitment](https://github.com/classgraph/classgraph/blob/master/Zero-Bugs-Commitment.md)**. | |------------------------| ## Adoption * Picocli is now part of Groovy. From Groovy 2.5, all Groovy command line tools are picocli-based, and picocli is the underlying parser for Groovy's [CliBuilder DSL](http://groovy-lang.org/dsls.html#_clibuilder). * Picocli is now part of Micronaut. The Micronaut CLI has been rewritten with picocli, and Micronaut has dedicated support for running microservices [standalone with picocli](https://docs.micronaut.io/snapshot/guide/index.html#commandLineApps). * Picocli is now part of JUnit 5. JUnit 5.3 migrated its `ConsoleLauncher` from jopt-simple to picocli to support @-files (argument files); this helps users who need to specify many tests on the command line and run into system limitations. * Debian now offers a [libpicocli-java package](https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/picocli). Thanks to [Miroslav Kravec](https://udd.debian.org/dmd/?kravec.miroslav%40gmail.com). * Picocli is used in the Intuit [Karate](https://github.com/intuit/karate) standalone JAR / executable. * Picocli is part of [Ballerina](https://ballerina.io/). Ballerina uses picocli for all its command line utilities. * Picocli is used in the [CheckStyle](https://checkstyle.org/cmdline.html) standalone JAR / executable from Checkstyle 8.15. * Picocli is included in the [OpenJDK Quality Outreach](https://wiki.openjdk.java.net/display/quality/Quality+Outreach) list of Free Open Source Software (FOSS) projects that actively test against OpenJDK builds. * Picocli is used in the Apache Hadoop Ozone/HDDS command line tools, the Apache Hive benchmark CLI, Apache [Ignite TensorFlow](https://github.com/apache/ignite), and Apache Sling [Feature Model Converter](https://github.com/apache/sling-org-apache-sling-feature-modelconverter). * Picocli is listed on [StackShare](https://stackshare.io/picocli). Please add it to your stack and add/upvote reasons why you like picocli! * Picocli is used in Pinterest [ktlint](https://ktlint.github.io/). * Picocli is used in Spring IO [nohttp-cli](https://github.com/spring-io/nohttp/tree/master/nohttp-cli). * The [MinecraftPicocli](https://github.com/Rubydesic/MinecraftPicocli) library allows the use of picocli in [Minecraft Forge](https://files.minecraftforge.net/). * [Simple Java Mail](http://www.simplejavamail.org/) now offers a picocli-based [CLI](http://www.simplejavamail.org/cli.html#navigation). * [jbang](https://github.com/maxandersen/jbang) not only uses picocli internally, but also has a CLI template to generate an initial script: use `jbang --init=cli helloworld.java` to generate a sample picocli-enabled jbang script. See [asciinema](https://asciinema.org/a/AVwA19yijKRNKEO0bJENN2ME3?autoplay=true&speed=2). * Picocli is the main library used in the CookieTemple [cli-java template](https://cookietemple.readthedocs.io/en/latest/available_templates/available_templates.html#cli-java) for building GraalVM native CLI executables in Java. See [this preview](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/21954664/86740903-474a3000-c037-11ea-9ae3-1a8f7bf1743f.gif). * Picocli is [mentioned](https://clig.dev/#the-basics) in [Command Line Interface Guidelines](https://clig.dev/). Glad to see more people are using picocli. We must be doing something right. :-) ### Help to promote picocli If you like picocli, there are a few things you can do to help: * Give picocli a star on GitHub! * Tweet about picocli! What do you like about it? How has it helped you? How is it different from the alternatives? * Upvote my [Quora answer](https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-way-to-parse-command-line-arguments-with-Java/answer/Remko-Popma) to "What is the best way to parse command-line arguments with Java?" * Upvote my [StackOverflow answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/43780433/1446916) to "How do I parse command line arguments in Java?" If you like picocli and your project is on GitHub, consider adding this badge to your README.md: [](https://github.com/remkop/picocli) ``` [](https://github.com/remkop/picocli) ``` ## Example Annotate fields with the command line parameter names and description. Optionally implement `Runnable` or `Callable` to delegate error handling and requests for usage help or version help to picocli. For example: ```java import picocli.CommandLine; import picocli.CommandLine.Option; import picocli.CommandLine.Parameters; import java.io.File; @Command(name = "example", mixinStandardHelpOptions = true, version = "Picocli example 4.0") public class Example implements Runnable { @Option(names = { "-v", "--verbose" }, description = "Verbose mode. Helpful for troubleshooting. Multiple -v options increase the verbosity.") private boolean[] verbose = new boolean[0]; @Parameters(arity = "1..*", paramLabel = "FILE", description = "File(s) to process.") private File[] inputFiles; public void run() { if (verbose.length > 0) { System.out.println(inputFiles.length + " files to process..."); } if (verbose.length > 1) { for (File f : inputFiles) { System.out.println(f.getAbsolutePath()); } } } public static void main(String[] args) { // By implementing Runnable or Callable, parsing, error handling and handling user // requests for usage help or version help can be done with one line of code. int exitCode = new CommandLine(new Example()).execute(args); System.exit(exitCode); } } ``` Implement `Runnable` or `Callable`, and your command can be [executed](https://picocli.info/#execute) in one line of code. The example above uses the `CommandLine.execute` method to parse the command line, handle errors, handle requests for usage and version help, and invoke the business logic. Applications can call `System.exit` with the returned exit code to signal success or failure to their caller. ```bash $ java Example -v inputFile1 inputFile2 2 files to process... ``` The `CommandLine.execute` method automatically prints the usage help message if the user requested help or when the input was invalid.  This can be customized in many ways. See the user manual [section on Executing Commands](https://picocli.info/#execute) for details. ## Usage Help with ANSI Colors and Styles Colors, styles, headers, footers and section headings are easily [customized with annotations](https://picocli.info/#_ansi_colors_and_styles). For example:  See the [source code](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/blob/v0.9.4/src/test/java/picocli/Demo.java#L337). ## Usage Help API Picocli annotations offer many ways to customize the usage help message. If annotations are not sufficient, you can use picocli's [Help API](https://picocli.info/#_usage_help_api) to customize even further. For example, your application can generate help like this with a custom layout:  See the [source code](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/blob/master/src/test/java/picocli/CustomLayoutDemo.java#L61). ## Download You can add picocli as an external dependency to your project, or you can include it as source. See the [source code](https://github.com/remkop/picocli/blob/master/src/main/java/picocli/CommandLine.java). Copy and paste it into a file called `CommandLine.java`, add it to your project, and enjoy! ### Gradle ``` implementation 'info.picocli:picocli:4.6.1' ``` ### Maven ``` info.picocli picocli 4.6.1 ``` ### Scala SBT ``` libraryDependencies += "info.picocli" % "picocli" % "4.6.1" ``` ### Ivy ``` ``` ### Grape ```groovy @Grapes( @Grab(group='info.picocli', module='picocli', version='4.6.1') ) ``` ### Leiningen ``` [info.picocli/picocli "4.6.1"] ``` ### Buildr ``` 'info.picocli:picocli:jar:4.6.1' ``` ### JBang ``` //DEPS info.picocli:picocli:4.6.1 ```