decli

library0.6.3pypypi✓ verified 25d ago

Decli is a minimal wrapper around Python's `argparse` module, designed to simplify the creation of command-line interfaces (CLIs) using a declarative approach. It allows developers to define arguments, subcommands, and groups through Python dictionaries, promoting a clear separation between CLI definition and application logic. The library aims to reduce boilerplate commonly associated with `argparse`, making it easier to build complex CLIs. The current version is 0.6.3, and it is actively maintained.

devops

pip install decli

package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · DECLI

decli

devopspythonv0.6.3

Install

1.6s avg

Import

35ms

Disk

16MB

Pass rate

10/ 10

Env Coverage10 / 10

glibc

3.9–3.13

musl

3.9–3.13

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v0.6.3 · pip install

no network on importno background threads

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

py 3.10–3.95 runs

installs and imports cleanly · install 0.0s · import 0.036s · 17.8MB

glibc

py 3.10–3.95 runs

installs and imports cleanly · install 1.6s · import 0.034s · 18MB

16MB installed

● package 16MB

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

cli

✓ from decli import cli

This quickstart demonstrates how to define a basic CLI with a subcommand and an optional global argument using `decli`. The `cli` function takes a dictionary specifying the program's structure, arguments, and command functions. The example shows how to parse arguments and execute the associated function based on simulated command-line input.

from decli import cli data = { "prog": "mycli", "description": "A simple command-line tool.", "arguments": [ { "name": "--verbose", "action": "store_true", "help": "Enable verbose output" } ], "commands": [ { "name": "greet", "description": "Greets the specified person.", "arguments": [ { "name": "name", "help": "The name to greet" } ], "func": lambda args: print(f"Hello, {args.name}!" + (" (verbose)" if args.verbose else "")) } ] } parser = cli(data) # To simulate command-line input, you can pass a list of strings # For real execution, use parser.parse_args() # Example: python mycli greet World --verbose # Simulate 'greet World --verbose' args = parser.parse_args(['greet', 'World', '--verbose']) args.func(args) # Simulate 'greet Alice' args = parser.parse_args(['greet', 'Alice']) args.func(args)

decli --version

Debug

Known issues

gotchaDecli explicitly disallows nesting groups inside exclusive groups and will raise a `ValueError` if attempted. While `argparse` might allow this with broken help messages or non-functional exclusion, `decli` prevents it to maintain integrity.

fix

Avoid defining groups within exclusive groups. Structure your CLI arguments to respect this limitation.

affects: All versions

gotchaDecli is a wrapper around `argparse`, and while it simplifies definition, users still benefit greatly from understanding core `argparse` concepts (e.g., `action`, `nargs`, `const`, `dest`). Many `decli` dictionary keys directly map to `argparse` parameters, and their behavior is inherited from `argparse`.

fix

Familiarize yourself with fundamental `argparse` concepts and parameter behaviors to effectively leverage `decli`'s declarative capabilities and troubleshoot unexpected parsing behavior.

affects: All versions

Errors

Common errors & fixes

ValueError: It is not possible to have groups inside exclusive groups

The decli library does not support defining argument groups (such as `--foo --bar`) within an exclusive argument group (where only one option from the group can be selected), as this can lead to broken help messages and incorrect behavior in the underlying argparse parser.

fix

Restructure your CLI definition to ensure that argument groups are not nested inside exclusive groups. Exclusive groups should contain only individual optional arguments.

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'decli'

The 'decli' package is not installed in the Python environment being used, or the Python interpreter cannot locate the installed package.

fix

Install the decli library using pip: `pip install decli`. If you are working within a virtual environment, ensure it is activated before running the installation command.

KeyError: 'name'

An argument definition dictionary passed to decli is missing the mandatory 'name' key, which is essential for identifying the argument (e.g., '-f', '--foo', or a positional argument).

fix

Ensure that every dictionary defining an argument includes a 'name' key with a string or list of strings representing the argument's identifier(s).

TypeError: 'str' object is not callable

This error typically occurs when a value for an argument definition, such as the 'type' parameter, is provided as a string (e.g., 'int') instead of a callable Python type object (e.g., int).

fix

When defining argument types, use the actual Python type (e.g., `int`, `str`, `float`) directly, not its string representation. For example, use `'type': int` instead of `'type': 'int'`.

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Version history

0.6.3latest on PyPI · released Jun 1, 2025

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Agent activity

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Resources

packagehttps://pypi.org/project/decli/ ↗