parse-help

library2.0.0jsnpmunverified

parse-help is a JavaScript utility for programmatically parsing the help output of command-line interfaces, extracting structured information about their flags, options, and aliases. It provides a structured object representation of CLI options, making it easier to analyze or process them within other tools. The current stable version is 2.0.0. The package is maintained by Sindre Sorhus, known for a high volume of small, focused utility packages, typically implying a stable but not necessarily rapid release cadence unless new features or breaking changes warrant it. A key differentiator is its focus specifically on parsing *help output* rather than building a CLI from scratch or parsing `argv` directly, making it useful for introspection or documentation generation from existing CLIs.

devops

npm install parse-help

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · PARSE-HELP

parse-help

devopsjavascriptv2.0.0

Install

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Import

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Disk

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Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

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

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

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

parseHelp

✓ import parseHelp from 'parse-help';

✗ const parseHelp = require('parse-help');

Since v2.0.0, parse-help is a pure ESM module and must be imported using ES modules syntax. CommonJS `require()` is no longer supported.

Demonstrates how to import and use `parseHelp` to process a sample CLI help string and output the structured flags and aliases.

import parseHelp from 'parse-help'; const helpOutput = ` Usage $ my-cli <command> [options] Options -v, --verbose Enable verbose logging --config <path> Specify a configuration file (default: config.json) -h, --help Show help information Examples $ my-cli start $ my-cli build --config custom.json `; const parsed = parseHelp(helpOutput); console.log('Parsed Flags:', JSON.stringify(parsed.flags, null, 2)); console.log('Parsed Aliases:', JSON.stringify(parsed.aliases, null, 2)); /* Output would be: Parsed Flags: { "verbose": { "alias": "v", "description": "Enable verbose logging" }, "config": { "description": "Specify a configuration file (default: config.json)" }, "help": { "alias": "h", "description": "Show help information" } } Parsed Aliases: { "v": "verbose", "h": "help" } */

Debug

Known issues

breakingparse-help v2.0.0 is a pure ESM module. It no longer supports CommonJS `require()` and must be used with `import` statements in an ESM environment.

fix

Ensure your project is configured for ESM. If using Node.js, add `"type": "module"` to your `package.json` or use `.mjs` file extensions. Update `require('parse-help')` to `import parseHelp from 'parse-help';`.

affects: >=2.0.0

breakingNode.js 12 or newer is now required for parse-help v2.0.0. Older Node.js versions are not supported.

fix

Upgrade your Node.js environment to version 12 or higher. To maintain compatibility with older Node.js versions, you must stick to parse-help v1.x.

affects: >=2.0.0

gotchaThe package specifically parses 'help output' as a string. It does not execute a CLI or interact with `process.argv` directly. The quality and format of the output heavily depend on the consistency and standard adherence of the input help string.

fix

Provide well-formatted help text that resembles common CLI help output. Test `parseHelp` with various actual outputs from your target CLIs to ensure correct parsing.

affects: >=1.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

ERR_REQUIRE_ESM

Attempting to `require()` parse-help in a CommonJS context when parse-help is a pure ESM package.

fix

Change your import statement from `const parseHelp = require('parse-help');` to `import parseHelp from 'parse-help';` and ensure your project is configured for ESM (e.g., `"type": "module"` in `package.json`).

SyntaxError: Cannot use import statement outside a module

Using `import parseHelp from 'parse-help';` in a file that Node.js is treating as CommonJS.

fix

Ensure the file where you are using the import statement is treated as an ES module. This typically means adding `"type": "module"` to your `package.json` or changing the file extension to `.mjs`.

Upgrade

Version history

2.0.0latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity

2 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/sindresorhus/parse-help ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/parse-help ↗