Metadata

The metadata helpers read a definition and return a flat, fully resolved description of it. They fill in defaults, turn missing text into an empty string, and turn missing lists into empty arrays. You never have to check for undefined.

This is what the built-in help and Markdown generators use. Reach for it when you want to build output of your own.

import { getCliMetadata } from "@staticbolt/args-parser";

const metadata = getCliMetadata(listyCLI);

for (const option of metadata.options) {
  console.log(option.nameAsArg, option.optional ? "(optional)" : "", option.description);
}

Functions

Function	Returns
`getCliMetadata(cliDefinition)`	`CliMetadata`
`getSubcommandsMetadata(subcommands)`	`SubcommandMetadata[]`
`getOptionsMetadata(options)`	`OptionMetadata[]`
`getArgumentsMetadata(arguments)`	`ArgumentMetadata[]`

getCliMetadata already includes the other three. You only need the rest when you are working with a piece of a definition on its own.

CliMetadata

Field	Type	Description
`name`	`string`	The CLI name.
`title`	`string`	`meta.markdownTitle`, or the name.
`description`	`string`	Empty when not set.
`descriptionMarkdown`	`string`	Empty when not set.
`usage`	`string`	Empty when not set.
`example`	`string`	Empty when not set.
`allowPositionals`	`boolean`
`options`	`OptionMetadata[]`	Empty when there are none.
`arguments`	`ArgumentMetadata[]`	Empty when there are none.
`subcommands`	`SubcommandMetadata[]`	Empty when there are none.

SubcommandMetadata

Same as CliMetadata, minus title and subcommands, plus:

Field	Type	Description
`name`	`string`	The subcommand name.
`aliases`	`string[]`	Empty when there are none.
`placeholder`	`string`	Empty when not set.
`hidden`	`boolean`	Whether it is left out of docs and help.

OptionMetadata

Field	Type	Description
`name`	`string`	The name as written in code.
`nameAsArg`	`string`	The flag, for example `--input-dir`.
`aliases`	`string[]`	Aliases as written in code.
`aliasesAsArgs`	`string[]`	Aliases as flags, for example `["-i"]`.
`placeholder`	`string`	Empty when not set.
`description`	`string`	Empty when not set.
`descriptionMarkdown`	`string`	Empty when not set.
`example`	`string`	Empty when not set.
`defaultValue`	`unknown`	The schema's default, if it has one.
`defaultValueAsString`	`string`	The same value, ready to print. Empty when there is none.
`optional`	`boolean`	Resolved from the schema, or from `meta.optional`.
`hidden`	`boolean`	Whether it is left out of docs and help.
`schema`	`Schema`	The original schema.

ArgumentMetadata

Same as OptionMetadata, minus the flag and alias fields and placeholder. name is the argument name, already respecting meta.name.