Home Python How to use argparse module In Python

How to use argparse module In Python

Using getopt module

Using argparse module is a better option than the above two options as it provides a lot of options such as positional arguments, default value for arguments, help message, specifying data type of argument etc. 
 

Note: As a default optional argument, it includes -h, along with its long version –help.
 

Example 1: Basic use of argparse module.
 

Python3




# Python program to demonstrate
# command line arguments
 
 
import argparse
 
# Initialize parser
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
parser.parse_args()
 






                        









																																						

																								

																										
Output:
 

																																						

																								

																										

																																						

																								

																										
  
Example 2: Adding description to the help message.
 

																																						

																								

																										


Python3














                                    




                                    

                                    




                                    




                                    

                                    

                                    
                                




















# Python program to demonstrate


# command line arguments


 


 


import argparse


 


msg = "Adding description"


 


# Initialize parser


parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description = msg)


parser.parse_args()



















                        







                        









																																						

																								

																										
Output:
 

																																						

																								

																										

																																						

																								

																										
  
Example 3: Defining optional value
 

																																						

																								

																										


Python3














                                    




                                    

                                    




                                    




                                    

                                    

                                    
                                




















# Python program to demonstrate


# command line arguments


 


 


import argparse


 


 


# Initialize parser


parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()


 


# Adding optional argument


parser.add_argument("-o", "--Output", help = "Show Output")


 


# Read arguments from command line


args = parser.parse_args()


 


if args.Output:


    print("Displaying Output as: % s" % args.Output)



















                        







                        









																																						

																								

																										
Output:
 

																																						

																								

																										

																																						

																								

																										
 

																																						

																								

																										

																																						

																								

																										

																																						

																								

																										

																																						

																							

											
											

												
Command Line Arguments in Python

																								

																										
The arguments that are given after the name of the program in the command line shell of the operating system are known as Command Line Arguments. Python provides various ways of dealing with these types of arguments. The three most common are: 

																																						

																								

																										
    

  • Using sys.argv
    • 

  • Using getopt module
    • 

  • Using argparse module
    • 


																																						

																							

										


										
										

											
Similar Reads

																						

												
													

														Using sys.argv

													

														The sys module provides functions and variables used to manipulate different parts of the Python runtime environment. This module provides access to some variables used or maintained by the interpreter and to functions that interact strongly with the interpreter.One such variable is sys.argv which is a simple list structure. It’s main purpose are:...
													

												
											

																						

												
													

														Using getopt module

													

														...
													

												
											

																						

												
													

														Using argparse module

													

														Python getopt module is similar to the getopt() function of C. Unlike sys module getopt module extends the separation of the input string by parameter validation. It allows both short, and long options including a value assignment. However, this module requires the use of the sys module to process input data properly. To use getopt module, it is required to remove the first element from the list of command-line arguments....
													

												
											

																					


									

									

										
Tags:

																				#python-utility
																				#Python
																				#python
										
									

									

										

																						
												
												Using getopt module
											
																					

										

																					

									

								

								

									
Contact Us

									
									
									
								

							

							
						

					

				

			

			

	

		

			

				
				Categories
				
			

			Learn the most popular programming languages in the world.