10 Advanced Python CLI Tricks To Save You From Writing Code

Here are 10 advanced Python Command Line Interface (CLI) tricks and techniques that can help you save time and effort when working with CLI applications:

Click Library:

Click is a powerful Python library for creating command-line interfaces. It simplifies the process of defining and parsing command-line arguments and options. By using Click, you can create well-structured and user-friendly CLI applications with minimal code.

import click

@click.command()

@click.option('--name', prompt='Your name', help='Your name')

def hello(name):

    click.echo(f'Hello, {name}!')

if __name__ == '__main__':

    hello()

Argparse Subcommands:

If your CLI application has multiple subcommands, use the argparse library to define and manage them. Subcommands allow you to organize your CLI tools logically.

Colorama for Colored Output:

The Colorama library makes it easy to add colored text to your CLI application's output. This can help highlight important information and make your tool more user-friendly.

from colorama import Fore, Style

print(f'{Fore.GREEN}Success!{Style.RESET_ALL} Operation completed.')

Progress Bars with TQDM:

Use the tqdm library to add progress bars to your CLI applications, especially for time-consuming tasks. It provides a visual indicator of progress.

from tqdm import tqdm

import time

for i in tqdm(range(10)):

    time.sleep(1)

Configparser for Configuration Files:

The configparser library allows you to read and write configuration files for your CLI application. This is useful for storing settings and user preferences.

Logging:

Implement robust logging using Python's built-in logging module. It helps you track errors, debug your application, and provide better user feedback.

import logging

logging.basicConfig(filename='myapp.log', level=logging.INFO)

Interactive Menus:

If your CLI application has a menu-driven interface, use libraries like inquirer or prompt_toolkit to create interactive menus for user input.

Shell Command Execution:

You can execute shell commands from within your Python CLI application using the subprocess module. This is useful for running external commands and integrating them into your tool.

import subprocess

result = subprocess.run(['ls', '-l'], capture_output=True, text=True)

print(result.stdout)

Table Formatting:

Use libraries like tabulate or PrettyTable to format data into tables for better presentation, especially when dealing with tabular data in your CLI application.

Unit Testing:

Make use of Python's unittest or pytest to create unit tests for your CLI application. Proper testing ensures that your code is robust and reliable.

These advanced Python CLI tricks should help you streamline the development and improve the user experience of your command-line applications. Remember to choose the right tools and techniques based on your specific requirements.