First Steps
The simplest example¶
The simplest Typer file could look like this:
import typer
def main():
print("Hello World")
if __name__ == "__main__":
typer.run(main)
Copy that to a file main.py.
Test it:
$ python main.py
Hello World
// It just prints "Hello World".
// Now check the --help
$ python main.py --help
<b> </b><font color="#F4BF75"><b>Usage: </b></font><b>main.py [OPTIONS] </b>
<b> </b>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╭─ Options ─────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#A1EFE4"><b>--help</b></font> Show this message │
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ and exit. │</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
...but this program is still not very useful. Let's extend it.
What is a CLI argument¶
Here we will use the word CLI argument to refer to CLI parameters passed in some specific order to the CLI application. By default, they are required.
If you go to your terminal and type:
$ ls ./myproject
first-steps.md intro.md
ls will show the contents of the directory ./myproject.
lsis the program (or "command", "CLI app")../myprojectis a CLI argument, in this case it refers to the path of a directory.
They are a bit different from CLI options that you will see later below.
Add a CLI argument¶
Update the previous example with an argument name:
import typer
def main(name: str):
print(f"Hello {name}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
typer.run(main)
$ python main.py
// If you run it without the argument, it shows a nice error
<font color="#F4BF75">Usage: </font>main.py [OPTIONS] NAME
<font color="#A5A5A1">Try </font><font color="#44919F">'main.py </font><font color="#44919F"><b>--help</b></font><font color="#44919F">'</font><font color="#A5A5A1"> for help.</font>
<font color="#F92672">╭─ Error ───────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#F92672">│</font> Missing argument 'NAME'. <font color="#F92672">│</font>
<font color="#F92672">╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
// Now pass that NAME CLI argument
$ python main.py Camila
Hello Camila
// Here "Camila" is the CLI argument
// To pass a name with spaces for the same CLI argument, use quotes
$ python main.py "Camila Gutiérrez"
Hello Camila Gutiérrez
Tip
If you need to pass a single value that contains spaces to a CLI argument, use quotes (") around it.
Two CLI arguments¶
Now let's say we want to have the name and last name separated.
So, extend that to have 2 arguments, name and lastname:
import typer
def main(name: str, lastname: str):
print(f"Hello {name} {lastname}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
typer.run(main)
// Check the main --help
$ python main.py --help
<font color="#F4BF75">Usage: </font>main.py [OPTIONS] NAME
<font color="#A5A5A1">Try </font><font color="#44919F">'main.py </font><font color="#44919F"><b>--help</b></font><font color="#44919F">'</font><font color="#A5A5A1"> for help.</font>
<font color="#F92672">╭─ Error ───────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#F92672">│</font> Missing argument 'NAME'. <font color="#F92672">│</font>
<font color="#F92672">╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
<font color="#A1EFE4"><b>typer</b></font> on <font color="#AE81FF"><b> richify</b></font> <font color="#F92672"><b>[»!?] </b></font>via <font color="#F4BF75"><b>🐍 v3.7.5 (env3.7)</b></font>
<font color="#F92672"><b>❯</b></font> <font color="#A6E22E">python</font> <u style="text-decoration-style:single">main.py</u>
<font color="#F4BF75">Usage: </font>main.py [OPTIONS] NAME LASTNAME
<font color="#A5A5A1">Try </font><font color="#44919F">'main.py </font><font color="#44919F"><b>--help</b></font><font color="#44919F">'</font><font color="#A5A5A1"> for help.</font>
<font color="#F92672">╭─ Error ───────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#F92672">│</font> Missing argument 'NAME'. <font color="#F92672">│</font>
<font color="#F92672">╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
// There are now 2 CLI arguments, name and lastname
// Now pass a single name argument
$ python main.py Camila
<font color="#F4BF75">Usage: </font>main.py [OPTIONS] NAME LASTNAME
<font color="#A5A5A1">Try </font><font color="#44919F">'main.py </font><font color="#44919F"><b>--help</b></font><font color="#44919F">'</font><font color="#A5A5A1"> for help.</font>
<font color="#F92672">╭─ Error ───────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#F92672">│</font> Missing argument 'LASTNAME'. <font color="#F92672">│</font>
<font color="#F92672">╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
// These 2 arguments are required, so, pass both:
$ python main.py Camila Gutiérrez
Hello Camila Gutiérrez
Tip
Notice that the order is important. The last name has to go after the first name.
If you called it with:
$ python main.py Gutiérrez Camila
your app wouldn't have a way to know which is the name and which the lastname. It expects the first CLI argument to be the name and the second CLI argument to be the lastname.
What is a CLI option¶
Here we will use the word CLI option to refer to CLI parameters passed to the CLI application with a specific name. For example, if you go to your terminal and type:
$ ls ./myproject --size
12 first-steps.md 4 intro.md
ls will show the contents of the directory ./myproject with their size.
lsis the program (or "command", "CLI app")../myprojectis a CLI argument.--sizeis an optional CLI option.
The program knows it has to show the size because it sees --size, not because of the order.
A CLI option like --size doesn't depend on the order like a CLI argument.
So, if you put the --size before the CLI argument, it still works (in fact, that's the most common way of doing it):
$ ls --size ./myproject
12 first-steps.md 4 intro.md
The main visual difference between a CLI option and a CLI argument is that the CLI option has -- prepended to the name, like in "--size".
A CLI option doesn't depend on the order because it has a predefined name (here it's --size). This is because the CLI app is looking specifically for a literal --size parameter (also known as "flag" or "switch"), with that specific "name" (here the specific name is "--size"). The CLI app will check if you typed it or not, it will be actively looking for --size even if you didn't type it (to check if it's there or not).
In contrast, the CLI app is not actively looking for the CLI argument with a text "./myproject", it has no way to know if you would type ./myproject or ./my-super-awesome-project or anything else. It's just waiting to get whatever you give it. The only way to know that you refer to a specific CLI argument is because of the order. The same way that it knows that the first CLI argument was the name and the second was the lastname, but if you mixed the order, it wouldn't be able to handle it.
Instead, with a CLI option, the order doesn't matter.
Also, by default, a CLI option is optional (not required).
So, by default:
- A CLI argument is required
- A CLI option is optional
But the required and optional defaults can be changed.
So, the main and most important difference is that:
- CLI options start with
--and don't depend on the order - CLI arguments depend on the sequence order
Tip
In this example above the CLI option --size is just a "flag" or "switch" that will contain a boolean value, True or False, depending on if it was added to the command or not.
This one doesn't receive any values. But CLI options can also receive values like CLI arguments. You'll see how later.
Add one CLI option¶
Now add a --formal CLI option:
import typer
def main(name: str, lastname: str, formal: bool = False):
if formal:
print(f"Good day Ms. {name} {lastname}.")
else:
print(f"Hello {name} {lastname}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
typer.run(main)
Here formal is a bool that is False by default.
// Get the help
$ python main.py --help
<b> </b><font color="#F4BF75"><b>Usage: </b></font><b>main.py [OPTIONS] NAME LASTNAME </b>
<b> </b>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╭─ Arguments ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#F92672">*</font> name <font color="#F4BF75"><b>TEXT</b></font> [default: None] <font color="#A6194C">[required]</font> │
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#F92672">*</font> lastname <font color="#F4BF75"><b>TEXT</b></font> [default: None] <font color="#A6194C">[required]</font> │
<font color="#A5A5A1">╰─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╭─ Options ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#A1EFE4"><b>--formal</b></font> <font color="#AE81FF"><b>--no-formal</b></font> [default: no-formal] │
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#A1EFE4"><b>--help</b></font> Show this message and │
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ exit. │</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╰─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
Tip
Notice that it automatically creates a --formal and a --no-formal because it detected that formal is a bool.
Now call it normally:
$ python main.py Camila Gutiérrez
Hello Camila Gutiérrez
// But if you pass --formal
$ python main.py Camila Gutiérrez --formal
Good day Ms. Camila Gutiérrez.
// And as --formal is a CLI option you can put it anywhere in this command
$ python main.py Camila --formal Gutiérrez
Good day Ms. Camila Gutiérrez.
$ python main.py --formal Camila Gutiérrez
Good day Ms. Camila Gutiérrez.
A CLI option with a value¶
To convert the lastname from a CLI argument to a CLI option, give it a default value of "":
import typer
def main(name: str, lastname: str = "", formal: bool = False):
if formal:
print(f"Good day Ms. {name} {lastname}.")
else:
print(f"Hello {name} {lastname}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
typer.run(main)
As lastname now has a default value of "" (an empty string) it is no longer required in the function, and Typer will now by default make it an optional CLI option.
$ python main.py --help
<b> </b><font color="#F4BF75"><b>Usage: </b></font><b>main.py [OPTIONS] NAME </b>
<b> </b>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╭─ Arguments ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#F92672">*</font> name <font color="#F4BF75"><b>TEXT</b></font> [default: None] <font color="#A6194C">[required]</font> │
<font color="#A5A5A1">╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╭─ Options ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#A1EFE4"><b>--lastname</b></font> <font color="#F4BF75"><b>TEXT</b></font> │
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#A1EFE4"><b>--formal</b></font> <font color="#AE81FF"><b>--no-formal</b></font> <font color="#F4BF75"><b> </b></font> [default: no-formal] │
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#A1EFE4"><b>--help</b></font> <font color="#F4BF75"><b> </b></font> Show this message │
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ and exit. │</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
Tip
Notice the --lastname, and notice that it takes a textual value.
A CLI option with a value like --lastname (contrary to a CLI option without a value, a bool flag, like --formal or --size) takes as its value whatever is at the right side of the CLI option.
// Call it without a --lastname
$ python main.py Camila
Hello Camila
// Pass the --lastname
$ python main.py Camila --lastname Gutiérrez
Hello Camila Gutiérrez
Tip
Notice that "Gutiérrez" is at the right side of --lastname. A CLI option with a value takes as its value whatever is at the right side.
And as --lastname is now a CLI option that doesn't depend on the order, you can pass it before the name:
$ python main.py --lastname Gutiérrez Camila
// and it will still work normally
Hello Camila Gutiérrez
Document your CLI app¶
If you add a docstring to your function it will be used in the help text:
import typer
def main(name: str, lastname: str = "", formal: bool = False):
"""
Say hi to NAME, optionally with a --lastname.
If --formal is used, say hi very formally.
"""
if formal:
print(f"Good day Ms. {name} {lastname}.")
else:
print(f"Hello {name} {lastname}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
typer.run(main)
Now see it with the --help option:
$ python main.py --help
<b> </b><font color="#F4BF75"><b>Usage: </b></font><b>main.py [OPTIONS] NAME </b>
<b> </b>
Say hi to NAME, optionally with a <font color="#A1EFE4"><b>--lastname</b></font>.
If <font color="#6B9F98"><b>--formal</b></font><font color="#A5A5A1"> is used, say hi very formally. </font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╭─ Arguments ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#F92672">*</font> name <font color="#F4BF75"><b>TEXT</b></font> [default: None] <font color="#A6194C">[required]</font> │
<font color="#A5A5A1">╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╭─ Options ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#A1EFE4"><b>--lastname</b></font> <font color="#F4BF75"><b>TEXT</b></font> │
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#A1EFE4"><b>--formal</b></font> <font color="#AE81FF"><b>--no-formal</b></font> <font color="#F4BF75"><b> </b></font> [default: no-formal] │
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ </font><font color="#A1EFE4"><b>--help</b></font> <font color="#F4BF75"><b> </b></font> Show this message │
<font color="#A5A5A1">│ and exit. │</font>
<font color="#A5A5A1">╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯</font>
Tip
There is another place to document the specific CLI options and CLI arguments that will show up next to them in the help text as with --install-completion or --help, you will learn that later in the tutorial.
Arguments, options, parameters, optional, required¶
Be aware that these terms refer to multiple things depending on the context, and sadly, those "contexts" mix frequently, so it's easy to get confused.
In Python¶
In Python, the names of the variables in a function, like name and lastname:
def main(name: str, lastname: str = ""):
pass
are called "Python function parameters" or "Python function arguments".
Technical Details
There's actually a very small distinction in Python between "parameter" and "argument".
It's quite technical... and somewhat pedantic.
Parameter refers to the variable name in a function declaration. Like:
def bring_person(name: str, lastname: str = ""):
pass
Argument refers to the value passed when calling a function. Like:
person = bring_person("Camila", lastname="Gutiérrez")
...but you will probably see them used interchangeably in most of the places (including here).
Python default values¶
In Python, in a function, a parameter with a default value like lastname in:
def main(name: str, lastname: str = ""):
pass
is considered an "optional parameter" (or "optional argument").
The default value can be anything, like "" or None.
And a parameter like name, that doesn't have a default value, is considered required.
In CLIs¶
When talking about command line interface applications, the words "argument" and "parameter" are commonly used to refer to that data passed to a CLI app, those parameters.
But those words don't imply anything about the data being required, needing to be passed in a certain order, nor having a flag like --lastname.
The parameters that come with a name like --lastname (and optionally a value) are commonly optional, not required. So, when talking about CLIs it's common to call them optional arguments or optional parameters. Sometimes these optional parameters that start with -- are also called a flag or a switch.
In reality, the parameters that require an order can be made optional too. And the ones that come with a flag (like --lastname) can be required too.
In Typer¶
To try and make it a bit easier, we'll normally use the words "parameter" or "argument" to refer to Python functions.
We'll use CLI argument to refer to those CLI parameters that depend on the specific order. That are required by default.
And we'll use CLI option to refer to those CLI parameters that depend on a name that starts with -- (like --lastname). That are optional by default.
We will use CLI parameter to refer to both, CLI arguments and CLI options.
The typer Command¶
When you install typer, by default it adds a typer command to your shell.
This typer command allows you to run your scripts with ✨ auto completion ✨ in your terminal.
As an alternative to running with Python:
$ python main.py
Hello World
You can run with the typer command:
$ typer main.py run
Hello World
...and it will give you auto completion in your terminal when you hit TAB for all your code.
So you can use it to have auto completion for your own scripts as you continue with the tutorial.
Tip
Your CLI application built with Typer won't need the typer command to have auto completion once you create a Python package.
But for short scripts and for learning, before creating a Python package, it might be useful.