Question 1

How to add custom commands in cli C++ library?

Accepted Answer

Use the Menu::Insert method with free functions, std::function, or lambdas, as shown in the README examples. Parameters can be basic types, strings, or custom types by overloading std::istream::operator>>, and you can handle arbitrary parameters with std::vector<std::string>.

Question 2

cli vs GNU readline for interactive terminals?

Accepted Answer

cli is a C++ header-only library focused on hierarchical menus and async architecture, ideal for structured CLI tools like network equipment interfaces. GNU readline is a C library for line editing with broader support but less built-in menu management, so cli is better for complex menu-driven applications.

Question 3

How to enable telnet server in cli?

Accepted Answer

Use BoostAsioScheduler or StandaloneAsioScheduler along with CliTelnetServer (e.g., BoostAsioCliTelnetServer), as detailed in the Async programming section. You need to link with asio or boost libraries and specify paths during compilation, such as using CMake with -DCLI_UseBoostAsio=ON.

Question 4

Does cli support Windows command line?

Accepted Answer

Yes, cli is cross-platform and works on Windows, as indicated by the win CI badge in the README. Compilation can be done with Visual Studio, nmake files, or CMake, ensuring consistent behavior across Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Question 5

How to handle exceptions in cli command handlers?

Accepted Answer

Register a custom StdExceptionHandler using cli.StdExceptionHandler method to catch and handle exceptions thrown during command execution, as shown in the README example. This allows for graceful error reporting without crashing the application.

Question 6

What are the performance implications of cli's async schedulers?

Accepted Answer

The async schedulers like LoopScheduler run commands in a single thread, simplifying synchronization but potentially introducing latency for CPU-bound tasks. For I/O-heavy applications, such as remote sessions, the async model can improve efficiency by avoiding blocking calls.

cli

What is cli?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions