Clak

Class-based command-line interfaces on top of Python’s argparse.

Define apps with Parser, Argument, and Command — same argument syntax you already know, plus optional components for views, logging, config, and shell completion.

Requires Python 3.10–3.14.

Start here

1. Install — pip install mrjk.clak
2. Quickstart — a two-command hello world
3. Getting started guide — arguments step by step

Then pick what you need:

I want to…	Go to
Build nested / git-like commands	Nested commands
Print tables / JSON from commands	Views
Add -v logging	Logging
Load XDG config files	Config
Ship shell tab-completion scripts	Completion
Handle errors with exit codes	Error handling
Paste context into an AI chat	AI primer · AI reference
Compare Clak to argparse, Click, Typer, Cliff	Comparison
See what is planned	Roadmap

Why Clak?

• Argparse-native — no new DSL; Argument(...) mirrors add_argument(...)
• Class-based — inheritance and composition for real apps
• Optional batteries — mix in views, logging, config, completion only when useful

Feature overview: Features. How Clak relates to argparse, Click, Typer, and Cliff: Comparison. Design notes: Architecture.