Replaced minimist with mri for lighter CLI args parsing

[outslept]

Note

Keeping this as a draft in case of possible discussions

To ensure compatibility, I created a small script comparing both libraries across various CLI argument scenarios
See below for the test cases used and the output.

---

Test script used:

compare.js

const minimist = require('minimist');
const mri = require('mri');

const options = {
  string: ['dir', 'input', 'port', 'stringArg', 'foo-bar'],
  boolean: ['version', 'help', 'domdiff', 'boolArg', 'boolArg2', 'flag'],
  alias: {
    input: ['dir', 'i'],
    dir: ['input', 'd'],
    version: 'v',
    help: 'h',
    'foo-bar': ['foobar', 'fb']
  },
  default: {
    dir: 'defaultDir',
    port: '3000',
    domdiff: false,
    version: false,
    help: false,
    boolArg: false,
    boolArg2: true,
    stringArg: 'defaultString',
    flag: true,
    'foo-bar': 'baz'
  }
};

const tests = [
  // Basic string/boolean/number flags
  ['--dir=src', '--input=test', '--port', '8080', '--version', '--help', '--domdiff'],
  // Boolean/string values and overrides
  ['--boolArg', '--boolArg2=false', '--stringArg=hello'],
  // Aliases and short flags
  ['-d', 'aliased', '-i', 'double', '-v', '-h'],
  // Repeated (array) values
  ['--dir=src', '--dir=dist', '--input=foo'],
  // Positional and mixed args
  ['file1', 'file2', '--dir=src', '--port=5000'],
  // Boolean flags with/without value
  ['--boolArg', '--boolArg2', '--flag=false'],
  ['--boolArg=false', '--boolArg2=true', '--flag'],
  // Numeric values
  ['--port=8080', '--port', '9090'],
  // Unknown flags
  ['--unknown', '--dir=src'],
  // Combined short flags
  ['-abc'],
  // Dashed flags
  ['--foo-bar=123', '--foobar=456', '--fb=789'],
  // Defaults (no args)
  [],
  // "--" parsing stop scenario
  ['--dir=src', '--', '--notAFlag', 'positional'],
  // String/boolean mix and edge-cases
  ['--version', '--version=false', '--help=hello'],
];

console.log('=== minimist ===');
for (const args of tests) {
  try {
    const result = minimist(args, {
      ...options,
      unknown: (arg) => {
        console.log(`[minimist unknown] ${arg}`);
        return false;
      }
    });
    console.log(`args: ${JSON.stringify(args)} =>`);
    console.dir(result, { depth: null });
    console.log();
  } catch (e) {
    console.error('minimist error:', e.message);
  }
}

console.log('=== mri ===');
for (const args of tests) {
  try {
    const result = mri(args, {
      ...options,
      unknown: (arg) => {
        console.log(`[mri unknown] ${arg}`);
        throw new Error(`[mri unknown] ${arg}`);
      }
    });
    console.log(`args: ${JSON.stringify(args)} =>`);
    console.dir(result, { depth: null });
    console.log();
  } catch (e) {
    console.error('mri error:', e.message);
  }
}

---

Test output:

Console output

~ node .\compare.js

=== minimist ===
args: ["--dir=src","--input=test","--port","8080","--version","--help","--domdiff"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: true,
  v: true,
  help: true,
  h: true,
  domdiff: true,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  dir: [ 'src', 'test' ],
  input: [ 'src', 'test' ],
  d: [ 'src', 'test' ],
  port: '8080',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--boolArg","--boolArg2=false","--stringArg=hello"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: true,
  boolArg2: false,
  flag: true,
  stringArg: 'hello',
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  d: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["-d","aliased","-i","double","-v","-h"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: true,
  v: true,
  help: true,
  h: true,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  d: 'aliased',
  dir: [ 'aliased', 'double' ],
  input: [ 'aliased', 'double' ],
  i: 'double',
  port: '3000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--dir=src","--dir=dist","--input=foo"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  dir: [ 'src', 'dist', 'foo' ],
  input: [ 'src', 'dist', 'foo' ],
  d: [ 'src', 'dist', 'foo' ],
  port: '3000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

[minimist unknown] file1
[minimist unknown] file2
args: ["file1","file2","--dir=src","--port=5000"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  dir: 'src',
  input: 'src',
  d: 'src',
  port: '5000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--boolArg","--boolArg2","--flag=false"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: true,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: false,
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  d: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--boolArg=false","--boolArg2=true","--flag"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  d: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--port=8080","--port","9090"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  port: [ '8080', '9090' ],
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  d: 'defaultDir',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

[minimist unknown] --unknown
args: ["--unknown","--dir=src"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  dir: 'src',
  input: 'src',
  d: 'src',
  port: '3000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

[minimist unknown] -abc
[minimist unknown] -abc
[minimist unknown] -abc
args: ["-abc"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  d: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--foo-bar=123","--foobar=456","--fb=789"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  'foo-bar': [ '123', '456', '789' ],
  foobar: [ '123', '456', '789' ],
  fb: [ '123', '456', '789' ],
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  d: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString'
}

args: [] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  d: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--dir=src","--","--notAFlag","positional"] =>
{
  _: [ '--notAFlag', 'positional' ],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: false,
  h: false,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  dir: 'src',
  input: 'src',
  d: 'src',
  port: '3000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--version","--version=false","--help=hello"] =>
{
  _: [],
  version: false,
  v: false,
  help: true,
  h: true,
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  d: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

=== mri ===
args: ["--dir=src","--input=test","--port","8080","--version","--help","--domdiff"] =>
{
  _: [],
  dir: 'src',
  input: 'src',
  port: '8080',
  version: true,
  help: true,
  domdiff: true,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  flag: true,
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  i: 'src',
  v: true,
  h: true,
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--boolArg","--boolArg2=false","--stringArg=hello"] =>
{
  _: [],
  boolArg: true,
  boolArg2: false,
  stringArg: 'hello',
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  domdiff: false,
  version: false,
  help: false,
  flag: true,
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  i: 'defaultDir',
  v: false,
  h: false,
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

[mri unknown] -d
mri error: [mri unknown] -d
args: ["--dir=src","--dir=dist","--input=foo"] =>
{
  _: [],
  dir: [ 'src', 'dist' ],
  input: [ 'src', 'dist' ],
  port: '3000',
  domdiff: false,
  version: false,
  help: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  flag: true,
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  i: [ 'src', 'dist' ],
  v: false,
  h: false,
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["file1","file2","--dir=src","--port=5000"] =>
{
  _: [ 'file1', 'file2' ],
  dir: 'src',
  port: '5000',
  domdiff: false,
  version: false,
  help: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  flag: true,
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  input: 'src',
  i: 'src',
  v: false,
  h: false,
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--boolArg","--boolArg2","--flag=false"] =>
{
  _: [],
  boolArg: true,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: false,
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  domdiff: false,
  version: false,
  help: false,
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  i: 'defaultDir',
  v: false,
  h: false,
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--boolArg=false","--boolArg2=true","--flag"] =>
{
  _: [],
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  flag: true,
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  domdiff: false,
  version: false,
  help: false,
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  i: 'defaultDir',
  v: false,
  h: false,
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

args: ["--port=8080","--port","9090"] =>
{
  _: [],
  port: [ '8080', '9090' ],
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  domdiff: false,
  version: false,
  help: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  flag: true,
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  i: 'defaultDir',
  v: false,
  h: false,
  foobar: 'baz',
  fb: 'baz'
}

[mri unknown] --unknown
mri error: [mri unknown] --unknown
[mri unknown] -a
mri error: [mri unknown] -a
args: ["--foo-bar=123","--foobar=456","--fb=789"] =>
{
  _: [],
  'foo-bar': '123',
  foobar: '123',
  fb: '123',
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  domdiff: false,
  version: false,
  help: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  flag: true,
  input: 'defaultDir',
  i: 'defaultDir',
  v: false,
  h: false
}

args: [] =>
{
  _: [],
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  domdiff: false,
  version: false,
  help: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  flag: true,
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  input: 'defaultDir',
  i: 'defaultDir',
  v: false,
  h: false
}

args: ["--dir=src","--","--notAFlag","positional"] =>
{
  _: [ '--notAFlag', 'positional' ],
  dir: 'src',
  port: '3000',
  domdiff: false,
  version: false,
  help: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  flag: true,
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  input: 'src',
  i: 'src',
  v: false,
  h: false
}

args: ["--version","--version=false","--help=hello"] =>
{
  _: [ 'hello' ],
  version: [ true, false ],
  help: true,
  dir: 'defaultDir',
  port: '3000',
  domdiff: false,
  boolArg: false,
  boolArg2: true,
  stringArg: 'defaultString',
  flag: true,
  'foo-bar': 'baz',
  v: [ true, false ],
  h: true,
  input: 'defaultDir',
  i: 'defaultDir'
}

---