1 package com.lexicalscope.jewel.cli;
2
3 /**
4 * Parses arguments and presents them, in a typesafe style, as an instance of
5 * the interface <code>O</code>
6 *
7 * @author Tim Wood
8 *
9 * @param <O>
10 * The type of interface provided by this Cli
11 */
12 public interface Cli<O> {
13 /**
14 * Parse the arguments and present them as an instance of the interface O
15 *
16 * @param arguments
17 * The arguments that will be parsed
18 *
19 * @return An instance of the interface O which will present the parsed
20 * arguments
21 *
22 * @throws ArgumentValidationException the arguments do not meet the cli specification
23 */
24 O parseArguments(String... arguments) throws ArgumentValidationException;
25
26 /**
27 * Get a help message suitable for describing the options to the user
28 *
29 * @return A help message
30 */
31 String getHelpMessage();
32
33 /**
34 * BETA: may be removed or altered in future versions
35 *
36 * Fill in a help message suitable for describing the options to the user
37 */
38 void describeTo(HelpMessage helpMessage);
39 }