argtable3 ☆

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Description:
ANSI C library for parsing GNU-style command-line options

Type: Formula | Latest Version: 3.3.1@0 | Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Developer tools

Tags: c-library cli command-line parsing development

Install: brew install argtable3

About:
Argtable3 is a single-file ANSI C library that parses GNU-style command-line options using a declarative table-driven approach. It automatically generates help and usage messages, simplifying CLI development and reducing boilerplate code. This makes it an ideal solution for lightweight, portable applications requiring robust argument parsing.

Key Features:

Single-file library for easy integration
Declarative table-driven argument definition
Automatic generation of help and usage messages
ANSI C (C89) compatible for maximum portability

Use Cases:

Embedding command-line parsing in C/C++ applications
Creating lightweight, portable CLI tools
Quickly prototyping command-line interfaces without complex dependencies

Alternatives:

getopt – Standard on POSIX systems but lacks automatic help generation and is imperative rather than declarative.
libcli – Often refers to a different library for interactive CLI menus, whereas Argtable3 focuses on command-line argument parsing.

License: BSD-3-Clause

Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 11, 2025 1:12am		0	VERSION_BUMP	96ce1605