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fix: ignore non-command args after help flag #2382

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ffd2ee9
fix: ignore non-command args after help flag
happysnaker Jul 2, 2026
9aa667b
test: wire short option handling in help regression
happysnaker Jul 2, 2026
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6 changes: 5 additions & 1 deletion command_run.go
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ import (
"unicode"
)

type helpShownKey struct{}
type (
helpShownKey struct{}
helpFlagKey struct{}
)

func (cmd *Command) parseArgsFromStdin() ([]string, error) {
type state int
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -214,6 +217,7 @@ func (cmd *Command) run(ctx context.Context, osArgs []string) (_ context.Context

if cmd.checkHelp() {
ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, helpShownKey{}, true)
ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, helpFlagKey{}, true)
return ctx, helpCommandAction(ctx, cmd)
} else {
tracef("no help is wanted (cmd=%[1]q)", cmd.Name)
Expand Down
106 changes: 95 additions & 11 deletions command_test.go
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -165,22 +165,23 @@ func TestCommandFlagParsing(t *testing.T) {
}{
// Test normal "not ignoring flags" flow
{testArgs: []string{"test-cmd", "-break", "blah", "blah"}, skipFlagParsing: false, useShortOptionHandling: false, expectedErr: "flag provided but not defined: -break"},
{testArgs: []string{"test-cmd", "blah", "blah"}, skipFlagParsing: true, useShortOptionHandling: false}, // Test SkipFlagParsing without any args that look like flags
{testArgs: []string{"test-cmd", "blah", "-break"}, skipFlagParsing: true, useShortOptionHandling: false}, // Test SkipFlagParsing with random flag arg
{testArgs: []string{"test-cmd", "blah", "-help"}, skipFlagParsing: true, useShortOptionHandling: false}, // Test SkipFlagParsing with "special" help flag arg
{testArgs: []string{"test-cmd", "blah", "-h"}, skipFlagParsing: false, useShortOptionHandling: true, expectedErr: "No help topic for 'blah'"}, // Test UseShortOptionHandling
{testArgs: []string{"test-cmd", "blah", "blah"}, skipFlagParsing: true, useShortOptionHandling: false}, // Test SkipFlagParsing without any args that look like flags
{testArgs: []string{"test-cmd", "blah", "-break"}, skipFlagParsing: true, useShortOptionHandling: false}, // Test SkipFlagParsing with random flag arg
{testArgs: []string{"test-cmd", "blah", "-help"}, skipFlagParsing: true, useShortOptionHandling: false}, // Test SkipFlagParsing with "special" help flag arg
{testArgs: []string{"test-cmd", "blah", "-h"}, skipFlagParsing: false, useShortOptionHandling: true}, // Test help flag swallowing trailing positional args
}

for _, c := range cases {
t.Run(strings.Join(c.testArgs, " "), func(t *testing.T) {
cmd := &Command{
Writer: io.Discard,
Name: "test-cmd",
Aliases: []string{"tc"},
Usage: "this is for testing",
Description: "testing",
Action: func(context.Context, *Command) error { return nil },
SkipFlagParsing: c.skipFlagParsing,
Writer: io.Discard,
Name: "test-cmd",
Aliases: []string{"tc"},
Usage: "this is for testing",
Description: "testing",
Action: func(context.Context, *Command) error { return nil },
SkipFlagParsing: c.skipFlagParsing,
UseShortOptionHandling: c.useShortOptionHandling,
}

ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 100*time.Millisecond)
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -2687,6 +2688,89 @@ func TestCommand_Run_Help(t *testing.T) {
}
}

func TestCommand_Run_HelpFlagIgnoresNonCommandArguments(t *testing.T) {
t.Run("root command ignores positional args after help flag", func(t *testing.T) {
r := require.New(t)
var buf bytes.Buffer
var errBuf bytes.Buffer

cmd := &Command{
Writer: &buf,
ErrWriter: &errBuf,
Name: "myCLI",
Usage: "My Usage",
Commands: []*Command{
{
Name: "command",
Arguments: []Argument{
&StringArg{
Name: "arg1",
UsageText: "ARG1",
},
},
Usage: "Show the version of My CLI",
Action: func(context.Context, *Command) error {
return nil
},
},
},
Action: func(context.Context, *Command) error {
return nil
},
}

err := cmd.Run(buildTestContext(t), []string{"myCLI", "--help", "ciao"})
r.NoError(err)
r.Contains(buf.String(), "NAME:")
r.Contains(buf.String(), "myCLI - My Usage")
r.NotContains(buf.String(), "No help topic for")
r.NotContains(errBuf.String(), "Incorrect Usage")
})

for _, argv := range [][]string{
{"myCLI", "command", "ciao", "--help"},
{"myCLI", "command", "--help", "ciao"},
} {
t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("subcommand ignores positional args after help flag: %v", argv), func(t *testing.T) {
r := require.New(t)
var buf bytes.Buffer
var errBuf bytes.Buffer

cmd := &Command{
Writer: &buf,
ErrWriter: &errBuf,
Name: "myCLI",
Usage: "My Usage",
Commands: []*Command{
{
Name: "command",
Arguments: []Argument{
&StringArg{
Name: "arg1",
UsageText: "ARG1",
},
},
Usage: "Show the version of My CLI",
Action: func(context.Context, *Command) error {
return nil
},
},
},
Action: func(context.Context, *Command) error {
return nil
},
}

err := cmd.Run(buildTestContext(t), argv)
r.NoError(err)
r.Contains(buf.String(), "NAME:")
r.Contains(buf.String(), "myCLI command - Show the version of My CLI")
r.NotContains(buf.String(), "No help topic for")
r.NotContains(errBuf.String(), "Incorrect Usage")
})
}
}

func TestCommand_Run_Version(t *testing.T) {
versionArguments := [][]string{{"boom", "--version"}, {"boom", "-v"}}

Expand Down
16 changes: 10 additions & 6 deletions help.go
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ func buildHelpCommand(withAction bool) *Command {
func helpCommandAction(ctx context.Context, cmd *Command) error {
args := cmd.Args()
firstArg := args.First()
explicitHelpCommand := cmd.builtInHelp
helpFromFlag := ctx.Value(helpFlagKey{}) != nil

tracef("doing help for cmd %[1]q with args %[2]q", cmd, args)

Expand All @@ -98,7 +100,8 @@ func helpCommandAction(ctx context.Context, cmd *Command) error {
// $ app --help / -h # flag; show root help (ignores subsequent args)
// $ app help / h # subcommand; show root help
// $ app help / h foo # subcommand; show help for subcommand "foo"
// $ app --help / -h foo # flag; show help for subcommand "foo"
// $ app --help / -h foo # flag; show help for subcommand "foo" if it
// # matches a child command; otherwise ignore it
// $ app foo --help / -h # flag on subcommand; show help for "foo"
// $ app foo help / h # subcommand on subcommand; show help for "foo"
// $ app foo (no action) # default action on subcommand; show help for "foo"
Expand All @@ -117,11 +120,12 @@ func helpCommandAction(ctx context.Context, cmd *Command) error {
// Case 4. $ app help foo
// foo is the command for which help needs to be shown
if firstArg != "" {
/* if firstArg == "--" {
return nil
}*/
tracef("returning ShowCommandHelp with %[1]q", firstArg)
return ShowCommandHelp(ctx, cmd, firstArg)
if explicitHelpCommand || !helpFromFlag || cmd.Command(firstArg) != nil {
tracef("returning ShowCommandHelp with %[1]q", firstArg)
return ShowCommandHelp(ctx, cmd, firstArg)
}

tracef("ignoring positional help argument %[1]q that is not a child command", firstArg)
}

// Case 1 & 2
Expand Down