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Command Line Syntax Conventions

When documenting command-line commands, certain conventions are used to clarify how commands should be structured and which parts are required or optional.

Flags

Command-line flags or options are usually prefixed with -- for long-form options (e.g., --verbose) and - for short-form options (e.g., -v). Some commands support both styles, allowing users to choose the more convenient format.

Required Arguments

Required arguments are enclosed in angle brackets < >. These must be provided by the user for the command to execute correctly. For example, <filename> indicates that a filename is expected and must be specified.

Optional Arguments

Optional arguments are placed within square brackets [ ]. These can be included but are not necessary for the command to function. For instance, [--verbose] means that the --verbose flag can be added, but the command will still work without it.

Choices

A vertical bar | is used to separate choices, meaning the user can select one of the given options. For example, start | stop indicates that either start or stop must be used, but not both.

Ellipsis

Ellipsis ... signifies that multiple values of the same type can be supplied. If a command accepts one or more files, it may be written as <file>..., meaning the user can provide a list of files instead of just one.