Allow disabling the built-in help option

Readme.md

@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ from `--help` listeners.)
 
 ### .helpOption(flags, description)
 
-Override the default help flags and description.
+Override the default help flags and description. Pass false to disable the built-in help option.
 
 ```js
 program

index.js

@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ class Command extends EventEmitter {
     this._aliases = [];
 
     this._hidden = false;
+    this._hasHelpOption = true;
     this._helpFlags = '-h, --help';
     this._helpDescription = 'display help for command';
     this._helpShortFlag = '-h';
@@ -184,6 +185,7 @@ class Command extends EventEmitter {
     if (opts.isDefault) this._defaultCommandName = cmd._name;
 
     cmd._hidden = !!(opts.noHelp || opts.hidden);
+    cmd._hasHelpOption = this._hasHelpOption;
     cmd._helpFlags = this._helpFlags;
     cmd._helpDescription = this._helpDescription;
     cmd._helpShortFlag = this._helpShortFlag;
@@ -1236,7 +1238,8 @@ Read more on https://git.io/JJc0W`);
       partCommands.unshift(parentCmd.name());
     }
     const fullCommand = partCommands.join(' ');
-    const message = `error: unknown command '${this.args[0]}'. See '${fullCommand} ${this._helpLongFlag}'.`;
+    const message = `error: unknown command '${this.args[0]}'.` +
+      (this._hasHelpOption ? ` See '${fullCommand} ${this._helpLongFlag}'.` : '');
     console.error(message);
     this._exit(1, 'commander.unknownCommand', message);
   };
@@ -1345,9 +1348,11 @@ Read more on https://git.io/JJc0W`);
       const args = this._args.map((arg) => {
         return humanReadableArgName(arg);
       });
-      return '[options]' +
-        (this.commands.length ? ' [command]' : '') +
-        (this._args.length ? ' ' + args.join(' ') : '');
+      return [].concat(
+        (this.options.length || this._hasHelpOption ? '[options]' : []),
+        (this.commands.length ? '[command]' : []),
+        (this._args.length ? args : [])
+      ).join(' ');
     }
 
     this._usage = str;
@@ -1490,8 +1495,8 @@ Read more on https://git.io/JJc0W`);
     });
 
     // Implicit help
-    const showShortHelpFlag = this._helpShortFlag && !this._findOption(this._helpShortFlag);
-    const showLongHelpFlag = !this._findOption(this._helpLongFlag);
+    const showShortHelpFlag = this._hasHelpOption && this._helpShortFlag && !this._findOption(this._helpShortFlag);
+    const showLongHelpFlag = this._hasHelpOption && !this._findOption(this._helpLongFlag);
     if (showShortHelpFlag || showLongHelpFlag) {
       let helpFlags = this._helpFlags;
       if (!showShortHelpFlag) {
@@ -1577,11 +1582,14 @@ Read more on https://git.io/JJc0W`);
     const commandHelp = this.commandHelp();
     if (commandHelp) cmds = [commandHelp];
 
-    const options = [
-      'Options:',
-      '' + this.optionHelp().replace(/^/gm, '  '),
-      ''
-    ];
+    let options = [];
+    if (this._hasHelpOption || this.options.length > 0) {
+      options = [
+        'Options:',
+        '' + this.optionHelp().replace(/^/gm, '  '),
+        ''
+      ];
+    }
 
     return usage
       .concat(desc)
@@ -1615,15 +1623,20 @@ Read more on https://git.io/JJc0W`);
 
   /**
    * You can pass in flags and a description to override the help
-   * flags and help description for your command.
+   * flags and help description for your command. Pass in false to
+   * disable the built-in help option.
    *
-   * @param {string} [flags]
+   * @param {string | boolean} [flags]
    * @param {string} [description]
    * @return {Command} `this` command for chaining
    * @api public
    */
 
   helpOption(flags, description) {
+    if (typeof flags === 'boolean') {
+      this._hasHelpOption = flags;
+      return this;
+    }
     this._helpFlags = flags || this._helpFlags;
     this._helpDescription = description || this._helpDescription;
 
@@ -1756,7 +1769,7 @@ function optionalWrap(str, width, indent) {
  */
 
 function outputHelpIfRequested(cmd, args) {
-  const helpOption = args.find(arg => arg === cmd._helpLongFlag || arg === cmd._helpShortFlag);
+  const helpOption = cmd._hasHelpOption && args.find(arg => arg === cmd._helpLongFlag || arg === cmd._helpShortFlag);
   if (helpOption) {
     cmd.outputHelp();
     // (Do not have all displayed text available so only passing placeholder.)

tests/command.help.test.js

@@ -130,3 +130,12 @@ test('when both help flags masked then not displayed in helpInformation', () =>
   const helpInformation = program.helpInformation();
   expect(helpInformation).not.toMatch('display help');
 });
+
+test('when no options then Options not includes in helpInformation', () => {
+  const program = new commander.Command();
+  // No custom options, no version option, no help option
+  program
+    .helpOption(false);
+  const helpInformation = program.helpInformation();
+  expect(helpInformation).not.toMatch('Options');
+});

tests/command.helpOption.test.js

@@ -2,18 +2,22 @@ const commander = require('../');
 
 describe('helpOption', () => {
   let writeSpy;
+  let consoleErrorSpy;
 
   beforeAll(() => {
-    // Optional. Suppress normal output to keep test output clean.
+    // Optional. Suppress expected output to keep test output clean.
     writeSpy = jest.spyOn(process.stdout, 'write').mockImplementation(() => { });
+    consoleErrorSpy = jest.spyOn(console, 'error').mockImplementation(() => { });
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
     writeSpy.mockClear();
+    consoleErrorSpy.mockClear();
   });
 
   afterAll(() => {
     writeSpy.mockRestore();
+    consoleErrorSpy.mockRestore();
   });
 
   test('when helpOption has custom flags then custom short flag invokes help', () => {
@@ -63,4 +67,51 @@ describe('helpOption', () => {
     const helpInformation = program.helpInformation();
     expect(helpInformation).toMatch(/-C,--custom-help +custom help output/);
   });
+
+  test('when helpOption(false) then helpInformation does not include --help', () => {
+    const program = new commander.Command();
+    program
+      .helpOption(false);
+    const helpInformation = program.helpInformation();
+    expect(helpInformation).not.toMatch('--help');
+  });
+
+  test('when helpOption(false) then --help is an unknown option', () => {
+    const program = new commander.Command();
+    program
+      .exitOverride()
+      .helpOption(false);
+    let caughtErr;
+    try {
+      program.parse(['--help'], { from: 'user' });
+    } catch (err) {
+      caughtErr = err;
+    }
+    expect(caughtErr.code).toBe('commander.unknownOption');
+  });
+
+  test('when helpOption(false) then -h is an unknown option', () => {
+    const program = new commander.Command();
+    program
+      .exitOverride()
+      .helpOption(false);
+    let caughtErr;
+    try {
+      program.parse(['-h'], { from: 'user' });
+    } catch (err) {
+      caughtErr = err;
+    }
+    expect(caughtErr.code).toBe('commander.unknownOption');
+  });
+
+  test('when helpOption(false) then unknown command error does not suggest --help', () => {
+    const program = new commander.Command();
+    program
+      .exitOverride()
+      .helpOption(false)
+      .command('foo');
+    expect(() => {
+      program.parse(['UNKNOWN'], { from: 'user' });
+    }).toThrow("error: unknown command 'UNKNOWN'.");
+  });
 });

tests/command.usage.test.js

@@ -44,3 +44,56 @@ test('when custom usage and check subcommand help then starts with custom usage
 
   expect(helpInformation).toMatch(new RegExp(`^Usage: test info ${myUsage}`));
 });
+
+test('when has option then [options] included in usage', () => {
+  const program = new commander.Command();
+
+  program
+    .option('--foo');
+
+  expect(program.usage()).toMatch('[options]');
+});
+
+test('when no options then [options] not included in usage', () => {
+  const program = new commander.Command();
+
+  program
+    .helpOption(false);
+
+  expect(program.usage()).not.toMatch('[options]');
+});
+
+test('when has command then [command] included in usage', () => {
+  const program = new commander.Command();
+
+  program
+    .command('foo');
+
+  expect(program.usage()).toMatch('[command]');
+});
+
+test('when no commands then [command] not included in usage', () => {
+  const program = new commander.Command();
+
+  expect(program.usage()).not.toMatch('[command]');
+});
+
+test('when arguments then arguments included in usage', () => {
+  const program = new commander.Command();
+
+  program
+    .arguments('<file>');
+
+  expect(program.usage()).toMatch('<file>');
+});
+
+test('when options and command and arguments then all three included in usage', () => {
+  const program = new commander.Command();
+
+  program
+    .arguments('<file>')
+    .option('--alpha')
+    .command('beta');
+
+  expect(program.usage()).toEqual('[options] [command] <file>');
+});

typings/commander-tests.ts

@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ const helpInformnationValue: string = program.helpInformation();
 const helpOptionThis1: commander.Command = program.helpOption('-h,--help');
 const helpOptionThis2: commander.Command = program.helpOption('-h,--help', 'custom description');
 const helpOptionThis3: commander.Command = program.helpOption(undefined, 'custom description');
+const helpOptionThis4: commander.Command = program.helpOption(false);
 
 // on
 const onThis: commander.Command = program.on('--help', () => {

typings/index.d.ts

@@ -335,9 +335,10 @@ declare namespace commander {
 
     /**
      * You can pass in flags and a description to override the help
-     * flags and help description for your command.
+     * flags and help description for your command. Pass in false
+     * to disable the built-in help option.
      */
-    helpOption(flags?: string, description?: string): this;
+    helpOption(flags?: string | boolean, description?: string): this;
 
     /**
      * Output help information and exit.