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argparse._SubParsersAction.add_parser should default to description matching help #135227

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gsnedders opened this issue Jun 6, 2025 · 1 comment · May be fixed by #135236
Open

argparse._SubParsersAction.add_parser should default to description matching help #135227

gsnedders opened this issue Jun 6, 2025 · 1 comment · May be fixed by #135236
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stdlib Python modules in the Lib dir type-feature A feature request or enhancement

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@gsnedders
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gsnedders commented Jun 6, 2025 •
edited by bedevere-app bot
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Feature or enhancement

Proposal:

import argparse

# create the top-level parser
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='PROG')
parser.add_argument('--foo', action='store_true', help='foo help')
subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(help='subcommand help')

# create the parser for the "a" command
parser_a = subparsers.add_parser('a', help='a help')
parser_a.add_argument('bar', type=int, help='bar help')

# create the parser for the "b" command
parser_b = subparsers.add_parser('b', help='b help', description='b help')
parser_b.add_argument('--baz', choices=('X', 'Y', 'Z'), help='baz help')

# parse the args
print(parser.parse_args())

This currently produces:

gsnedders@gsnedders-margot tmp.IKpGQE2mE3 % python3.13 test.py --help  
usage: PROG [-h] [--foo] {a,b} ...

positional arguments:
  {a,b}       subcommand help
    a         a help
    b         b help

options:
  -h, --help  show this help message and exit
  --foo       foo help
gsnedders@gsnedders-margot tmp.IKpGQE2mE3 % python3.13 test.py a --help
usage: PROG a [-h] bar

positional arguments:
  bar         bar help

options:
  -h, --help  show this help message and exit
gsnedders@gsnedders-margot tmp.IKpGQE2mE3 % python3.13 test.py b --help
usage: PROG b [-h] [--baz {X,Y,Z}]

b help

options:
  -h, --help     show this help message and exit
  --baz {X,Y,Z}  baz help

It would be nicer, however, if add_parser's description parameter defaulted to the value of the help argument.

Has this already been discussed elsewhere?

This is a minor feature, which does not need previous discussion elsewhere

Links to previous discussion of this feature:

#89438 considered not outputting the value of help here to be a bug, but was closed because the description parameter also exists.

Linked PRs
@gsnedders gsnedders added the type-feature A feature request or enhancement label Jun 6, 2025
@picnixz picnixz added the stdlib Python modules in the Lib dir label Jun 7, 2025
@Sonu0305
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Sonu0305 commented Jun 7, 2025

Hi @picnixz ,
Can I work on this issue?

Thank You,
Swayam

@Sonu0305 Sonu0305 linked a pull request Jun 7, 2025 that will close this issue
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gh-135227: argparse: Use help as default description in add_parser Sonu0305/cpython
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@gsnedders @picnixz @Sonu0305