title: "Rust CUI Frameworks" description: "Overview of frameworks and libraries for building CLI applications in Rust"
Rust CUI Frameworks
Overview
Rust, as a systems programming language focused on memory safety and performance, is exceptionally well-suited for developing high-quality CLI tools. The Rust ecosystem provides a mature collection of libraries that support CLI application development, and its excellent type safety and error handling features enable building robust command-line tools.
Major Libraries
Clap
The most popular command-line argument parser, offering rich features including declarative APIs, automatic help message generation, and subcommand support.
Structopt
A derive macro-based CLI framework built on top of Clap. It automatically generates CLI interfaces from struct definitions.
Argh
A lightweight CLI parser developed by Google, focusing on minimizing compilation time and binary size.
Crossterm
A cross-platform terminal manipulation library providing low-level operations such as cursor movement, coloring, and key input handling.
Indicatif
A library that makes it easy to implement progress bars, spinners, and other progress display elements.
Selection Guide
When to Choose Clap
- Complex command-line argument structures needed
- Developing CLI tools with subcommands
- Detailed help messages and validation required
- Want the most extensive community support
When to Choose Structopt
- Prefer more declarative and concise code
- Like struct-based design
- Need Clap's features but want better ergonomics
When to Choose Argh
- Need to minimize compilation time
- Binary size is a critical constraint
- Simple CLI interface is sufficient
- Embedded systems or resource-constrained environments
When to Choose Crossterm
- Developing TUI applications
- Need direct terminal control
- Building interactive CLI tools
- Cross-platform support is important
These libraries can be used in combination - for example, using Clap for argument parsing, Crossterm for interactive elements, and Indicatif for progress display.
GitHub Star Comparison
| No | Name | GitHub Stars | Description | Trend | License | Official Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | clap | ⭐ 15.3k | The most popular command-line argument parser for Rust. Features fast, feature-rich, and customizable design. | Overwhelming support as the de facto standard in the Rust ecosystem. Adopted by many popular tools like ripgrep and bat. | MIT OR Apache-2.0 | Official |
| 2 | StructOpt | - | A library that parses command-line arguments by defining structs. Now integrated into clap. | Integrated into clap v3+ as derive macros, new projects are recommended to use clap derive. | Apache-2.0 OR MIT | Official |
| 3 | pico-args | - | An extremely lightweight and simple argument parser. Features minimal functionality and fast processing. | Suitable for simple CLI tools or embedded systems, chosen when lightweight nature is prioritized. | MIT | Official |
| 4 | argh | - | A derive attribute-based argument parser developed by the Google Fuchsia team. Simple and easy-to-use design. | Adopted in Google projects and supported by developers who prefer simple APIs. | BSD-3-Clause | Official |