#1265·yargs

Can command descriptions be customised based on mode of use?

Author: gitgrimboCreated Jan 1, 2019Updated Aug 2, 2026

I would like to be able to display a simple 'one-liner' for the command descriptions when the top level CLI is executed, but display a more detailed description when I run a command.

For example:

>mycli

mycli [command]

Commands:
  mycli command1    One line description
  mycli command2    One line description
  mycli command3    One line description

Options:
  --version
  --help

>mycli command1

mycli command1

Multi...
line...
description...

Options:
  --version
  --help

Maybe something like (shown as a command module):

const command = "command1";
const desc = "One line description";
const builder = function(yargs) {
  return yargs
    .OVERRIDE_COMMAND_DESCRIPTION("multiline description ...");
};
const handler = ...;

module.exports = {
  command,
  desc,
  builder,
  handler,
};