# Package org.apache.commons.cli.help

package org.apache.commons.cli.help
The help production system.

This package contains the classes to produce help output. In general,, there are 4 classes that may interest users.

- `HelpFormatter` - The class used to produce the help output for most users.
- `HelpAppendable` - Writes the output in a specific output format. For example `TextHelpAppendable` for text, other classes for XHTML, Markdown, and so on.
- `OptionFormatter` - Determines how to format the various data elements in an Option
- `TableDefinition` - Useful for developers who want to build custom option displays or use the help system to produce additional information in the help system.

Since:
  1.10.0

- Related Packages
  Package
  Description
  org.apache.commons.cli
  Apache Commons CLI provides a simple API for presenting, processing, and validating a Command Line Interface.
- Class
  Description
  AbstractHelpFormatter
  Helps formatters provides the framework to link a `HelpAppendable` with a `OptionFormatter` and a default `TableDefinition` so to produce standardized format help output.
  AbstractHelpFormatter.Builder<B extends AbstractHelpFormatter.Builder<B,T>, T extends AbstractHelpFormatter>
  Abstracts building instances for subclasses.
  FilterHelpAppendable
  An abstract implementation of `HelpAppendable` that writes output to an `Appendable` instance.
  HelpAppendable
  Defines a semantic scribe.
  HelpFormatter
  A default formatter implementation for standard usage.
  HelpFormatter.Builder
  A builder for the HelpFormatter.
  OptionFormatter
  The definition of how to display Option attributes.
  OptionFormatter.Builder
  Builds instances of `OptionFormatter`.
  TableDefinition
  The definition of a table to display.
  TextHelpAppendable
  Writes text format output.
  TextStyle
  The definition for styling recommendations blocks of text.
  TextStyle.Alignment
  The alignment possibilities.
  TextStyle.Builder
  The builder for the TextStyle.