https://www.pistack.xyz/tags/haskell-libraries/ Recent content in Haskell-Libraries on Pi Stack Hugo en-us Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.pistack.xyz/posts/2026-08-26-haskell-cli-libraries-optparse-applicative-optparse-generic-cmdargs-comparison/ Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.pistack.xyz/posts/2026-08-26-haskell-cli-libraries-optparse-applicative-optparse-generic-cmdargs-comparison/ <p>Haskell has three serious command-line parsing libraries, and they embody three completely different philosophies: composition, derivation, and reflection. Choosing the wrong one is not fatal — but it determines whether your <code>--help</code> output is a pleasure to read, whether flags parse at compile time, and whether you can add a subcommand without touching the parser at all. After comparing <strong>optparse-applicative</strong>, <strong>optparse-generic</strong>, and <strong>cmdargs</strong> against real usage patterns, one clear winner emerges for new projects — and one library you should only touch if you are maintaining legacy code.</p>