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Rather confusing help command #20030

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@flip111

Description

@flip111

This is from the symfony installer:

» symfony --help
Usage:
  help [options] [--] [<command_name>]

Arguments:
  command               The command to execute
  command_name          The command name [default: "help"]

Options:
      --xml             To output help as XML
      --format=FORMAT   The output format (txt, xml, json, or md) [default: "txt"]
      --raw             To output raw command help
  -h, --help            Display this help message
  -q, --quiet           Do not output any message
  -V, --version         Display this application version
      --ansi            Force ANSI output
      --no-ansi         Disable ANSI output
  -n, --no-interaction  Do not ask any interactive question
  -v|vv|vvv, --verbose  Increase the verbosity of messages: 1 for normal output, 2 for more verbose output and 3 for debug

Help:
 The help command displays help for a given command:

   php /home/flip111/.local/bin/symfony help list

 You can also output the help in other formats by using the --format option:

   php /home/flip111/.local/bin/symfony help --format=xml list

 To display the list of available commands, please use the list command.
  1. [--] looks pretty cryptic, doesn't really indicate what it does
  2. Arguments is not on the first line help [options] [--] [<command_name>]. If command_name is part of arguments then options is also an argument.
  3. command is not part of the first line
  4. command_name why do i need to give it a name when i already supply the name at command?
  5. Help .. I'm already in the help command, What's Help in help.
  6. command is missing from the help, it should really be there without running again list
  7. format option is explained twice

Then running list

» symfony list
Symfony Installer version 1.5.8

Usage:
  command [options] [arguments]

Options:
  -h, --help            Display this help message
  -q, --quiet           Do not output any message
  -V, --version         Display this application version
      --ansi            Force ANSI output
      --no-ansi         Disable ANSI output
  -n, --no-interaction  Do not ask any interactive question
  -v|vv|vvv, --verbose  Increase the verbosity of messages: 1 for normal output, 2 for more verbose output and 3 for debug

Available commands:
  about        Symfony Installer Help.
  demo         Creates a demo Symfony project.
  help         Displays help for a command
  list         Lists commands
  new          Creates a new Symfony project.
  self-update  Update the Symfony Installer to the latest version.
  selfupdate   Update the Symfony Installer to the latest version.
  1. i get a usage again, but the usage of what? All commands? How do the options and arguments distinct with the usage of a command and the usage of the executable?
  2. Options of what? Since the executable has some of the same options should i type like php bin/console --ansi command --ansi ? Or are these options for the executable and thus for all commands rather than a specific command?

What's also rather random is that in the second paste i get the name + version number. Which is omitted in the first paste ..

Overall i find the experience not as concise as some other command-line utilities help. Perhaps merge help and list into help.

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