Pros of go-prompt

• More advanced auto-completion features, including fuzzy matching
• Better support for multi-line input and editing
• Provides a more polished and responsive user interface

Cons of go-prompt

• Less flexible in terms of customization compared to ishell
• Steeper learning curve for developers
• Limited built-in command handling functionality

Code Comparison

ishell example:

shell := ishell.New()
shell.AddCmd(&ishell.Cmd{
    Name: "greet",
    Help: "greet user",
    Func: func(c *ishell.Context) {
        c.Println("Hello", c.Args[0])
    },
})
shell.Run()

go-prompt example:

p := prompt.New(
    executor,
    completer,
    prompt.OptionPrefix(">>> "),
    prompt.OptionTitle("My REPL"),
)
p.Run()

Both libraries provide ways to create interactive command-line interfaces in Go, but they differ in their approach and feature set. ishell focuses on simplicity and ease of use, making it quick to set up basic shell-like interfaces. go-prompt, on the other hand, offers more advanced features like sophisticated auto-completion and multi-line editing, at the cost of increased complexity.

The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of your project. If you need a simple shell-like interface with basic command handling, ishell might be the better choice. For more complex interactive prompts with advanced features, go-prompt could be more suitable.

Pros of readline

• Lower-level library providing more control over input handling
• Supports advanced features like custom key bindings and completion
• Widely used and battle-tested in production environments

Cons of readline

• Requires more setup and configuration for basic functionality
• Less user-friendly for creating simple interactive shells
• Limited built-in support for command history management

Code Comparison

readline:

rl, err := readline.New("> ")
if err != nil {
    panic(err)
}
defer rl.Close()

ishell:

shell := ishell.New()
shell.Println("Welcome to Interactive Shell")
shell.Run()

Summary

readline is a lower-level library offering more control and advanced features, while ishell provides a higher-level abstraction for creating interactive shells with less setup. readline requires more configuration but offers greater flexibility, whereas ishell is more user-friendly for simple use cases. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of your project and the level of control you need over input handling.

Pros of survey

• Focused on creating interactive prompts and surveys
• Supports a wide range of question types (input, confirm, select, multiselect)
• Easy to use API for creating complex surveys

Cons of survey

• Limited to command-line input/output interactions
• Lacks features for building full interactive shell applications
• May require additional libraries for more advanced CLI functionality

Code comparison

survey:

prompt := &survey.Input{
    Message: "Enter your name:",
}
survey.AskOne(prompt, &name)

ishell:

shell := ishell.New()
shell.AddCmd(&ishell.Cmd{
    Name: "greet",
    Help: "Greets user",
    Func: func(c *ishell.Context) {
        c.Println("Hello!")
    },
})
shell.Run()

Summary

survey is ideal for creating interactive prompts and surveys in Go applications, offering a variety of question types and an easy-to-use API. However, it's limited to input/output interactions and may not be suitable for building full-fledged interactive shell applications.

ishell, on the other hand, provides a more comprehensive framework for creating interactive command-line applications with features like command registration, auto-completion, and persistent history. It's better suited for building complex CLI tools but may be overkill for simple survey-style interactions.

Choose survey for quick and easy interactive prompts, and ishell for more advanced interactive shell applications.

Pros of promptui

• Focused on creating interactive prompts and user input validation
• Provides pre-built templates for common input types (e.g., select, confirm)
• Offers customizable styling options for prompts

Cons of promptui

• Limited to command-line prompts and input handling
• Lacks built-in shell functionality and command execution
• May require additional libraries for more complex CLI applications

Code Comparison

promptui:

prompt := promptui.Select{
    Label: "Select Day",
    Items: []string{"Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"},
}
_, result, err := prompt.Run()

ishell:

shell := ishell.New()
shell.AddCmd(&ishell.Cmd{
    Name: "greet",
    Help: "greet user",
    Func: func(c *ishell.Context) {
        c.Println("Hello, world!")
    },
})

Summary

promptui is specialized for creating interactive prompts and handling user input, offering pre-built templates and customizable styling. It's ideal for applications that require user input validation and selection.

ishell, on the other hand, provides a more comprehensive framework for building interactive shell applications. It includes features like command registration, argument parsing, and shell-like behavior.

Choose promptui for focused input handling and promptui for full-fledged interactive CLI applications.

Pros of liner

• Simpler and more lightweight, focusing primarily on line editing functionality
• Better suited for projects requiring basic readline-like features without full shell capabilities
• More actively maintained with recent updates and contributions

Cons of liner

• Limited functionality compared to ishell's full-featured interactive shell capabilities
• Lacks built-in command parsing and execution features
• Doesn't provide a complete framework for building interactive CLI applications

Code Comparison

liner example:

line, err := liner.NewLiner()
defer line.Close()
line.SetCtrlCAborts(true)

for {
    if input, err := line.Prompt("> "); err == nil {
        fmt.Println("You entered:", input)
    } else if err == liner.ErrPromptAborted {
        break
    }
}

ishell example:

shell := ishell.New()

shell.AddCmd(&ishell.Cmd{
    Name: "greet",
    Help: "greet user",
    Func: func(c *ishell.Context) {
        c.Println("Hello", c.Args[0])
    },
})

shell.Run()