urfave-cli/docs/v1/examples/greet.md

---
tags:
  - v1
---

Being a programmer can be a lonely job. Thankfully by the power of automation
that is not the case! Let's create a greeter app to fend off our demons of
loneliness!

Start by creating a directory named `greet`, and within it, add a file,
`greet.go` with the following code in it:

<!-- {
  "output": "Hello friend!"
} -->
``` go
package main

import (
  "fmt"
  "log"
  "os"

  "github.com/urfave/cli"
)

func main() {
  app := cli.NewApp()
  app.Name = "greet"
  app.Usage = "fight the loneliness!"
  app.Action = func(c *cli.Context) error {
    fmt.Println("Hello friend!")
    return nil
  }

  err := app.Run(os.Args)
  if err != nil {
    log.Fatal(err)
  }
}
```

Install our command to the `$GOPATH/bin` directory:

```
$ go install
```

Finally run our new command:

```
$ greet
Hello friend!
```

cli also generates neat help text:

```
$ greet help
NAME:
    greet - fight the loneliness!

USAGE:
    greet [global options] command [command options] [arguments...]

VERSION:
    0.0.0

COMMANDS:
    help, h  Shows a list of commands or help for one command

GLOBAL OPTIONS
    --version Shows version information
```