**`Inquirer.js`** strives to be an easily embeddable and beautiful command line interface for [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) (and perhaps the "CLI [Xanadu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Kane)").
**`Inquirer.js`** should ease the process of
- providing _error feedback_
- _asking questions_
- _parsing_ input
- _validating_ answers
- managing _hierarchical prompts_
> **Note:** **`Inquirer.js`** provides the user interface and the inquiry session flow. If you're searching for a full blown command line program utility, then check out [commander](https://github.com/visionmedia/commander.js), [vorpal](https://github.com/dthree/vorpal) or [args](https://github.com/leo/args).
Check out the [`packages/inquirer/examples/`](https://github.com/SBoudrias/Inquirer.js/tree/master/packages/inquirer/examples) folder for code and interface examples.
- **questions** (Array) containing [Question Object](#question) (using the [reactive interface](#reactive-interface), you can also pass a `Rx.Observable` instance)
Create a self contained inquirer module. If you don't want to affect other libraries that also rely on inquirer when you overwrite or add new prompt types.
```js
var prompt = inquirer.createPromptModule();
prompt(questions).then(/* ... */);
```
### Objects
<aname="objects"></a>
#### Question
<aname="questions"></a>
A question object is a `hash` containing question related values:
- **type**: (String) Type of the prompt. Defaults: `input` - Possible values: `input`, `number`, `confirm`,
- **name**: (String) The name to use when storing the answer in the answers hash. If the name contains periods, it will define a path in the answers hash.
- **message**: (String|Function) The question to print. If defined as a function, the first parameter will be the current inquirer session answers. Defaults to the value of `name` (followed by a colon).
- **default**: (String|Number|Boolean|Array|Function) Default value(s) to use if nothing is entered, or a function that returns the default value(s). If defined as a function, the first parameter will be the current inquirer session answers.
- **choices**: (Array|Function) Choices array or a function returning a choices array. If defined as a function, the first parameter will be the current inquirer session answers.
Array values can be simple `numbers`, `strings`, or `objects` containing a `name` (to display in list), a `value` (to save in the answers hash), and a `short` (to display after selection) properties. The choices array can also contain [a `Separator`](#separator).
- **validate**: (Function) Receive the user input and answers hash. Should return `true` if the value is valid, and an error message (`String`) otherwise. If `false` is returned, a default error message is provided.
- **filter**: (Function) Receive the user input and answers hash. Returns the filtered value to be used inside the program. The value returned will be added to the _Answers_ hash.
- **transformer**: (Function) Receive the user input, answers hash and option flags, and return a transformed value to display to the user. The transformation only impacts what is shown while editing. It does not modify the answers hash.
- **when**: (Function, Boolean) Receive the current user answers hash and should return `true` or `false` depending on whether or not this question should be asked. The value can also be a simple boolean.
- **pageSize**: (Number) Change the number of lines that will be rendered when using `list`, `rawList`, `expand` or `checkbox`.
- **prefix**: (String) Change the default _prefix_ message.
- **suffix**: (String) Change the default _suffix_ message.
`default`, `choices`(if defined as functions), `validate`, `filter` and `when` functions can be called asynchronously. Either return a promise or use `this.async()` to get a callback you'll call with the final value.
```javascript
{
/* Preferred way: with promise */
filter() {
return new Promise(/* etc... */);
},
/* Legacy way: with this.async */
validate: function (input) {
// Declare function as asynchronous, and save the done callback
var done = this.async();
// Do async stuff
setTimeout(function() {
if (typeof input !== 'number') {
// Pass the return value in the done callback
done('You need to provide a number');
return;
}
// Pass the return value in the done callback
done(null, true);
}, 3000);
}
}
```
### Answers
<aname="answers"></a>
A key/value hash containing the client answers in each prompt.
- **Key** The `name` property of the _question_ object
- **Value** (Depends on the prompt)
-`confirm`: (Boolean)
-`input` : User input (filtered if `filter` is defined) (String)
-`number`: User input (filtered if `filter` is defined) (Number)
-`rawlist`, `list` : Selected choice value (or name if no value specified) (String)
### Separator
<aname="separator"></a>
A separator can be added to any `choices` array:
```
// In the question object
choices: [ "Choice A", new inquirer.Separator(), "choice B" ]
// Which'll be displayed this way
[?] What do you want to do?
> Order a pizza
Make a reservation
--------
Ask opening hours
Talk to the receptionist
```
The constructor takes a facultative `String` value that'll be use as the separator. If omitted, the separator will be `--------`.
Separator instances have a property `type` equal to `separator`. This should allow tools façading Inquirer interface from detecting separator types in lists.
<aname="prompt"></a>
### Prompt types
---
> **Note:**: _allowed options written inside square brackets (`[]`) are optional. Others are required._
Take `type`, `name`, `message`, `choices`[, `default`] properties.
Note: `default` must be the `index` of the desired default selection of the array. If `default` key not provided, then `help` will be used as default choice
Note that the `choices` object will take an extra parameter called `key` for the `expand` prompt. This parameter must be a single (lowercased) character. The `h` option is added by the prompt and shouldn't be defined by the user.
Take `type`, `name`, `message`, `choices`[, `filter`, `validate`, `default`, `loop`] properties. `default` is expected to be an Array of the checked choices value.
Choices marked as `{checked: true}` will be checked by default.
Choices whose property `disabled` is truthy will be unselectable. If `disabled` is a string, then the string will be outputted next to the disabled choice, otherwise it'll default to `"Disabled"`. The `disabled` property can also be a synchronous function receiving the current answers as argument and returning a boolean or a string.
Launches an instance of the users preferred editor on a temporary file. Once the user exits their editor, the contents of the temporary file are read in as the result. The editor to use is determined by reading the $VISUAL or $EDITOR environment variables. If neither of those are present, notepad (on Windows) or vim (Linux or Mac) is used.
`prompt()` requires that it is run in an interactive environment. (I.e. [One where `process.stdin.isTTY` is `true`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v12.x/api/process.html#process_a_note_on_process_i_o)). If `prompt()` is invoked outside of such an environment, then `prompt()` will return a rejected promise with an error. For convenience, the error will have a `isTtyError` property to programmatically indicate the cause.
Along with the prompts, Inquirer offers some basic text UI.
#### Bottom Bar - `inquirer.ui.BottomBar`
This UI present a fixed text at the bottom of a free text zone. This is useful to keep a message to the bottom of the screen while outputting command outputs on the higher section.
```javascript
var ui = new inquirer.ui.BottomBar();
// pipe a Stream to the log zone
outputStream.pipe(ui.log);
// Or simply write output
ui.log.write('something just happened.');
ui.log.write('Almost over, standby!');
// During processing, update the bottom bar content to display a loader
// or output a progress bar, etc
ui.updateBottomBar('new bottom bar content');
```
<aname="reactive"></a>
## Reactive interface
Internally, Inquirer uses the [JS reactive extension](https://github.com/ReactiveX/rxjs) to handle events and async flows.
This mean you can take advantage of this feature to provide more advanced flows. For example, you can dynamically add questions to be asked:
```js
var prompts = new Rx.Subject();
inquirer.prompt(prompts);
// At some point in the future, push new questions
prompts.next({
/* question... */
});
prompts.next({
/* question... */
});
// When you're done
prompts.complete();
```
And using the return value `process` property, you can access more fine grained callbacks:
Running Inquirer together with network streams in Windows platform inside some terminals can result in process hang.
Workaround: run inside another terminal.
Please refer to the https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/21771
Calling a node script that uses Inquirer from grunt-exec can cause the program to crash. To fix this, add to your grunt-exec config `stdio: 'inherit'`.
Please refer to https://github.com/jharding/grunt-exec/issues/85
