Allow commands to explicitly state if they do, or do not take arbitrary arguments

Check that arguments are in ValidArgs

If a command defined cmd.ValidArgs check that the argument is actually
in ValidArgs and fail if it is not.

README.md

@@ -467,6 +467,38 @@ A flag can also be assigned locally which will only apply to that specific comma
 RootCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&Source, "source", "s", "", "Source directory to read from")
 ```
 
+### Specify if you command takes arguments
+
+There are multiple options for how a command can handle unknown arguments which can be set in `TakesArgs`
+- `Legacy`
+- `None`
+- `Arbitrary`
+- `ValidOnly`
+
+`Legacy` (or default) the rules are as follows:
+- root commands with no subcommands can take arbitrary arguments
+- root commands with subcommands will do subcommand validity checking
+- subcommands will always accept arbitrary arguments and do no subsubcommand validity checking
+
+`None` the command will be rejected if there are any left over arguments after parsing flags.
+
+`Arbitrary` any additional values left after parsing flags will be passed in to your `Run` function.
+
+`ValidOnly` you must define all valid (non-subcommand) arguments to your command. These are defined in a slice name ValidArgs. For example a command which only takes the argument "one" or "two" would be defined as:
+
+```go
+var HugoCmd = &cobra.Command{
+        Use:   "hugo",
+        Short: "Hugo is a very fast static site generator",
+	ValidArgs: []string{"one", "two", "three", "four"}
+	TakesArgs: cobra.ValidOnly
+        Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+            // args will only have the values one, two, three, four
+	    // or the cmd.Execute() will fail.
+        },
+    }
+```
+
 ### Bind Flags with Config
 
 You can also bind your flags with [viper](https://github.com/spf13/viper):

bash_completions_test.go

@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ func TestBashCompletions(t *testing.T) {
 	// check for filename extension flags
 	check(t, str, `flags_completion+=("_filedir")`)
 	// check for filename extension flags
+	check(t, str, `must_have_one_noun+=("three")`)
+	// check for filename extention flags
 	check(t, str, `flags_completion+=("__handle_filename_extension_flag json|yaml|yml")`)
 	// check for custom flags
 	check(t, str, `flags_completion+=("__complete_custom")`)

cobra_test.go

@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ var cmdDeprecated = &Command{
 	Deprecated: "Please use echo instead",
 	Run: func(cmd *Command, args []string) {
 	},
+	TakesArgs: None,
 }
 
 var cmdTimes = &Command{
@@ -88,6 +89,8 @@ var cmdTimes = &Command{
 	Run: func(cmd *Command, args []string) {
 		tt = args
 	},
+	TakesArgs: ValidOnly,
+	ValidArgs: []string{"one", "two", "three", "four"},
 }
 
 var cmdRootNoRun = &Command{
@@ -100,9 +103,20 @@ var cmdRootNoRun = &Command{
 }
 
 var cmdRootSameName = &Command{
-	Use:   "print",
+	Use:       "print",
-	Short: "Root with the same name as a subcommand",
+	Short:     "Root with the same name as a subcommand",
-	Long:  "The root description for help",
+	Long:      "The root description for help",
+	TakesArgs: None,
+}
+
+var cmdRootTakesArgs = &Command{
+	Use:   "root-with-args [random args]",
+	Short: "The root can run it's own function and takes args!",
+	Long:  "The root description for help, and some args",
+	Run: func(cmd *Command, args []string) {
+		tr = args
+	},
+	TakesArgs: Arbitrary,
 }
 
 var cmdRootWithRun = &Command{
@@ -458,6 +472,51 @@ func TestUsage(t *testing.T) {
 	checkResultOmits(t, x, cmdCustomFlags.Use+" [flags]")
 }
 
+func TestRootTakesNoArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	c := initializeWithSameName()
+	c.AddCommand(cmdPrint, cmdEcho)
+	result := simpleTester(c, "illegal")
+
+	expectedError := `unknown command "illegal" for "print"`
+	if !strings.Contains(result.Error.Error(), expectedError) {
+		t.Errorf("exptected %v, got %v", expectedError, result.Error.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRootTakesArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	c := cmdRootTakesArgs
+	result := simpleTester(c, "legal")
+
+	if result.Error != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected no error, but got %v", result.Error)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSubCmdTakesNoArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	result := fullSetupTest("deprecated illegal")
+
+	expectedError := `unknown command "illegal" for "cobra-test deprecated"`
+	if !strings.Contains(result.Error.Error(), expectedError) {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", expectedError, result.Error.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSubCmdTakesArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	noRRSetupTest("echo times one two")
+	if strings.Join(tt, " ") != "one two" {
+		t.Error("Command didn't parse correctly")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCmdOnlyValidArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	result := noRRSetupTest("echo times one two five")
+
+	expectedError := `invalid argument "five"`
+	if !strings.Contains(result.Error.Error(), expectedError) {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", expectedError, result.Error.Error())
+	}
+}
+
 func TestFlagLong(t *testing.T) {
 	noRRSetupTest("echo", "--intone=13", "something", "--", "here")
 
@@ -672,9 +731,9 @@ func TestPersistentFlags(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// persistentFlag should act like normal flag on its own command
-	fullSetupTest("echo", "times", "-s", "again", "-c", "-p", "test", "here")
+	fullSetupTest("echo", "times", "-s", "again", "-c", "-p", "one", "two")
 
-	if strings.Join(tt, " ") != "test here" {
+	if strings.Join(tt, " ") != "one two" {
 		t.Errorf("flags didn't leave proper args remaining. %s given", tt)
 	}
 

command.go

@@ -27,6 +27,15 @@ import (
 	flag "github.com/spf13/pflag"
 )
 
+type Args int
+
+const (
+	Legacy Args = iota
+	Arbitrary
+	ValidOnly
+	None
+)
+
 // Command is just that, a command for your application.
 // E.g.  'go run ...' - 'run' is the command. Cobra requires
 // you to define the usage and description as part of your command
@@ -59,6 +68,8 @@ type Command struct {
 	// but accepted if entered manually.
 	ArgAliases []string
 
+	// Does this command take arbitrary arguments
+	TakesArgs Args
 	// BashCompletionFunction is custom functions used by the bash autocompletion generator.
 	BashCompletionFunction string
 
@@ -472,6 +483,15 @@ func argsMinusFirstX(args []string, x string) []string {
 	return args
 }
 
+func stringInSlice(a string, list []string) bool {
+	for _, b := range list {
+		if b == a {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // Find the target command given the args and command tree
 // Meant to be run on the highest node. Only searches down.
 func (c *Command) Find(args []string) (*Command, []string, error) {
@@ -515,31 +535,53 @@ func (c *Command) Find(args []string) (*Command, []string, error) {
 	commandFound, a := innerfind(c, args)
 	argsWOflags := stripFlags(a, commandFound)
 
-	// no subcommand, always take args
+	// "Legacy" has some 'odd' characteristics.
-	if !commandFound.HasSubCommands() {
+	// - root commands with no subcommands can take arbitrary arguments
+	// - root commands with subcommands will do subcommand validity checking
+	// - subcommands will always accept arbitrary arguments
+	if commandFound.TakesArgs == Legacy {
+		// no subcommand, always take args
+		if !commandFound.HasSubCommands() {
+			return commandFound, a, nil
+		}
+		// root command with subcommands, do subcommand checking
+		if commandFound == c && len(argsWOflags) > 0 {
+			return commandFound, a, fmt.Errorf("unknown command %q for %q%s", argsWOflags[0], commandFound.CommandPath(), c.findSuggestions(argsWOflags))
+		}
 		return commandFound, a, nil
 	}
 
-	// root command with subcommands, do subcommand checking
+	if commandFound.TakesArgs == None && len(argsWOflags) > 0 {
-	if commandFound == c && len(argsWOflags) > 0 {
+		return commandFound, a, fmt.Errorf("unknown command %q for %q", argsWOflags[0], commandFound.CommandPath())
-		suggestionsString := ""
-		if !c.DisableSuggestions {
-			if c.SuggestionsMinimumDistance <= 0 {
-				c.SuggestionsMinimumDistance = 2
-			}
-			if suggestions := c.SuggestionsFor(argsWOflags[0]); len(suggestions) > 0 {
-				suggestionsString += "\n\nDid you mean this?\n"
-				for _, s := range suggestions {
-					suggestionsString += fmt.Sprintf("\t%v\n", s)
-				}
-			}
-		}
-		return commandFound, a, fmt.Errorf("unknown command %q for %q%s", argsWOflags[0], commandFound.CommandPath(), suggestionsString)
 	}
 
+	if commandFound.TakesArgs == ValidOnly && len(commandFound.ValidArgs) > 0 {
+		for _, v := range argsWOflags {
+			if !stringInSlice(v, commandFound.ValidArgs) {
+				return commandFound, a, fmt.Errorf("invalid argument %q for %q%s", v, commandFound.CommandPath(), c.findSuggestions(argsWOflags))
+			}
+		}
+	}
 	return commandFound, a, nil
 }
 
+func (c *Command) findSuggestions(argsWOflags []string) string {
+	if c.DisableSuggestions {
+		return ""
+	}
+	if c.SuggestionsMinimumDistance <= 0 {
+		c.SuggestionsMinimumDistance = 2
+	}
+	suggestionsString := ""
+	if suggestions := c.SuggestionsFor(argsWOflags[0]); len(suggestions) > 0 {
+		suggestionsString += "\n\nDid you mean this?\n"
+		for _, s := range suggestions {
+			suggestionsString += fmt.Sprintf("\t%v\n", s)
+		}
+	}
+	return suggestionsString
+}
+
 // SuggestionsFor provides suggestions for the typedName.
 func (c *Command) SuggestionsFor(typedName string) []string {
 	suggestions := []string{}