# Bun Parse command-line arguments

> Parse command-line arguments

- Skill: `jarle/bun-parse-command-line-arguments` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add jarle/bun-parse-command-line-arguments`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/jarle/bun-parse-command-line-arguments/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: jarle (https://skillmd.com/u/jarle)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/jarle/bun-parse-command-line-arguments

---


# Parse command-line arguments

The *argument vector* is the list of arguments passed to the program when it is run. It is available as `Bun.argv`.

```ts cli.ts icon="https://mintcdn.com/bun-1dd33a4e/nIz6GtMH5K-dfXeV/icons/typescript.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=nIz6GtMH5K-dfXeV&q=85&s=5d73d76daf7eb7b158469d8c30d349b0" theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"dracula"}}
console.log(Bun.argv);
```

***

Running this file with arguments results in the following:

```sh terminal icon="terminal" theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"dracula"}}
bun run cli.ts --flag1 --flag2 value
```

```txt  theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"dracula"}}
[ '/path/to/bun', '/path/to/cli.ts', '--flag1', '--flag2', 'value' ]
```

***

To parse `argv` into a more useful format, `util.parseArgs` would be helpful.

Example:

```ts cli.ts icon="https://mintcdn.com/bun-1dd33a4e/nIz6GtMH5K-dfXeV/icons/typescript.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=nIz6GtMH5K-dfXeV&q=85&s=5d73d76daf7eb7b158469d8c30d349b0" theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"dracula"}}
import { parseArgs } from "util";

const { values, positionals } = parseArgs({
  args: Bun.argv,
  options: {
    flag1: {
      type: "boolean",
    },
    flag2: {
      type: "string",
    },
  },
  strict: true,
  allowPositionals: true,
});

console.log(values);
console.log(positionals);
```

***

then it outputs

```sh terminal icon="terminal" theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"dracula"}}
bun run cli.ts --flag1 --flag2 value
```

```txt  theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"dracula"}}
{
  flag1: true,
  flag2: "value",
}
[ "/path/to/bun", "/path/to/cli.ts" ]
```