poetry-help

Display global help

$ poetry help

$ poetry help [config|show|...]

poetry help [options] [command]
poetry --help

command
    The specific Poetry subcommand for which to display detailed help. If omitted, `poetry help` lists all available top-level commands and their brief descriptions.

The `poetry-help` command refers to the integrated help system of Poetry, the powerful Python dependency management and packaging tool. It is not a standalone executable but rather the functionality accessed through `poetry help` or `poetry --help` from your terminal.

This system is crucial for navigating Poetry's extensive capabilities, allowing users to understand how to interact with the tool, manage projects, and troubleshoot issues. When invoked without any arguments, `poetry help` provides a comprehensive list of all available Poetry subcommands, each accompanied by a brief description. This overview helps users quickly identify the command relevant to their task, such as `add` for dependencies, `install` for project setup, or `publish` for distributing packages.

For more specific guidance, `poetry-help` allows users to query individual subcommands. By executing `poetry help <command>` (e.g., `poetry help install`), the system displays detailed usage instructions, all available options, arguments, and sometimes examples pertinent to that specific command. This granular level of information ensures that users can effectively utilize every feature of Poetry, making it an indispensable resource for both new and experienced Python developers.

The `poetry-help` command is not a standalone executable file in the traditional Linux sense. It is an integral part of the `poetry` command-line interface and must be invoked through `poetry help` or `poetry --help`. Therefore, `poetry` must be installed and accessible in your system's PATH for this help functionality to work. The output of the help system is dynamic and depends on the specific version of Poetry installed, reflecting the commands and options available in that release.

The `poetry help` command provides two main types of output, depending on how it's invoked:
1. When used without arguments (`poetry help` or `poetry --help`), it displays a general overview, listing all available Poetry commands, their brief descriptions, and global options.
2. When used with a specific subcommand as an argument (e.g., `poetry help add` or `poetry help publish`), it provides detailed usage instructions, all options, arguments, and sometimes examples pertinent to that particular subcommand, offering in-depth guidance for its use.

The `poetry-help` system's history is intertwined with the development of Poetry itself, which emerged in late 2017 / early 2018 as a modern solution for Python project management. Built using frameworks that typically offer robust command-line interface capabilities (like Cleo, a port of Symfony Console for Python), Poetry's help system was designed from the outset to be comprehensive and user-friendly. As Poetry gained popularity and its feature set expanded, the help documentation has continually evolved, incorporating detailed explanations for new commands, options, and functionalities. This iterative improvement underscores Poetry's commitment to providing clear and accessible self-documentation, making it easier for developers to leverage its powerful tools.

poetry(1), man(1), info(1), pip help