Description

assignee = None
closed_at = None
created_at = <Date 2020-03-11.16:25:58.045>
labels = ['3.8', 'type-feature', '3.7', '3.9', 'docs']
title = 'argparse: help parameter not documented in add_subparsers().add_parser'
updated_at = <Date 2020-03-11.19:07:12.784>
user = 'https://bugs.python.org/NazimeKoussailaLakehal'

activity = <Date 2020-03-11.19:07:12.784>
actor = 'rahul-kumi'
assignee = 'docs@python'
closed = False
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Documentation']
creation = <Date 2020-03-11.16:25:58.045>
creator = 'Nazime Koussaila Lakehal'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 39935
keywords = []
message_count = 1.0
messages = ['363932']
nosy_count = 5.0
nosy_names = ['rhettinger', 'docs@python', 'paul.j3', 'rahul-kumi', 'Nazime Koussaila Lakehal']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = None
stage = None
status = 'open'
superseder = None
type = 'enhancement'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue39935'
versions = ['Python 3.7', 'Python 3.8', 'Python 3.9']

Activity

1. NazimeKoussailaLakehal commented on Mar 11, 2020

   

   NazimeKoussailaLakehalmannequin

   on Mar 11, 2020

   MannequinAuthor

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   The parameter help in the method add_parser of _SubParsersAction (that we obtain with ArgumentParser.add_subparsers()) Is not documented.

   In the documentation we can find:
   The add_subparsers() method is normally called with no arguments and returns a special action object. This object has a single method, add_parser(), which takes a command name and any ArgumentParser constructor arguments, and returns an ArgumentParser object that can be modified as usual.

   I found the parameter by accident and then I checked in the source code, it's unfortunate because the help parameter give really nice output when having sub commands.

   the parameter 'aliases' is also not documented.
2. NazimeKoussailaLakehal

   added

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   on Mar 11, 2020
3. NazimeKoussailaLakehal

   assigned

   docspython

   on Mar 11, 2020
4. NazimeKoussailaLakehal

   added

   docsDocumentation in the Doc dirDocumentation in the Doc dir

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   on Mar 11, 2020
5. NazimeKoussailaLakehal

   assigned

   docspython

   on Mar 11, 2020
6. NazimeKoussailaLakehal

   added

   docsDocumentation in the Doc dirDocumentation in the Doc dir

   type-featureA feature request or enhancementA feature request or enhancement

   on Mar 11, 2020
7. ezio-melotti

   transferred this issue fromon Apr 10, 2022
8. slateny commented on Apr 25, 2022

   

   slateny

   on Apr 25, 2022

   Contributor

   More actions

   A few paragraphs into the add_subparsers() section, it says:

   (A help message for each subparser command, however, can be given by supplying the help= argument to add_parser() as above.)

   Then a few paragraphs further in, it says:

   Furthermore, add_parser supports an additional aliases argument, which allows multiple strings to refer to the same subparser.

   So it seems that it's technically documented, but just not as well structured as say add_subparsers()

   Reacted by Sam Sneddon
9. 7 remaining items
10. serhiy-storchaka

    added

    easy

    on Oct 23, 2024
11. savannahostrowski

    self-assigned this

    on Nov 5, 2024
12. savannahostrowski

    removed their assignment

    on Sep 20, 2025
13. Krishna-web-hub commented on Oct 19, 2025

    

    Krishna-web-hub

    on Oct 19, 2025

    Contributor

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    Hi @serhiy-storchaka ,
    I'm happy to take this on! I will submit a PR to clearly document the help and aliases parameters for add_subparsers().add_parser() in the argparse documentation. I'll aim to have a PR ready soon.
14. serhiy-storchaka commented on Oct 20, 2025

    

    serhiy-storchaka

    on Oct 20, 2025

    Member

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    You are welcome, @Krishna-web-hub.
15. Krishna-web-hub

    added 3 commits that reference this issue on Oct 25, 2025

    Docs: Document help and aliases for argparse.add_parser() (pythongh-8…

    57a35b9

    Docs: Document help and aliases for argparse.add_parser() (pythongh-8…

    343648b

    Docs: Document help and aliases for argparse.add_parser() (pythongh-8…

    4b07ba3
16. savannahostrowski

    added a commit that references this issue on Feb 6, 2026

    gh-84116: Docs: Document help and aliases for argparse.add_parser() (#…

    74db440
17. savannahostrowski

    closed this as completedon Feb 6, 2026
18. picnixz

    added a commit that references this issue on Feb 7, 2026

    gh-84116: Add missing backslash to `_SubParsersAction.add_parser` sig…

    6665115
19. thunder-coding

    added 2 commits that reference this issue on Feb 15, 2026

    pythongh-84116: Docs: Document help and aliases for argparse.add_pars…

    d095dc3

    pythongh-84116: Add missing backslash to `_SubParsersAction.add_parse…

    a2e7792
20. ljfp

    added 2 commits that reference this issue on Apr 25, 2026

    pythongh-84116: Docs: Document help and aliases for argparse.add_pars…

    87f5018

    pythongh-84116: Add missing backslash to `_SubParsersAction.add_parse…

    bfa3131

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