Parse a typed command-line option.

Python: Use argparse to validate and convert an integer option.

Python snippet.py
import argparse
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
parser.add_argument("--count", type=int, default=1)
args = parser.parse_args(["--count", "3"])
print(args.count)

Expected output EXAMPLE

3

Details

Save as snippet.py and run python3 snippet.py. Uses the Python standard library. Use argparse to validate and convert an integer option.

Keep in mind

The explicit argument list keeps this example reproducible. Use parse_args() to read the real process command line.

✓ Verified

Tested on Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS · · Python 3.12.3 · python3 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1

Test inputs, results and environment

The exact published code ran in a dedicated Linux test container with prepared inputs. Unprivileged snippet process, external networking disabled, read-only root filesystem, and a fresh temporary working directory. Fixtures and output records are isolated from the application database. Testing covers this example and its stated checks, not every input, operating system, or runtime version. The Linux container shares its host's kernel; this is not a native Windows test.

Architecture / host kernel
x86_64 / 6.18.54.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2
Snippet identity / locale
uid=65534, gid=65534 (unprivileged) / C.UTF-8
Interpreter invocation
python3 -c <published code>
Container image ID
sha256:32dc2d998158b6554c99b73b533f423696a0f3e31e8cbea9db10b5eee9a2fadd
Code SHA-256
5a9b31b1da682aae1e1c4ff919856c9e9099efe1c74266c856ad46db2a94db81
Dependencies
python3 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1

Test input setup

These are the prepared inputs used by the test harness. See Details above for the prerequisites and how to run this example.

# No input files required.

Observed standard output

3

Exit code: 0. Standard error: empty. Validation: Exact stdout comparison. System-dependent values above are one recorded run.