(based on years of argparse experience, also serves to demonstrate why argparse is not so good)

basic_argparse_framework.py

def create_parser():
    root_parser = ArgumentParser(description='article fetch operations')
    root_parser.add_argument('--list_home', help='list lookup directory')
    add_subparsers(root_parser.add_subparsers())
    return root_parser


def add_subparsers(subparsers):
    parser_list = subparsers.add_parser('list')
    parser_list.add_argument('target_list', nargs='?',
                             help='Name of the list or list file')
    parser_list.set_defaults(func=get_list)
    ...
    
def main(argv=None):
    parser = create_parser()
    args = parser.parse_args(argv)
    kwargs = dict(args._get_kwargs())
    args.func(**kwargs)
    return
    
if __name__ == '__main__':
    sys.exit(main())

example_argparse_help.txt

$ chert -h
usage: chert [-h] {init,version,serve,render,publish,clean} ...

positional arguments:
  {init,version,serve,render,publish,clean}
                        chert supports init, serve, and publish subcommands
    init                create a new Chert site
    version             display the version and other metadata
    serve               work on a Chert site using the local server
    render              generate a local copy of the site
    publish             upload a Chert site to the remote server
    clean               clean Chert output site directory

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit

example_face_help.txt

$ chert -h
Usage: /home/mahmoud/virtualenvs/chert/bin/chert subcommand [FLAGS]

Subcommands:

  init      create a new Chert site
  serve     work on a Chert site using the local server
  render    generate a local copy of the site
  publish   upload a Chert site to the remote server
  clean     clean Chert output site directory
  version   display the version and other metadata


Flags:

  --help / -h   show this help message and exit

import_gist_cmd.txt

$ python tools/admin.py import-gist --help
Usage: tools/admin.py import_gist [FLAGS]

import round entries from a csv list


Flags:

  --help / -h           show this help message and exit
  --debug               get extra output, enable debug console before db commit
  --round-id ROUND_ID   integer (required)
  --url URL             str (required)

montage_face_help.txt

$ python tools/admin.py -h
Usage: tools/admin.py subcommand [FLAGS]

CLI tools for administrating Montage.


Subcommands:

  add-organizer               Add a top-level organizer to the system, capable of creating campaigns and adding
                              coordinators.
  add-coordinator             add specified user as coordinator of a given campaign
  create-campaign             interactively create a campaign
  cancel-campaign             cancel the specified campaign
  create-round                interactively create a round in the specified campaign
  import-gist                 import round entries from a csv list
  activate-round              activate a round to start or resume voting
  pause-round                 pause a round to make edits and perform other maintenance
  advance-round               finalize the specified round and start the next
  edit-round-quorum           change the quorum of a given round, assigning and reassigning tasks as need be
  check-round-dupes           check for double-assigned tasks or ratings in a specified round
  apply-round-ratings         apply ratings to a round based on an input file
  retask-duplicate-ratings    reassign all ratings that were duplicated
  shuffle-round-assignments   randomly reassign all the rating tasks in a round
  cancel-round                set a round as cancelled, cancel related tasks and remove it from the campaign's active
                              rounds.
  list-campaigns              list details about all campaigns
  rdb-console                 Load a developer console for interacting with database objects.


Flags:

  --help / -h   show this help message and exit