GH-142389: Add [cmd]...[/cmd] markup to colorize examples in argparse description/epilog

Doc/library/argparse.rst

@@ -645,6 +645,27 @@ are set.
 
 .. versionadded:: 3.14
 
+To highlight command examples in your description or epilog text, you can use
+``[cmd]...[/cmd]`` markup::
+
+   >>> parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+   ...     formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
+   ...     epilog='''Examples:
+   ...   [cmd]python -m myapp --verbose[/cmd]
+   ...   [cmd]python -m myapp --config settings.json[/cmd]
+   ... ''')
+
+When colors are enabled, the text inside ``[cmd]...[/cmd]`` tags will be
+displayed in a distinct color to help examples stand out. When colors are
+disabled, the tags are stripped and the content is displayed as plain text.
+
+.. note::
+
+   The ``[cmd]`` markup only applies to description and epilog text. It does
+   not apply to individual argument ``help`` strings.
+
+.. versionadded:: 3.15
+
 
 The add_argument() method
 -------------------------

Doc/whatsnew/3.15.rst

@@ -407,6 +407,10 @@ argparse
   default to ``True``. This enables suggestions for mistyped arguments by default.
   (Contributed by Jakob Schluse in :gh:`140450`.)
 
+* Added ``[cmd]...[/cmd]`` markup support in description and epilog text to
+  highlight command examples when color output is enabled.
+  (Contributed by Savannah Ostrowski in :gh:`142390`.)
+
 calendar
 --------
 

Lib/argparse.py

@@ -517,7 +517,24 @@ def _format_text(self, text):
             text = text % dict(prog=self._prog)
         text_width = max(self._width - self._current_indent, 11)
         indent = ' ' * self._current_indent
-        return self._fill_text(text, text_width, indent) + '\n\n'
+        text = self._fill_text(text, text_width, indent)
+        text = self._apply_text_markup(text)
+        return text + '\n\n'
+
+    def _apply_text_markup(self, text):
+        """Apply color markup to text.
+
+        Supported markup:
+          [cmd]...[/cmd] - command/shell example (single color)
+        """
+        t = self._theme
+        text = _re.sub(
+            r'\[cmd\](.*?)\[/cmd\]',
+            rf'{t.prog_extra}\1{t.reset}',
+            text,
+            flags=_re.DOTALL
+        )
+        return text
 
     def _format_action(self, action):
         # determine the required width and the entry label

Lib/test/test_argparse.py

@@ -7558,6 +7558,155 @@ def test_error_and_warning_not_colorized_when_disabled(self):
         self.assertNotIn('\x1b[', warn)
         self.assertIn('warning:', warn)
 
+    def test_cmd_markup_in_epilog(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            prog='PROG',
+            color=True,
+            epilog='Example: [cmd]python -m myapp --verbose[/cmd]',
+        )
+
+        prog_extra = self.theme.prog_extra
+        reset = self.theme.reset
+
+        help_text = parser.format_help()
+        self.assertIn(f'Example: {prog_extra}python -m myapp --verbose{reset}',
+                      help_text)
+        self.assertNotIn('[cmd]', help_text)
+        self.assertNotIn('[/cmd]', help_text)
+
+    def test_cmd_markup_in_description(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            prog='PROG',
+            color=True,
+            description='Run [cmd]python -m myapp[/cmd] to start.',
+        )
+
+        prog_extra = self.theme.prog_extra
+        reset = self.theme.reset
+
+        help_text = parser.format_help()
+        self.assertIn(f'Run {prog_extra}python -m myapp{reset} to start.',
+                      help_text)
+
+    def test_cmd_markup_multiline(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            prog='PROG',
+            color=True,
+            formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
+            epilog='Example:\n[cmd]python -m myapp \\\n  --verbose[/cmd]',
+        )
+
+        prog_extra = self.theme.prog_extra
+        reset = self.theme.reset
+
+        help_text = parser.format_help()
+        self.assertIn(f'{prog_extra}python -m myapp \\\n  --verbose{reset}',
+                      help_text)
+
+    def test_cmd_markup_multiple_tags(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            prog='PROG',
+            color=True,
+            epilog='Try [cmd]app run[/cmd] or [cmd]app test[/cmd].',
+        )
+
+        prog_extra = self.theme.prog_extra
+        reset = self.theme.reset
+
+        help_text = parser.format_help()
+        self.assertIn(f'{prog_extra}app run{reset}', help_text)
+        self.assertIn(f'{prog_extra}app test{reset}', help_text)
+
+    def test_cmd_markup_not_applied_when_color_disabled(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            prog='PROG',
+            color=False,
+            epilog='Example: [cmd]python -m myapp[/cmd]',
+        )
+
+        help_text = parser.format_help()
+        self.assertNotIn('[cmd]', help_text)
+        self.assertNotIn('[/cmd]', help_text)
+        self.assertIn('python -m myapp', help_text)
+        self.assertNotIn('\x1b[', help_text)
+
+    def test_cmd_markup_unclosed_tag_unchanged(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            prog='PROG',
+            color=True,
+            epilog='Example: [cmd]python -m myapp without closing tag',
+        )
+
+        help_text = parser.format_help()
+        self.assertIn('[cmd]', help_text)
+
+    def test_cmd_markup_empty_tag(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            prog='PROG',
+            color=True,
+            epilog='Before [cmd][/cmd] after',
+        )
+
+        prog_extra = self.theme.prog_extra
+        reset = self.theme.reset
+
+        help_text = parser.format_help()
+        self.assertIn(f'Before {prog_extra}{reset} after', help_text)
+
+    def test_cmd_markup_with_format_string(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            prog='myapp',
+            color=True,
+            epilog='Run [cmd]%(prog)s --help[/cmd] for more info.',
+        )
+
+        prog_extra = self.theme.prog_extra
+        reset = self.theme.reset
+
+        help_text = parser.format_help()
+        self.assertIn(f'{prog_extra}myapp --help{reset}', help_text)
+
+    def test_cmd_markup_case_sensitive(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            prog='PROG',
+            color=True,
+            epilog='[CMD]uppercase[/CMD] vs [cmd]lowercase[/cmd]',
+        )
+
+        prog_extra = self.theme.prog_extra
+        reset = self.theme.reset
+
+        help_text = parser.format_help()
+        self.assertIn('[CMD]uppercase[/CMD]', help_text)
+        self.assertIn(f'{prog_extra}lowercase{reset}', help_text)
+
+    def test_cmd_markup_in_subparser(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='PROG', color=True)
+        subparsers = parser.add_subparsers()
+        sub = subparsers.add_parser(
+            'sub',
+            description='Run [cmd]PROG sub --foo[/cmd] to start.',
+        )
+
+        prog_extra = self.theme.prog_extra
+        reset = self.theme.reset
+
+        help_text = sub.format_help()
+        self.assertIn(f'{prog_extra}PROG sub --foo{reset}', help_text)
+
+    def test_cmd_markup_special_regex_chars(self):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+            prog='PROG',
+            color=True,
+            epilog='[cmd]grep "foo.*bar" | sort[/cmd]',
+        )
+
+        prog_extra = self.theme.prog_extra
+        reset = self.theme.reset
+
+        help_text = parser.format_help()
+        self.assertIn(f'{prog_extra}grep "foo.*bar" | sort{reset}', help_text)
+
 
 class TestModule(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_deprecated__version__(self):

Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-12-07-22-13-28.gh-issue-142389.J9v904.rst

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add ``[cmd]...[/cmd]`` markup support in :mod:`argparse` description and epilog text to highlight command examples when color output is enabled.