---
title: Options
description: Every command-line flag, its default, and its key in .poly-crap.toml.
---

Every flag has a key in [`.poly-crap.toml`](/reference/configuration-file)
unless noted. The command line wins over the file, and the file over the
defaults, except that `exclude` and `allow` lists are joined and a boolean is
on when either side sets it.

## Scope

- `--path <DIR>`, default `.`. The directory to scan and the root that
  relative paths, globs, and auto-discovery use. Command line only.
- `--language <NAME>`, key `languages`. Repeatable; the file takes a list.
  Scans all six languages by default.
- `--exclude <GLOB>`, key `exclude`. Repeatable; see
  [Excluded paths](/scope/excludes-and-allow-lists#excluded-paths).
- `--no-default-excludes`. Drops the built-in exclude list. Command line only;
  the file uses `default-excludes = [...]` to replace the list instead.
- `--allow <GLOB>`, key `allow`. Repeatable; see
  [Allow lists](/scope/excludes-and-allow-lists#allow-lists).
- `--diff-base <REV>`. Scores only functions changed since the merge base with
  `REV`. Command line only.

## Coverage

- `--coverage <FILE>`, key `coverage`. Repeatable; reports are merged. Paths
  in the file are relative to the working directory.
- `--no-auto-coverage`. Skips the default-location search when no report is
  named. Command line only.
- `--missing <POLICY>`, key `missing`, default `pessimistic`. Also
  `optimistic` or `skip`.

## Gates

- `--threshold <SCORE>`, key `threshold`, default `5`. The score a function
  must stay at or under. Also decides which rows the table and SARIF show.
- `--fail-above`, key `fail-above`. Exit `1` when any function is over the
  threshold.
- `--baseline <FILE>`. A JSON report from an earlier run to compare against.
  Command line only.
- `--fail-regression`, key `fail-regression`. Exit `1` when any score rose
  from the baseline. Requires `--baseline`.
- `--epsilon <DELTA>`, key `epsilon`, default `0.01`. A score change within
  this much counts as unchanged.

## Output

- `--format <FORMAT>`, key `format`, default `human`. Also `json` or `sarif`.
- `--output <FILE>`. Write the report to a file instead of stdout. Command
  line only.
- `--color <WHEN>`, default `auto`. Also `always` or `never`. Command line
  only; see [Color](/output#color).
- `--min <SCORE>`, key `min`. Show rows scoring at least this much. Human
  output otherwise shows rows over the threshold; JSON shows every row.
- `--top <N>`, key `top`. Show at most `N` rows, highest scores first.
- `--sort <ORDER>`, key `sort`, default `crap`. Also `file`.
- `--summary`, key `summary`. Human output without the table.

`--min`, `--top`, `--sort`, and `--summary` change what is printed, never
the gates or the summary counts.

## Performance

- `--jobs <N>`, key `jobs`. Threads for parsing. Defaults to the number of
  cores.