feat: unicode support (#804)

* Add unicode support tests * Add unicode parse tests * Implement #14 * Slim down Windows.h * Fix documentation comments * Fix clang-tidy and cpplint * Update README * Fix clang-tidy * Fix to_path not being available on linux * Add roundtrip encoding tests * style: pre-commit.ci fixes * Fix pre-commit.ci * Fix codacy * Exclude parse_unicode which should not contain a newline from pre-commit * Remove a test which breaks CI * Fix build in CI * Replace broken execute_with tests * Fix wide string conversions on all systems * Fix system args on apple * style: pre-commit.ci fixes * Fix some includes * Fix wrong size calculation and comments * Add guards around codecvt * Fix _Pragma not recognized on MSVC * Fix bad macro check * Fix include * Fix narrow and widen when codecvt is missing * Fix some weird bug in old MSVC * Add dependent applications to meson-build * Fix precompilation * Fix lint * Fix coverage * Update README * style: pre-commit.ci fixes * Fix lint * Fix coverage * Fix optional braces offending clang * Remove copied comments from Windows.h * Suppress flawfinder detects * Fix cmake config tests failing because of a missing lib * chore: update copyright on new files to 2023 Signed-off-by: Henry Schreiner <henryschreineriii@gmail.com> * style: pre-commit.ci fixes Signed-off-by: Henry Schreiner <henryschreineriii@gmail.com> Co-authored-by: pre-commit-ci[bot] <66853113+pre-commit-ci[bot]@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: Henry Schreiner <henryschreineriii@gmail.com>
2025-04-29 20:23:55 +00:00 · 2023-01-12 23:03:20 +03:00 · 2023-01-12 23:03:20 +03:00 · a227cd10fc
commit a227cd10fc
parent 48624ead3c
26 changed files with 1093 additions and 57 deletions
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@ -128,9 +128,9 @@ jobs:
      - name: Build
        run: meson compile -C build-meson

-  cmake-config:
-    name: CMake config check
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+  cmake-config-ubuntu-1804:
+    name: CMake config check (Ubuntu 18.04)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-18.04
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3

@ -175,6 +175,12 @@ jobs:
          cmake-version: "3.10"
        if: success() || failure()

+  cmake-config-ubuntu-2004:
+    name: CMake config check (Ubuntu 20.04)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
      - name: Check CMake 3.11 (full)
        uses: ./.github/actions/quick_cmake
        with:
@ -212,6 +218,12 @@ jobs:
          cmake-version: "3.16"
        if: success() || failure()

+  cmake-config-ubuntu-2204:
+    name: CMake config check (Ubuntu 22.04)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
      - name: Check CMake 3.17
        uses: ./.github/actions/quick_cmake
        with:
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ a.out*
 /CMakeFiles/*
 /cmake_install.cmake
 /*.kdev4
+/.vscode
 /html/*
 !/meson.build
+/CMakeUserPresets.json

 /node_modules/*
 /package.json
--- a/CLI11.hpp.in
+++ b/CLI11.hpp.in
@ -40,10 +40,24 @@

 {macros_hpp}

+{slim_windows_h_hpp}
+
 {validators_hpp_filesystem}

+{encoding_includes}
+
+{argv_inl_includes}
+
 namespace {namespace} {{

+{encoding_hpp}
+
+{encoding_inl_hpp}
+
+{argv_hpp}
+
+{argv_inl_hpp}
+
 {string_tools_hpp}

 {string_tools_inl_hpp}
--- a/CPPLINT.cfg
+++ b/CPPLINT.cfg
@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ linelength=120  # As in .clang-format
 # Unused filters
 filter=-build/c++11  # Reports e.g. chrono and thread, which overlap with Chromium's API. Not applicable to general C++ projects.
 filter=-build/include_order  # Requires unusual include order that encourages creating not self-contained headers
+filter=-build/include_subdir  # Prevents including files in current directory for whatever reason
 filter=-readability/nolint  # Conflicts with clang-tidy
 filter=-readability/check  # Catch uses CHECK(a == b) (Tests only)
 filter=-build/namespaces  # Currently using it for one test (Tests only)
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ set with a simple and intuitive interface.
  - [Formatting](#formatting)
  - [Subclassing](#subclassing)
  - [How it works](#how-it-works)
+  - [Unicode support](#unicode-support)
  - [Utilities](#utilities)
  - [Other libraries](#other-libraries)
 - [API](#api)
@ -164,9 +165,6 @@ this library:
  option to disable it).
 - Autocomplete: This might eventually be added to both Plumbum and CLI11, but it
  is not supported yet.
- Wide strings / unicode: Since this uses the standard library only, it might be
-  hard to properly implement, but I would be open to suggestions in how to do
-  this.

 ## Install

@ -278,13 +276,13 @@ To set up, add options, and run, your main function will look something like
 this:

 ```cpp
-int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+int main() {
    CLI::App app{"App description"};

    std::string filename = "default";
    app.add_option("-f,--file", filename, "A help string");

-    CLI11_PARSE(app, argc, argv);
+    CLI11_PARSE(app);
    return 0;
 }
 ```
@ -293,7 +291,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {

 ```cpp
 try {
-    app.parse(argc, argv);
+    app.parse();
 } catch (const CLI::ParseError &e) {
    return app.exit(e);
 }
@ -306,6 +304,25 @@ inside the catch block; for example, help flags intentionally short-circuit all
 other processing for speed and to ensure required options and the like do not
 interfere.

+</p></details>
+
+<details><summary>Note: Why are argc and argv not used? (click to expand)</summary><p>
+
+`argc` and `argv` may contain incorrect information on Windows when unicode text
+is passed in. Check out a section on [unicode support](#unicode-support) below.
+
+If this is not a concern, you can explicitly pass `argc` and `argv` from main or
+from an external preprocessor of CLI arguments to `parse`:
+
+```cpp
+int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+    // ...
+
+    CLI11_PARSE(app, argc, argv);
+    return 0;
+}
+```
+
 </p></details>
 </br>

@ -1468,6 +1485,96 @@ app.add_option("--fancy-count", [](std::vector<std::string> val){
    });
 ```

+### Unicode support
+
+CLI11 supports Unicode and wide strings as defined in the
+[UTF-8 Everywhere](http://utf8everywhere.org/) manifesto. In particular:
+
+- The library can parse a wide version of command-line arguments on Windows,
+  which are converted internally to UTF-8 (more on this below);
+- You can store option values in `std::wstring`, in which case they will be
+  converted to a correct wide string encoding on your system (UTF-16 on Windows
+  and UTF-32 on most other systems);
+- Instead of storing wide strings, it is recommended to use provided `widen` and
+  `narrow` functions to convert to and from wide strings when actually necessary
+  (such as when calling into Windows APIs).
+
+When using the command line on Windows with unicode arguments, your `main`
+function may already receive broken Unicode. Parsing `argv` at that point will
+not give you a correct string. To fix this, you have three options:
+
+1. If you pass unmodified command-line arguments to CLI11, call `app.parse()`
+   instead of `app.parse(argc, argv)` (or `CLI11_PARSE(app)` instead of
+   `CLI11_PARSE(app, argc, argv)`). The library will find correct arguments
+   itself.
+
+   ```cpp
+   int main() {
+       CLI::App app;
+       // ...
+       CLI11_PARSE(app);
+   }
+   ```
+
+2. Get correct arguments with which the program was originally executed using
+   provided functions: `CLI::argc()` and `CLI::argv()`. These two methods are
+   the only cross-platform ways of handling unicode correctly.
+
+   ```cpp
+   int main() {
+       CLI::App app;
+       // ...
+       CLI11_PARSE(app, CLI::argc(), CLI::argv());
+   }
+   ```
+
+3. Use the Windows-only non-standard `wmain` function, which accepts
+   `wchar_t *argv[]` instead of `char* argv[]`. Parsing this will allow CLI to
+   convert wide strings to UTF-8 without losing information.
+
+   ```cpp
+   int wmain(int argc, wchar_t *argv[]) {
+       CLI::App app;
+       // ...
+       CLI11_PARSE(app, argc, argv);
+   }
+   ```
+
+4. Retrieve arguments yourself by using Windows APIs like
+   [`CommandLineToArgvW`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/shellapi/nf-shellapi-commandlinetoargvw)
+   and pass them to CLI. This is what the library is doing under the hood in
+   `CLI::argv()`.
+
+The library provides functions to convert between UTF-8 and wide strings:
+
+```cpp
+namespace CLI {
+    std::string narrow(const std::wstring &str);
+    std::string narrow(const wchar_t *str);
+    std::string narrow(const wchar_t *str, std::size_t size);
+    std::string narrow(std::wstring_view str);  // C++17
+
+    std::wstring widen(const std::string &str);
+    std::wstring widen(const char *str);
+    std::wstring widen(const char *str, std::size_t size);
+    std::wstring widen(std::string_view str);  // C++17
+}
+```
+
+#### Note on using Unicode paths
+
+When creating a `filesystem::path` from a UTF-8 path on Windows, you need to
+convert it to a wide string first. CLI11 provides a platform-independent
+`to_path` function, which will convert a UTF-8 string to path, the right way:
+
+```cpp
+std::string utf8_name = "Hello Halló Привет 你好 👩‍🚀❤️.txt";
+
+std::filesystem::path p = CLI::to_path(utf8_name);
+std::ifstream stream(CLI::to_path(utf8_name));
+// etc.
+```
+
 ### Utilities

 There are a few other utilities that are often useful in CLI programming. These
--- a/include/CLI/App.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/App.hpp
@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ namespace CLI {
 // [CLI11:app_hpp:verbatim]

 #ifndef CLI11_PARSE
-#define CLI11_PARSE(app, argc, argv)                                                                                   \
+#define CLI11_PARSE(app, ...)                                                                                          \
    try {                                                                                                              \
-        (app).parse((argc), (argv));                                                                                   \
+        (app).parse(__VA_ARGS__);                                                                                      \
    } catch(const CLI::ParseError &e) {                                                                                \
        return (app).exit(e);                                                                                          \
    }
@ -837,15 +837,25 @@ class App {
    /// Reset the parsed data
    void clear();

+    /// Parse the command-line arguments passed to the main function of the executable.
+    /// This overload will correctly parse unicode arguments on Windows.
+    void parse();
+
    /// Parses the command line - throws errors.
    /// This must be called after the options are in but before the rest of the program.
    void parse(int argc, const char *const *argv);
+    void parse(int argc, const wchar_t *const *argv);

+  private:
+    template <class CharT> void parse_char_t(int argc, const CharT *const *argv);
+
+  public:
    /// Parse a single string as if it contained command line arguments.
    /// This function splits the string into arguments then calls parse(std::vector<std::string> &)
    /// the function takes an optional boolean argument specifying if the programName is included in the string to
    /// process
    void parse(std::string commandline, bool program_name_included = false);
+    void parse(std::wstring commandline, bool program_name_included = false);

    /// The real work is done here. Expects a reversed vector.
    /// Changes the vector to the remaining options.
--- a/include/CLI/Argv.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/Argv.hpp
@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2017-2023, University of Cincinnati, developed by Henry Schreiner
+// under NSF AWARD 1414736 and by the respective contributors.
+// All rights reserved.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <CLI/Macros.hpp>
+
+namespace CLI {
+// [CLI11:argv_hpp:verbatim]
+
+/// argc as passed in to this executable.
+CLI11_INLINE int argc();
+
+/// argv as passed in to this executable, converted to utf-8 on Windows.
+CLI11_INLINE const char *const *argv();
+
+// [CLI11:argv_hpp:end]
+}  // namespace CLI
+
+#ifndef CLI11_COMPILE
+#include "impl/Argv_inl.hpp"
+#endif
--- a/include/CLI/CLI.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/CLI.hpp
@ -13,6 +13,10 @@

 #include "Macros.hpp"

+#include "Encoding.hpp"
+
+#include "Argv.hpp"
+
 #include "StringTools.hpp"

 #include "Error.hpp"
--- a/include/CLI/Encoding.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/Encoding.hpp
@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2017-2023, University of Cincinnati, developed by Henry Schreiner
+// under NSF AWARD 1414736 and by the respective contributors.
+// All rights reserved.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <CLI/Macros.hpp>
+
+// [CLI11:public_includes:set]
+#include <string>
+// [CLI11:public_includes:end]
+
+// [CLI11:encoding_includes:verbatim]
+#ifdef CLI11_CPP17
+#include <string_view>
+#endif  // CLI11_CPP17
+
+#if defined CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM && CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM > 0
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <string_view>  // NOLINT(build/include)
+#endif                  // CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM
+// [CLI11:encoding_includes:end]
+
+namespace CLI {
+// [CLI11:encoding_hpp:verbatim]
+
+/// Convert a wide string to a narrow string.
+CLI11_INLINE std::string narrow(const std::wstring &str);
+CLI11_INLINE std::string narrow(const wchar_t *str);
+CLI11_INLINE std::string narrow(const wchar_t *str, std::size_t size);
+
+/// Convert a narrow string to a wide string.
+CLI11_INLINE std::wstring widen(const std::string &str);
+CLI11_INLINE std::wstring widen(const char *str);
+CLI11_INLINE std::wstring widen(const char *str, std::size_t size);
+
+#ifdef CLI11_CPP17
+CLI11_INLINE std::string narrow(std::wstring_view str);
+CLI11_INLINE std::wstring widen(std::string_view str);
+#endif  // CLI11_CPP17
+
+#if defined CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM && CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM > 0
+/// Convert a char-string to a native path correctly.
+CLI11_INLINE std::filesystem::path to_path(std::string_view str);
+#endif  // CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM
+
+// [CLI11:encoding_hpp:end]
+}  // namespace CLI
+
+#ifndef CLI11_COMPILE
+#include "impl/Encoding_inl.hpp"
+#endif
--- a/include/CLI/Macros.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/Macros.hpp
@ -66,6 +66,62 @@
 #endif
 #endif

+/** <filesystem> availability */
+#if defined CLI11_CPP17 && defined __has_include && !defined CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM
+#if __has_include(<filesystem>)
+// Filesystem cannot be used if targeting macOS < 10.15
+#if defined __MAC_OS_X_VERSION_MIN_REQUIRED && __MAC_OS_X_VERSION_MIN_REQUIRED < 101500
+#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 0
+#elif defined(__wasi__)
+// As of wasi-sdk-14, filesystem is not implemented
+#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 0
+#else
+#include <filesystem>
+#if defined __cpp_lib_filesystem && __cpp_lib_filesystem >= 201703
+#if defined _GLIBCXX_RELEASE && _GLIBCXX_RELEASE >= 9
+#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 1
+#elif defined(__GLIBCXX__)
+// if we are using gcc and Version <9 default to no filesystem
+#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 0
+#else
+#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 1
+#endif
+#else
+#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 0
+#endif
+#endif
+#endif
+#endif
+
+/** <codecvt> availability */
+#if defined(__GNUC__) && !defined(__llvm__) && !defined(__INTEL_COMPILER) && __GNUC__ < 5
+#define CLI11_HAS_CODECVT 0
+#else
+#define CLI11_HAS_CODECVT 1
+#include <codecvt>
+#endif
+
+/** disable deprecations */
+#if defined(__GNUC__)  // GCC or clang
+#define CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH _Pragma("GCC diagnostic push")
+#define CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_POP _Pragma("GCC diagnostic pop")
+
+#define CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE_DEPRECATED _Pragma("GCC diagnostic ignored \"-Wdeprecated-declarations\"")
+
+#elif defined(_MSC_VER)
+#define CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH __pragma(warning(push))
+#define CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_POP __pragma(warning(pop))
+
+#define CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE_DEPRECATED __pragma(warning(disable : 4996))
+
+#else
+#define CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
+#define CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_POP
+
+#define CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE_DEPRECATED
+
+#endif
+
 /** Inline macro **/
 #ifdef CLI11_COMPILE
 #define CLI11_INLINE
--- a/include/CLI/TypeTools.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/TypeTools.hpp
@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 // [CLI11:public_includes:end]

+#include "Encoding.hpp"
 #include "StringTools.hpp"

 namespace CLI {
@ -242,8 +243,10 @@ struct is_mutable_container<
                         decltype(std::declval<T>().clear()),
                         decltype(std::declval<T>().insert(std::declval<decltype(std::declval<T>().end())>(),
                                                           std::declval<const typename T::value_type &>()))>,
-                  void>>
-    : public conditional_t<std::is_constructible<T, std::string>::value, std::false_type, std::true_type> {};
+                  void>> : public conditional_t<std::is_constructible<T, std::string>::value ||
+                                                    std::is_constructible<T, std::wstring>::value,
+                                                std::false_type,
+                                                std::true_type> {};

 // check to see if an object is a mutable container (fail by default)
 template <typename T, typename _ = void> struct is_readable_container : std::false_type {};
@ -546,6 +549,8 @@ enum class object_category : int {
    // string like types
    string_assignable = 23,
    string_constructible = 24,
+    wstring_assignable = 25,
+    wstring_constructible = 26,
    other = 45,
    // special wrapper or container types
    wrapper_value = 50,
@ -613,6 +618,27 @@ struct classify_object<
    static constexpr object_category value{object_category::string_constructible};
 };

+/// Wide strings
+template <typename T>
+struct classify_object<T,
+                       typename std::enable_if<!std::is_floating_point<T>::value && !std::is_integral<T>::value &&
+                                               !std::is_assignable<T &, std::string>::value &&
+                                               !std::is_constructible<T, std::string>::value &&
+                                               std::is_assignable<T &, std::wstring>::value>::type> {
+    static constexpr object_category value{object_category::wstring_assignable};
+};
+
+template <typename T>
+struct classify_object<
+    T,
+    typename std::enable_if<!std::is_floating_point<T>::value && !std::is_integral<T>::value &&
+                            !std::is_assignable<T &, std::string>::value &&
+                            !std::is_constructible<T, std::string>::value &&
+                            !std::is_assignable<T &, std::wstring>::value && (type_count<T>::value == 1) &&
+                            std::is_constructible<T, std::wstring>::value>::type> {
+    static constexpr object_category value{object_category::wstring_constructible};
+};
+
 /// Enumerations
 template <typename T> struct classify_object<T, typename std::enable_if<std::is_enum<T>::value>::type> {
    static constexpr object_category value{object_category::enumeration};
@ -625,12 +651,13 @@ template <typename T> struct classify_object<T, typename std::enable_if<is_compl
 /// Handy helper to contain a bunch of checks that rule out many common types (integers, string like, floating point,
 /// vectors, and enumerations
 template <typename T> struct uncommon_type {
-    using type = typename std::conditional<!std::is_floating_point<T>::value && !std::is_integral<T>::value &&
-                                               !std::is_assignable<T &, std::string>::value &&
-                                               !std::is_constructible<T, std::string>::value && !is_complex<T>::value &&
-                                               !is_mutable_container<T>::value && !std::is_enum<T>::value,
-                                           std::true_type,
-                                           std::false_type>::type;
+    using type = typename std::conditional<
+        !std::is_floating_point<T>::value && !std::is_integral<T>::value &&
+            !std::is_assignable<T &, std::string>::value && !std::is_constructible<T, std::string>::value &&
+            !std::is_assignable<T &, std::wstring>::value && !std::is_constructible<T, std::wstring>::value &&
+            !is_complex<T>::value && !is_mutable_container<T>::value && !std::is_enum<T>::value,
+        std::true_type,
+        std::false_type>::type;
    static constexpr bool value = type::value;
 };

@ -1005,6 +1032,23 @@ bool lexical_cast(const std::string &input, T &output) {
    return true;
 }

+/// Wide strings
+template <
+    typename T,
+    enable_if_t<classify_object<T>::value == object_category::wstring_assignable, detail::enabler> = detail::dummy>
+bool lexical_cast(const std::string &input, T &output) {
+    output = widen(input);
+    return true;
+}
+
+template <
+    typename T,
+    enable_if_t<classify_object<T>::value == object_category::wstring_constructible, detail::enabler> = detail::dummy>
+bool lexical_cast(const std::string &input, T &output) {
+    output = T{widen(input)};
+    return true;
+}
+
 /// Enumerations
 template <typename T,
          enable_if_t<classify_object<T>::value == object_category::enumeration, detail::enabler> = detail::dummy>
@ -1133,7 +1177,9 @@ template <typename AssignTo,
          typename ConvertTo,
          enable_if_t<std::is_same<AssignTo, ConvertTo>::value &&
                          (classify_object<AssignTo>::value == object_category::string_assignable ||
-                           classify_object<AssignTo>::value == object_category::string_constructible),
+                           classify_object<AssignTo>::value == object_category::string_constructible ||
+                           classify_object<AssignTo>::value == object_category::wstring_assignable ||
+                           classify_object<AssignTo>::value == object_category::wstring_constructible),
                      detail::enabler> = detail::dummy>
 bool lexical_assign(const std::string &input, AssignTo &output) {
    return lexical_cast(input, output);
@ -1144,7 +1190,9 @@ template <typename AssignTo,
          typename ConvertTo,
          enable_if_t<std::is_same<AssignTo, ConvertTo>::value && std::is_assignable<AssignTo &, AssignTo>::value &&
                          classify_object<AssignTo>::value != object_category::string_assignable &&
-                          classify_object<AssignTo>::value != object_category::string_constructible,
+                          classify_object<AssignTo>::value != object_category::string_constructible &&
+                          classify_object<AssignTo>::value != object_category::wstring_assignable &&
+                          classify_object<AssignTo>::value != object_category::wstring_constructible,
                      detail::enabler> = detail::dummy>
 bool lexical_assign(const std::string &input, AssignTo &output) {
    if(input.empty()) {
--- a/include/CLI/Validators.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/Validators.hpp
@ -26,34 +26,6 @@

 // [CLI11:validators_hpp_filesystem:verbatim]

-// C standard library
-// Only needed for existence checking
-#if defined CLI11_CPP17 && defined __has_include && !defined CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM
-#if __has_include(<filesystem>)
-// Filesystem cannot be used if targeting macOS < 10.15
-#if defined __MAC_OS_X_VERSION_MIN_REQUIRED && __MAC_OS_X_VERSION_MIN_REQUIRED < 101500
-#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 0
-#elif defined(__wasi__)
-// As of wasi-sdk-14, filesystem is not implemented
-#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 0
-#else
-#include <filesystem>
-#if defined __cpp_lib_filesystem && __cpp_lib_filesystem >= 201703
-#if defined _GLIBCXX_RELEASE && _GLIBCXX_RELEASE >= 9
-#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 1
-#elif defined(__GLIBCXX__)
-// if we are using gcc and Version <9 default to no filesystem
-#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 0
-#else
-#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 1
-#endif
-#else
-#define CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM 0
-#endif
-#endif
-#endif
-#endif
-
 #if defined CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM && CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM > 0
 #include <filesystem>  // NOLINT(build/include)
 #else
--- a/include/CLI/impl/App_inl.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/impl/App_inl.hpp
@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 // This include is only needed for IDEs to discover symbols
 #include <CLI/App.hpp>

+#include <CLI/Argv.hpp>
+#include <CLI/Encoding.hpp>
+
 // [CLI11:public_includes:set]
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <memory>
@ -474,17 +477,31 @@ CLI11_INLINE void App::clear() {
    }
 }

-CLI11_INLINE void App::parse(int argc, const char *const *argv) {
+CLI11_INLINE void App::parse() { parse(argc(), argv()); }  // LCOV_EXCL_LINE
+
+CLI11_INLINE void App::parse(int argc, const char *const *argv) { parse_char_t(argc, argv); }
+CLI11_INLINE void App::parse(int argc, const wchar_t *const *argv) { parse_char_t(argc, argv); }
+
+namespace detail {
+
+// Do nothing or perform narrowing
+CLI11_INLINE const char *maybe_narrow(const char *str) { return str; }
+CLI11_INLINE std::string maybe_narrow(const wchar_t *str) { return narrow(str); }
+
+}  // namespace detail
+
+template <class CharT> CLI11_INLINE void App::parse_char_t(int argc, const CharT *const *argv) {
    // If the name is not set, read from command line
    if(name_.empty() || has_automatic_name_) {
        has_automatic_name_ = true;
-        name_ = argv[0];
+        name_ = detail::maybe_narrow(argv[0]);
    }

    std::vector<std::string> args;
    args.reserve(static_cast<std::size_t>(argc) - 1U);
    for(auto i = static_cast<std::size_t>(argc) - 1U; i > 0U; --i)
-        args.emplace_back(argv[i]);
+        args.emplace_back(detail::maybe_narrow(argv[i]));
+
    parse(std::move(args));
 }

@ -515,6 +532,10 @@ CLI11_INLINE void App::parse(std::string commandline, bool program_name_included
    parse(std::move(args));
 }

+CLI11_INLINE void App::parse(std::wstring commandline, bool program_name_included) {
+    parse(narrow(commandline), program_name_included);
+}
+
 CLI11_INLINE void App::parse(std::vector<std::string> &args) {
    // Clear if parsed
    if(parsed_ > 0)
--- a/include/CLI/impl/Argv_inl.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/impl/Argv_inl.hpp
@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2017-2023, University of Cincinnati, developed by Henry Schreiner
+// under NSF AWARD 1414736 and by the respective contributors.
+// All rights reserved.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+#pragma once
+
+// This include is only needed for IDEs to discover symbols
+#include <CLI/Argv.hpp>
+
+#include <CLI/Encoding.hpp>
+
+// [CLI11:public_includes:set]
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <memory>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+// [CLI11:public_includes:end]
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#include "SlimWindowsH.hpp"
+#endif  // _WIN32
+
+// [CLI11:argv_inl_includes:verbatim]
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+#include <processenv.h>
+#include <shellapi.h>
+#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+#include <crt_externs.h>
+#endif
+// [CLI11:argv_inl_includes:end]
+
+namespace CLI {
+// [CLI11:argv_inl_hpp:verbatim]
+
+namespace detail {
+
+#ifdef __APPLE__
+// Copy argc and argv as early as possible to avoid modification
+static const std::vector<const char *> static_args = [] {
+    static const std::vector<std::string> static_args_as_strings = [] {
+        std::vector<std::string> args_as_strings;
+        int argc = *_NSGetArgc();
+        char **argv = *_NSGetArgv();
+
+        args_as_strings.reserve(static_cast<size_t>(argc));
+        for(size_t i = 0; i < static_cast<size_t>(argc); i++) {
+            args_as_strings.push_back(argv[i]);
+        }
+
+        return args_as_strings;
+    }();
+
+    std::vector<const char *> static_args_result;
+    static_args_result.reserve(static_args_as_strings.size());
+
+    for(const auto &arg : static_args_as_strings) {
+        static_args_result.push_back(arg.data());
+    }
+
+    return static_args_result;
+}();
+#endif
+
+/// Command-line arguments, as passed in to this executable, converted to utf-8 on Windows.
+CLI11_INLINE const std::vector<const char *> &args() {
+    // This function uses initialization via lambdas extensively to take advantage of the thread safety of static
+    // variable initialization [stmt.dcl.3]
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    static const std::vector<const char *> static_args = [] {
+        static const std::vector<std::string> static_args_as_strings = [] {
+            // On Windows, take arguments from GetCommandLineW and convert them to utf-8.
+            std::vector<std::string> args_as_strings;
+            int argc = 0;
+
+            auto deleter = [](wchar_t **ptr) { LocalFree(ptr); };
+            // NOLINTBEGIN(*-avoid-c-arrays)
+            auto wargv =
+                std::unique_ptr<wchar_t *[], decltype(deleter)>(CommandLineToArgvW(GetCommandLineW(), &argc), deleter);
+            // NOLINTEND(*-avoid-c-arrays)
+
+            if(wargv == nullptr) {
+                throw std::runtime_error("CommandLineToArgvW failed with code " + std::to_string(GetLastError()));
+            }
+
+            args_as_strings.reserve(static_cast<size_t>(argc));
+            for(size_t i = 0; i < static_cast<size_t>(argc); ++i) {
+                args_as_strings.push_back(narrow(wargv[i]));
+            }
+
+            return args_as_strings;
+        }();
+
+        std::vector<const char *> static_args_result;
+        static_args_result.reserve(static_args_as_strings.size());
+
+        for(const auto &arg : static_args_as_strings) {
+            static_args_result.push_back(arg.data());
+        }
+
+        return static_args_result;
+    }();
+
+    return static_args;
+
+#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+
+    return static_args;
+
+#else
+    static const std::vector<const char *> static_args = [] {
+        static const std::vector<char> static_cmdline = [] {
+            // On posix, retrieve arguments from /proc/self/cmdline, separated by null terminators.
+            std::vector<char> cmdline;
+
+            auto deleter = [](FILE *f) { std::fclose(f); };
+            std::unique_ptr<FILE, decltype(deleter)> fp_unique(std::fopen("/proc/self/cmdline", "r"), deleter);
+            FILE *fp = fp_unique.get();
+            if(!fp) {
+                throw std::runtime_error("could not open /proc/self/cmdline for reading");  // LCOV_EXCL_LINE
+            }
+
+            size_t size = 0;
+            while(std::feof(fp) == 0) {
+                cmdline.resize(size + 128);
+                size += std::fread(cmdline.data() + size, 1, 128, fp);
+
+                if(std::ferror(fp) != 0) {
+                    throw std::runtime_error("error during reading /proc/self/cmdline");  // LCOV_EXCL_LINE
+                }
+            }
+            cmdline.resize(size);
+
+            return cmdline;
+        }();
+
+        std::size_t argc = static_cast<std::size_t>(std::count(static_cmdline.begin(), static_cmdline.end(), '\0'));
+        std::vector<const char *> static_args_result;
+        static_args_result.reserve(argc);
+
+        for(auto it = static_cmdline.begin(); it != static_cmdline.end();
+            it = std::find(it, static_cmdline.end(), '\0') + 1) {
+            static_args_result.push_back(static_cmdline.data() + (it - static_cmdline.begin()));
+        }
+
+        return static_args_result;
+    }();
+
+    return static_args;
+#endif
+}
+
+}  // namespace detail
+
+CLI11_INLINE const char *const *argv() { return detail::args().data(); }
+CLI11_INLINE int argc() { return static_cast<int>(detail::args().size()); }
+
+// [CLI11:argv_inl_hpp:end]
+}  // namespace CLI
--- a/include/CLI/impl/Encoding_inl.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/impl/Encoding_inl.hpp
@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2017-2023, University of Cincinnati, developed by Henry Schreiner
+// under NSF AWARD 1414736 and by the respective contributors.
+// All rights reserved.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+#pragma once
+
+// This include is only needed for IDEs to discover symbols
+#include <CLI/Encoding.hpp>
+#include <CLI/Macros.hpp>
+
+// [CLI11:public_includes:set]
+#include <array>
+#include <clocale>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <cstring>
+#include <cwchar>
+#include <locale>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <string>
+#include <type_traits>
+#include <utility>
+// [CLI11:public_includes:end]
+
+namespace CLI {
+// [CLI11:encoding_inl_hpp:verbatim]
+
+namespace detail {
+
+#if !CLI11_HAS_CODECVT
+/// Attempt to set one of the acceptable unicode locales for conversion
+CLI11_INLINE void set_unicode_locale() {
+    static const std::array<const char *, 3> unicode_locales{{"C.UTF-8", "en_US.UTF-8", ".UTF-8"}};
+
+    for(const auto &locale_name : unicode_locales) {
+        if(std::setlocale(LC_ALL, locale_name) != nullptr) {
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+    throw std::runtime_error("CLI::narrow: could not set locale to C.UTF-8");
+}
+
+template <typename F> struct scope_guard_t {
+    F closure;
+
+    explicit scope_guard_t(F closure_) : closure(closure_) {}
+    ~scope_guard_t() { closure(); }
+};
+
+template <typename F> CLI11_NODISCARD CLI11_INLINE scope_guard_t<F> scope_guard(F &&closure) {
+    return scope_guard_t<F>{std::forward<F>(closure)};
+}
+
+#endif  // !CLI11_HAS_CODECVT
+
+CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
+CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE_DEPRECATED
+
+CLI11_INLINE std::string narrow_impl(const wchar_t *str, std::size_t str_size) {
+#if CLI11_HAS_CODECVT
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    return std::wstring_convert<std::codecvt_utf8_utf16<wchar_t>>().to_bytes(str, str + str_size);
+
+#else
+    return std::wstring_convert<std::codecvt_utf8<wchar_t>>().to_bytes(str, str + str_size);
+
+#endif  // _WIN32
+#else   // CLI11_HAS_CODECVT
+    (void)str_size;
+    std::mbstate_t state = std::mbstate_t();
+    const wchar_t *it = str;
+
+    std::string old_locale = std::setlocale(LC_ALL, nullptr);
+    auto sg = scope_guard([&] { std::setlocale(LC_ALL, old_locale.c_str()); });
+    set_unicode_locale();
+
+    std::size_t new_size = std::wcsrtombs(nullptr, &it, 0, &state);
+    if(new_size == static_cast<std::size_t>(-1)) {
+        throw std::runtime_error("CLI::narrow: conversion error in std::wcsrtombs at offset " +
+                                 std::to_string(it - str));
+    }
+    std::string result(new_size, '\0');
+    std::wcsrtombs(const_cast<char *>(result.data()), &str, new_size, &state);
+
+    return result;
+
+#endif  // CLI11_HAS_CODECVT
+}
+
+CLI11_INLINE std::wstring widen_impl(const char *str, std::size_t str_size) {
+#if CLI11_HAS_CODECVT
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    return std::wstring_convert<std::codecvt_utf8_utf16<wchar_t>>().from_bytes(str, str + str_size);
+
+#else
+    return std::wstring_convert<std::codecvt_utf8<wchar_t>>().from_bytes(str, str + str_size);
+
+#endif  // _WIN32
+#else   // CLI11_HAS_CODECVT
+    (void)str_size;
+    std::mbstate_t state = std::mbstate_t();
+    const char *it = str;
+
+    std::string old_locale = std::setlocale(LC_ALL, nullptr);
+    auto sg = scope_guard([&] { std::setlocale(LC_ALL, old_locale.c_str()); });
+    set_unicode_locale();
+
+    std::size_t new_size = std::mbsrtowcs(nullptr, &it, 0, &state);
+    if(new_size == static_cast<std::size_t>(-1)) {
+        throw std::runtime_error("CLI::widen: conversion error in std::mbsrtowcs at offset " +
+                                 std::to_string(it - str));
+    }
+    std::wstring result(new_size, L'\0');
+    std::mbsrtowcs(const_cast<wchar_t *>(result.data()), &str, new_size, &state);
+
+    return result;
+
+#endif  // CLI11_HAS_CODECVT
+}
+
+CLI11_DIAGNOSTIC_POP
+
+}  // namespace detail
+
+CLI11_INLINE std::string narrow(const wchar_t *str, std::size_t str_size) { return detail::narrow_impl(str, str_size); }
+CLI11_INLINE std::string narrow(const std::wstring &str) { return detail::narrow_impl(str.data(), str.size()); }
+// Flawfinder: ignore
+CLI11_INLINE std::string narrow(const wchar_t *str) { return detail::narrow_impl(str, std::wcslen(str)); }
+
+CLI11_INLINE std::wstring widen(const char *str, std::size_t str_size) { return detail::widen_impl(str, str_size); }
+CLI11_INLINE std::wstring widen(const std::string &str) { return detail::widen_impl(str.data(), str.size()); }
+// Flawfinder: ignore
+CLI11_INLINE std::wstring widen(const char *str) { return detail::widen_impl(str, std::strlen(str)); }
+
+#ifdef CLI11_CPP17
+CLI11_INLINE std::string narrow(std::wstring_view str) { return detail::narrow_impl(str.data(), str.size()); }
+CLI11_INLINE std::wstring widen(std::string_view str) { return detail::widen_impl(str.data(), str.size()); }
+#endif  // CLI11_CPP17
+
+#if defined CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM && CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM > 0
+CLI11_INLINE std::filesystem::path to_path(std::string_view str) {
+    return std::filesystem::path{
+#ifdef _WIN32
+        widen(str)
+#else
+        str
+#endif  // _WIN32
+    };
+}
+#endif  // CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM
+
+// [CLI11:encoding_inl_hpp:end]
+}  // namespace CLI
--- a/include/CLI/impl/SlimWindowsH.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/impl/SlimWindowsH.hpp
@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2017-2023, University of Cincinnati, developed by Henry Schreiner
+// under NSF AWARD 1414736 and by the respective contributors.
+// All rights reserved.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+#pragma once
+// [CLI11:slim_windows_h_hpp:verbatim]
+#ifdef _WIN32
+// The most slimmed-down version of Windows.h.
+#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#define WIN32_EXTRA_LEAN
+
+// Enable components based on necessity.
+#define NOGDICAPMASKS
+#define NOVIRTUALKEYCODES
+#define NOWINMESSAGES
+#define NOWINSTYLES
+#define NOSYSMETRICS
+#define NOMENUS
+#define NOICONS
+#define NOKEYSTATES
+#define NOSYSCOMMANDS
+#define NORASTEROPS
+#define NOSHOWWINDOW
+#define OEMRESOURCE
+#define NOATOM
+#define NOCLIPBOARD
+#define NOCOLOR
+#define NOCTLMGR
+#define NODRAWTEXT
+#define NOGDI
+#define NOKERNEL
+#define NOUSER
+#define NONLS
+#define NOMB
+#define NOMEMMGR
+#define NOMETAFILE
+#define NOMINMAX
+#define NOMSG
+#define NOOPENFILE
+#define NOSCROLL
+#define NOSERVICE
+#define NOSOUND
+#define NOTEXTMETRIC
+#define NOWH
+#define NOWINOFFSETS
+#define NOCOMM
+#define NOKANJI
+#define NOHELP
+#define NOPROFILER
+#define NODEFERWINDOWPOS
+#define NOMCX
+
+#include "Windows.h"
+
+#undef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#undef WIN32_EXTRA_LEAN
+
+#undef NOGDICAPMASKS
+#undef NOVIRTUALKEYCODES
+#undef NOWINMESSAGES
+#undef NOWINSTYLES
+#undef NOSYSMETRICS
+#undef NOMENUS
+#undef NOICONS
+#undef NOKEYSTATES
+#undef NOSYSCOMMANDS
+#undef NORASTEROPS
+#undef NOSHOWWINDOW
+#undef OEMRESOURCE
+#undef NOATOM
+#undef NOCLIPBOARD
+#undef NOCOLOR
+#undef NOCTLMGR
+#undef NODRAWTEXT
+#undef NOGDI
+#undef NOKERNEL
+#undef NOUSER
+#undef NONLS
+#undef NOMB
+#undef NOMEMMGR
+#undef NOMETAFILE
+#undef NOMINMAX
+#undef NOMSG
+#undef NOOPENFILE
+#undef NOSCROLL
+#undef NOSERVICE
+#undef NOSOUND
+#undef NOTEXTMETRIC
+#undef NOWH
+#undef NOWINOFFSETS
+#undef NOCOMM
+#undef NOKANJI
+#undef NOHELP
+#undef NOPROFILER
+#undef NODEFERWINDOWPOS
+#undef NOMCX
+
+#endif  // _WIN32
+// [CLI11:slim_windows_h_hpp:end]
--- a/include/CLI/impl/Validators_inl.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/impl/Validators_inl.hpp
@ -8,6 +8,7 @@

 #include <CLI/Validators.hpp>

+#include <CLI/Encoding.hpp>
 #include <CLI/Macros.hpp>
 #include <CLI/StringTools.hpp>
 #include <CLI/TypeTools.hpp>
@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ namespace detail {
 #if defined CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM && CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM > 0
 CLI11_INLINE path_type check_path(const char *file) noexcept {
    std::error_code ec;
-    auto stat = std::filesystem::status(file, ec);
+    auto stat = std::filesystem::status(to_path(file), ec);
    if(ec) {
        return path_type::nonexistent;
    }
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ set(CLI11_headers
    ${CLI11_headerLoc}/StringTools.hpp
    ${CLI11_headerLoc}/TypeTools.hpp
    ${CLI11_headerLoc}/Validators.hpp
-    ${CLI11_headerLoc}/Version.hpp)
+    ${CLI11_headerLoc}/Version.hpp
+    ${CLI11_headerLoc}/Encoding.hpp
+    ${CLI11_headerLoc}/Argv.hpp)

 set(CLI11_implLoc "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/CLI/impl")

@ -24,7 +26,10 @@ set(CLI11_impl_headers
    ${CLI11_implLoc}/Option_inl.hpp
    ${CLI11_implLoc}/Split_inl.hpp
    ${CLI11_implLoc}/StringTools_inl.hpp
-    ${CLI11_implLoc}/Validators_inl.hpp)
+    ${CLI11_implLoc}/Validators_inl.hpp
+    ${CLI11_implLoc}/Encoding_inl.hpp
+    ${CLI11_implLoc}/Argv_inl.hpp
+    ${CLI11_implLoc}/SlimWindowsH.hpp)

 set(CLI11_library_headers ${CLI11_headerLoc}/CLI.hpp ${CLI11_headerLoc}/Timer.hpp)

--- a/src/Precompile.cpp
+++ b/src/Precompile.cpp
@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause

 #include <CLI/impl/App_inl.hpp>
+#include <CLI/impl/Argv_inl.hpp>
 #include <CLI/impl/Config_inl.hpp>
+#include <CLI/impl/Encoding_inl.hpp>
 #include <CLI/impl/Formatter_inl.hpp>
 #include <CLI/impl/Option_inl.hpp>
 #include <CLI/impl/Split_inl.hpp>
--- a/tests/AppTest.cpp
+++ b/tests/AppTest.cpp
@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "app_helper.hpp"
 #include <cmath>

+#include <array>
 #include <complex>
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <cstdlib>
@ -261,6 +262,28 @@ TEST_CASE_METHOD(TApp, "OneString", "[app]") {
    CHECK("mystring" == str);
 }

+TEST_CASE_METHOD(TApp, "OneWideString", "[app]") {
+    std::wstring str;
+    app.add_option("-s,--string", str);
+    args = {"--string", "mystring"};
+    run();
+    CHECK(app.count("-s") == 1u);
+    CHECK(app.count("--string") == 1u);
+    CHECK(L"mystring" == str);
+}
+
+TEST_CASE_METHOD(TApp, "OneStringWideInput", "[app][unicode]") {
+    std::string str;
+    app.add_option("-s,--string", str);
+
+    std::array<const wchar_t *, 3> cmdline{{L"app", L"--string", L"mystring"}};
+    app.parse(static_cast<int>(cmdline.size()), cmdline.data());
+
+    CHECK(app.count("-s") == 1u);
+    CHECK(app.count("--string") == 1u);
+    CHECK("mystring" == str);
+}
+
 TEST_CASE_METHOD(TApp, "OneStringWindowsStyle", "[app]") {
    std::string str;
    app.add_option("-s,--string", str);
@ -282,6 +305,16 @@ TEST_CASE_METHOD(TApp, "OneStringSingleStringInput", "[app]") {
    CHECK("mystring" == str);
 }

+TEST_CASE_METHOD(TApp, "OneStringSingleWideStringInput", "[app][unicode]") {
+    std::string str;
+    app.add_option("-s,--string", str);
+
+    app.parse(L"--string mystring");
+    CHECK(app.count("-s") == 1u);
+    CHECK(app.count("--string") == 1u);
+    CHECK("mystring" == str);
+}
+
 TEST_CASE_METHOD(TApp, "OneStringEqualVersion", "[app]") {
    std::string str;
    app.add_option("-s,--string", str);
@ -2463,3 +2496,21 @@ TEST_CASE("C20_compile", "simple") {
    app.parse("--flag");
    CHECK_FALSE(flag->empty());
 }
+
+// #14
+TEST_CASE("System Args", "[app]") {
+    const char *commandline = CLI11_SYSTEM_ARGS_EXE " 1234 false \"hello world\"";
+    int retval = std::system(commandline);
+
+    if(retval == -1) {
+        FAIL("Executable '" << commandline << "' reported different argc count");
+    }
+
+    if(retval > 0) {
+        FAIL("Executable '" << commandline << "' reported different argv at index " << (retval - 1));
+    }
+
+    if(retval != 0) {
+        FAIL("Executable '" << commandline << "' failed with an unknown return code");
+    }
+}
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ set(CLI11_TESTS
    StringParseTest
    ComplexTypeTest
    TrueFalseTest
-    OptionGroupTest)
+    OptionGroupTest
+    EncodingTest)

 if(WIN32)
  list(APPEND CLI11_TESTS WindowsTest)
@ -89,6 +90,40 @@ else()
  target_include_directories(catch_main PUBLIC "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}")
 endif()

+# Add special target that copies the data directory for tests
+file(
+  GLOB_RECURSE DATA_FILES
+  LIST_DIRECTORIES false
+  RELATIVE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}"
+  "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/data/*")
+
+foreach(DATA_FILE IN LISTS DATA_FILES)
+  add_custom_command(
+    OUTPUT "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${DATA_FILE}"
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${DATA_FILE}"
+            "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${DATA_FILE}"
+    MAIN_DEPENDENCY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${DATA_FILE}"
+    VERBATIM)
+  target_sources(catch_main PRIVATE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${DATA_FILE}")
+endforeach()
+
+# Build dependent applications which are launched from test code
+set(CLI11_DEPENDENT_APPLICATIONS system_args)
+
+foreach(APP IN LISTS CLI11_DEPENDENT_APPLICATIONS)
+  add_executable(${APP} applications/${APP}.cpp)
+  target_include_directories(${APP} PRIVATE ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include)
+  add_dependencies(catch_main ${APP})
+endforeach()
+
+function(add_dependent_application_definitions TARGET)
+  foreach(APP IN LISTS CLI11_DEPENDENT_APPLICATIONS)
+    string(TOUPPER ${APP} APP_UPPERCASE)
+    target_compile_definitions(${TARGET}
+                               PRIVATE CLI11_${APP_UPPERCASE}_EXE="$<TARGET_FILE:${APP}>")
+  endforeach()
+endfunction()
+
 # Target must already exist
 macro(add_catch_test TESTNAME)
  target_link_libraries(${TESTNAME} PUBLIC catch_main)
@ -108,6 +143,8 @@ foreach(T IN LISTS CLI11_TESTS)
    set_property(SOURCE ${T}.cpp PROPERTY LANGUAGE CUDA)
  endif()
  add_executable(${T} ${T}.cpp)
+
+  add_dependent_application_definitions(${T})
  add_sanitizers(${T})
  if(NOT CLI11_CUDA_TESTS)
    target_link_libraries(${T} PRIVATE CLI11_warnings)
@ -117,6 +154,7 @@ foreach(T IN LISTS CLI11_TESTS)

  if(CLI11_SINGLE_FILE AND CLI11_SINGLE_FILE_TESTS)
    add_executable(${T}_Single ${T}.cpp)
+    add_dependent_application_definitions(${T}_Single)
    target_link_libraries(${T}_Single PRIVATE CLI11_SINGLE)
    add_catch_test(${T}_Single)
    set_property(TARGET ${T}_Single PROPERTY FOLDER "Tests Single File")
@ -125,6 +163,7 @@ endforeach()

 foreach(T IN LISTS CLI11_MULTIONLY_TESTS)
  add_executable(${T} ${T}.cpp)
+  add_dependent_application_definitions(${T})
  add_sanitizers(${T})
  target_link_libraries(${T} PUBLIC CLI11)
  add_catch_test(${T})
--- a/tests/EncodingTest.cpp
+++ b/tests/EncodingTest.cpp
@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2017-2023, University of Cincinnati, developed by Henry Schreiner
+// under NSF AWARD 1414736 and by the respective contributors.
+// All rights reserved.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+#include "app_helper.hpp"
+
+#include <array>
+#include <string>
+
+#if defined CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM && CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM > 0
+#include <filesystem>
+#endif  // CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM
+
+// "abcd"
+static const std::string abcd_str = "abcd";     // NOLINT(runtime/string)
+static const std::wstring abcd_wstr = L"abcd";  // NOLINT(runtime/string)
+
+// "𓂀𓂀𓂀" - 4-byte utf8 characters
+static const std::array<uint8_t, 12 + 1> egypt_utf8_codeunits{
+    {0xF0, 0x93, 0x82, 0x80, 0xF0, 0x93, 0x82, 0x80, 0xF0, 0x93, 0x82, 0x80}};
+static const std::string egypt_str(reinterpret_cast<const char *>(egypt_utf8_codeunits.data()));
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+static const std::array<uint16_t, 6 + 1> egypt_utf16_codeunits{{0xD80C, 0xDC80, 0xD80C, 0xDC80, 0xD80C, 0xDC80}};
+static const std::wstring egypt_wstr(reinterpret_cast<const wchar_t *>(egypt_utf16_codeunits.data()));
+
+#else
+static const std::array<uint32_t, 3 + 1> egypt_utf32_codeunits{{0x00013080, 0x00013080, 0x00013080}};
+static const std::wstring egypt_wstr(reinterpret_cast<const wchar_t *>(egypt_utf32_codeunits.data()));
+
+#endif
+
+// "Hello Halló Привет 你好 👩‍🚀❤️" - many languages and complex emojis
+static const std::array<uint8_t, 50 + 1> hello_utf8_codeunits{
+    {0x48, 0x65, 0x6c, 0x6c, 0x6f, 0x20, 0x48, 0x61, 0x6c, 0x6c, 0xc3, 0xb3, 0x20, 0xd0, 0x9f, 0xd1, 0x80,
+     0xd0, 0xb8, 0xd0, 0xb2, 0xd0, 0xb5, 0xd1, 0x82, 0x20, 0xe4, 0xbd, 0xa0, 0xe5, 0xa5, 0xbd, 0x20, 0xf0,
+     0x9f, 0x91, 0xa9, 0xe2, 0x80, 0x8d, 0xf0, 0x9f, 0x9a, 0x80, 0xe2, 0x9d, 0xa4, 0xef, 0xb8, 0x8f}};
+static const std::string hello_str(reinterpret_cast<const char *>(hello_utf8_codeunits.data()));
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+static const std::array<uint16_t, 29 + 1> hello_utf16_codeunits{
+    {0x0048, 0x0065, 0x006c, 0x006c, 0x006f, 0x0020, 0x0048, 0x0061, 0x006c, 0x006c,
+     0x00f3, 0x0020, 0x041f, 0x0440, 0x0438, 0x0432, 0x0435, 0x0442, 0x0020, 0x4f60,
+     0x597d, 0x0020, 0xd83d, 0xdc69, 0x200d, 0xd83d, 0xde80, 0x2764, 0xfe0f}};
+static const std::wstring hello_wstr(reinterpret_cast<const wchar_t *>(hello_utf16_codeunits.data()));
+
+#else
+static const std::array<uint32_t, 27 + 1> hello_utf32_codeunits{
+    {0x00000048, 0x00000065, 0x0000006c, 0x0000006c, 0x0000006f, 0x00000020, 0x00000048, 0x00000061, 0x0000006c,
+     0x0000006c, 0x000000f3, 0x00000020, 0x0000041f, 0x00000440, 0x00000438, 0x00000432, 0x00000435, 0x00000442,
+     0x00000020, 0x00004f60, 0x0000597d, 0x00000020, 0x0001f469, 0x0000200d, 0x0001f680, 0x00002764, 0x0000fe0f}};
+static const std::wstring hello_wstr(reinterpret_cast<const wchar_t *>(hello_utf32_codeunits.data()));
+
+#endif
+
+// #14
+TEST_CASE("Encoding: Widen", "[unicode]") {
+    using CLI::widen;
+
+    CHECK(abcd_wstr == widen(abcd_str));
+    CHECK(egypt_wstr == widen(egypt_str));
+    CHECK(hello_wstr == widen(hello_str));
+
+    CHECK(hello_wstr == widen(hello_str.c_str()));
+    CHECK(hello_wstr == widen(hello_str.c_str(), hello_str.size()));
+
+#ifdef CLI11_CPP17
+    CHECK(hello_wstr == widen(std::string_view{hello_str}));
+#endif  // CLI11_CPP17
+}
+
+// #14
+TEST_CASE("Encoding: Narrow", "[unicode]") {
+    using CLI::narrow;
+
+    CHECK(abcd_str == narrow(abcd_wstr));
+    CHECK(egypt_str == narrow(egypt_wstr));
+    CHECK(hello_str == narrow(hello_wstr));
+
+    CHECK(hello_str == narrow(hello_wstr.c_str()));
+    CHECK(hello_str == narrow(hello_wstr.c_str(), hello_wstr.size()));
+
+#ifdef CLI11_CPP17
+    CHECK(hello_str == narrow(std::wstring_view{hello_wstr}));
+#endif  // CLI11_CPP17
+}
+
+#if defined CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM && CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM > 0
+// #14
+TEST_CASE("Encoding: to_path roundtrip", "[unicode]") {
+    using std::filesystem::path;
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    std::wstring native_str = CLI::widen(hello_str);
+#else
+    std::string native_str = hello_str;
+#endif  // _WIN32
+
+    CHECK(CLI::to_path(hello_str).native() == native_str);
+}
+
+#endif  // CLI11_HAS_FILESYSTEM
--- a/tests/app_helper.hpp
+++ b/tests/app_helper.hpp
@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 #endif

 #include "catch.hpp"
+#include <array>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <iomanip>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <string>
 #include <utility>
@ -67,3 +70,54 @@ inline void unset_env(std::string name) {
    unsetenv(name.c_str());
 #endif
 }
+
+CLI11_INLINE void check_identical_files(const char *path1, const char *path2) {
+    std::string err1 = CLI::ExistingFile(path1);
+    if(!err1.empty()) {
+        FAIL("Could not open " << path1 << ": " << err1);
+    }
+
+    std::string err2 = CLI::ExistingFile(path2);
+    if(!err2.empty()) {
+        FAIL("Could not open " << path2 << ": " << err2);
+    }
+
+    // open files at the end to compare size first
+    std::ifstream file1(path1, std::ifstream::ate | std::ifstream::binary);
+    std::ifstream file2(path2, std::ifstream::ate | std::ifstream::binary);
+
+    if(!file1.good()) {
+        FAIL("File " << path1 << " is corrupted");
+    }
+
+    if(!file2.good()) {
+        FAIL("File " << path2 << " is corrupted");
+    }
+
+    if(file1.tellg() != file2.tellg()) {
+        FAIL("Different file sizes:\n  " << file1.tellg() << " bytes in " << path1 << "\n  " << file2.tellg()
+                                         << " bytes in " << path2);
+    }
+
+    // rewind files
+    file1.seekg(0);
+    file2.seekg(0);
+
+    std::array<uint8_t, 10240> buffer1;
+    std::array<uint8_t, 10240> buffer2;
+
+    for(size_t ibuffer = 0; file1.good(); ++ibuffer) {
+        // Flawfinder: ignore
+        file1.read(reinterpret_cast<char *>(buffer1.data()), static_cast<std::streamsize>(buffer1.size()));
+        // Flawfinder: ignore
+        file2.read(reinterpret_cast<char *>(buffer2.data()), static_cast<std::streamsize>(buffer2.size()));
+
+        for(size_t i = 0; i < static_cast<size_t>(file1.gcount()); ++i) {
+            if(buffer1[i] != buffer2[i]) {
+                FAIL(std::hex << std::setfill('0') << "Different bytes at position " << (ibuffer * 10240 + i) << ":\n  "
+                              << "0x" << std::setw(2) << static_cast<int>(buffer1[i]) << " in " << path1 << "\n  "
+                              << "0x" << std::setw(2) << static_cast<int>(buffer2[i]) << " in " << path2);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
--- a/tests/applications/system_args.cpp
+++ b/tests/applications/system_args.cpp
@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2017-2023, University of Cincinnati, developed by Henry Schreiner
+// under NSF AWARD 1414736 and by the respective contributors.
+// All rights reserved.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+#include <CLI/CLI.hpp>
+#include <cstring>
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv) {
+    if(argc != CLI::argc()) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    for(int i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
+        if(std::strcmp(argv[i], CLI::argv()[i]) != 0) {
+            return i + 1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
--- a/tests/data/unicode.txt
+++ b/tests/data/unicode.txt
@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Hello Halló Привет 你好 👩‍🚀❤️
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@ -57,6 +57,20 @@ testnames = [
    ['link_test_2', {'link_with': link_test_lib}],
 ]

+dependent_applications = [
+    'system_args'
+]
+dependent_applications_definitions = []
+#dependent_applications_targets = []
+foreach app: dependent_applications
+    app_target = executable(app, 'applications'/app + '.cpp',
+        build_by_default: false
+    )
+
+    #dependent_applications_targets += dependency(app_target)
+    dependent_applications_definitions += '-DCLI11_@0@_EXE="@1@"'.format(app.to_upper(), app_target)
+endforeach
+
 if host_machine.system() == 'windows'
    testnames += [['WindowsTest', {}]]
 endif
@ -69,7 +83,7 @@ foreach n: testnames
    name = n[0]
    kwargs = n[1]
    t = executable(name, name + '.cpp',
-        cpp_args: kwargs.get('cpp_args', []),
+        cpp_args: kwargs.get('cpp_args', []) + dependent_applications_definitions,
        build_by_default: false,
        dependencies: [testdep] + kwargs.get('dependencies', []),
        link_with: kwargs.get('link_with', [])
				`@ -0,0 +1 @@`
				`Hello Halló Привет 你好 👩‍🚀❤️`